Two Thumbs Up 4 Thor

Back when I was an avid reader of comic books, two brands dominated the market: DC and Marvel. Readers tended to be fiercely loyal and I read nothing but Marvel. Well, almost nothing. I did briefly indulge in Green Lantern and Green Arrow, but I felt guilty about it. Marvel heroes were sometimes derivative of DC characters. Captain America was Marvel's version of Batman, with a teen sidekick, "Bucky" to match Robin. Aquaman became Namor, the Submariner, in Marvel. But Marvel characters were much richer, more resonant with the social culture. Marvel just had better stories.

The same two giants still dominate comic book culture, but Marvel has the clear edge in Hollywood. Only DC's Batman franchise rivals Spiderman on film. Superman still hasn't really taken flight since the Christopher Reeve days. DC has nothing to match the excellent X Men series, which is about to be reborn, or the superb Iron Man films. Green Lantern is about to glow on the screen, and may be good; however, Marvel has Captain America coming and a new Spiderman in the works. It looks like I backed the right winged horse.

One of Marvel's most original heroes was Thor. Marvel was good at creating (see: stealing) whole kosmoi in which to situate their characters. Thor was the Norse God of Thunder, son of Odin, sworn enemy of Loki, resident of Asgard. In the original comic, Thor was punished by his father for almost starting a cosmic war. Odin sent his son to earth to be imprisoned in the body of Donald Blake, a medical student with a limp and a cane. Fast forward, and Blake discovers that if he slams his cane into the ground it becomes and mighty hammer (Mjolnir) and Blake becomes the Mighty Thor.

Well, Thor is now using Mjolnir to smash the competition at the box office. I am happy about that and happy to report that I was happy when I left the theater. Thor wasn't great but it was plenty good enough.

The best thing about the movie was Chris Hemsworth. The Australian actor looks and acts the part well: Thor as a super muscular, super arrogant jock. He adds an irreverent sense of humor that was missing from the comic books.

The story takes place in three acts: the first in Asgard and in the realm of the frost giants, the second on Earth, and the third back in Asgard. The weakest part of the film is the middle part, where nothing much happens except that Thor learns humility, makes contact with SHIELD (a secret service devoted to dealing with Superheroes), gets a girlfriend (Natalie Portman), and gets his Mjolnir mojo back. This part of the film isn't bad, just underwhelming.

The first part of the film is well worth the admission price. Asgard is visually breathtaking. Anthony Hopkins is as good as you expect as Odin. When Thor leads his four best super buddies into the frost giant's realm, the resulting battle is about as good as superhero cinema gets. I gotta get me one of those hammers!

Superhero movies always have a problem of scale. How can you present a man-sized superman doing battle against gigantic foes? Thor's battle against the frost giants switches well between on the ground hand to hammer combat, and flying into the mouth of a Godzilla sized rock-frost-monster.

Thor is pretty good super movie making. The film spends a lot of time integrating Thor into an apparent larger project, the "Avengers Initiative." The Avengers were a group of Superheroes that had their own Marvel Comic for a number of years. It was led by Captain America, and included Thor and Iron Man. Whether this film idea will really happen or be any good are good questions. It invites the viewer to look for Easter eggs. At the end of Iron Man films and Thor, you get teasers pointing to an Avengers movie.

In Thor, there is a brief scene where a SHIELD sniper following Thor puts down his rifle and picks up a compound bow. That would be Hawkeye, one of the original Avengers in the comic book. God is good to nerds.

Comments

[lax018]

They are not just inviting veiwers to look for connections The Avengers Movie has started production. The teasers and cameos are how they are interconnecting a Universe of characters. http://movies.ign.com/articles/116/1164114p1.html

[Stan Gibilisco]

In high school and college, I was a quintessential nerd. God was good to me, indeed! He kept the bimbos away from me. At the time I failed to appreciate His benevolence. Now, however, my gratitude knows no bounds.

[Timmy!]

For starters, if youve watched any of the recent Marvel movies (excluding the spider-man and fantastic four flicks. and daredevil, elektra and ghost rider) there is a common thread going on in each of them.. and thats Nick Fury (samuel l jackson)

the avengers movie comes out next year and there have been none-to-obscure references made to that exact thing in each movie (iron man.. both films, and the hulk film with edward norton).

the groundwork has been laid for the film over the last few years even mentioning that tony stark's (robert downey jr) father was part of the super soldier program back in world war two.. which gave "birth" to captain america.

thors hammer was found, i believe, at the end of the last iron man movie and even a replica of cap's shield was seen in tony stark's "work room" in iron man2

As for hawkeye being "one of the founding avengers".. WRONG! in marvel comics universe proper, hawkeye didnt join the team until issue #16.. almost a year and a half after the title began, and a full year after cap was a member (cap joined in issue #4)

The Avengers wasnt strictly led by Captain America either. many heroes have been chairperson of the team over the years.. and the book is still going strong to this day.

Oh one last thing.. the movie has NOTHING to do with the Initiative.. thats a COMPLETELY different Avengers related story.

For the most part, I am leaning towards the movie being closer to the Ultimate Universe version of the avengers that the "mainstream universe" version of the team. the hard evidence is the fact that samuel l jackson, as mentioned above.. is playing nick fury who in mainstream reality is white, but in the ultimate universe is black. Another fact is that in the movie hawkeye, black widow and captain america are all going to become founding members of the avengers.. which is true in the ultimate universe but not the main universe.

[NYJ]

Namor predates Aquaman by a couple of years.

"But Marvel characters were ...more resonant with the social culture. Marvel just had better stories."

This wasn't true until the mid-'60s

[Kal_ritle]

The Avengers title is still being published. In fact there are now three teams. Captain America leads a group known as the Secret Avengers.

Thanks for the review. I hope to get to Thor this weekend

[KB]

I stand in awe of these ubernerds. I almost have to turn in my nerd badge. I cannot compete.