So it's surprising then, that the God of Thunder turns out to be the most grounded character yet established for the upcoming Marvel team-up extravaganza. Thor introduces its titular character as an arrogant and short-tempered warrior from another dimension, called Asgard. He's heir to his father Odin's throne, but when he recklessly breaks a truce with Asgard's old enemies, the Frost Giants, he's exiled to Earth and relieved of his powers. Thor must prove himself worthy of his heritage in time to stop a threat that could consume both Asgard and Earth.
If ever one of the Avengers was going to be a tough sell, it would be Thor. After the Iron Man films and The Incredible Hulk spent time establishing the hyper-reality of the science behind their outlandish protagonists, Thor as a character is a straight-up god. Many of his allies are also gods, and many of his foes are demons or monsters. Handily, Thor manages to rejig elements of the character in order to establish Asgard as another dimension, which is apparently easier to swallow than polytheism.
Put it this way- I don't know that I could immediately see him working alongside Tony Stark, but after seeing the film, that's Tony Stark's problem and not Thor's. Chris Hemsworth brings the character to life in an astonishingly endearing fashion, making him a hugely entertaining spectacle as he's all discombobulated on Earth but also making him a genuine, certified hard-arse. He's the central piece of the puzzle, but he can't claim all of the credit for why Thor works so well.
Luckily, Branagh doesn't skimp on the funnies either. When it's meant to be, it's a very, very funny film. It's not to say that the gorgeous Kat Dennings, who serves as the designated comic relief character, is always on the mark, but then most of the comedy comes from the culture clash, which rings out all the way through. The comedy serves to temper the full-on fantasy elements, in which a beautifully designed Asgard neighbours other realms, with names you won't remember ten seconds after they're mentioned. The weakest segment of the film is the early stuff before Thor's banishment, which feels like expendable backstory more than epic storytelling.
I'm finding it difficult to nail what makes Thor so special, but unusually I think it's probably something to do with the romantic throughline. Having annoyed me for the last couple of films I've seen her in, Natalie Portman returns to form as the scientist who gets more than she bargained for when the God of Thunder topples out of the weather anomalies she's been chasing. Portman plays it klutzy, but there's a real sweetness to her character, and her chemistry with Hemsworth really helps to ground the most ungrounded character in the Avengers' ranks.
Thor is showing in 2D and 3D at cinemas nationwide from tomorrow.
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If you've seen Thor, why not share your comments below?
I'm Mark the mad prophet, and until next time, don't watch anything I wouldn't watch.
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If you've seen Thor, why not share your comments below?
I'm Mark the mad prophet, and until next time, don't watch anything I wouldn't watch.