Thor

"So is this how you normally look?"
"More or less."
"It's a good look!"

After reigniting an ancient war with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, warrior and heir-apparent Thor (Hemsworth) of Asgard is in trouble.  His father, King Odin (Hopkins), strips Thor of this heritage and source of power and sends him to Earth.  His giant hammer, the Mjolnir, is sent to Earth separately.

On Earth, Thor is discovered by scientist Jane Foster (Portman).  Jane was in the midst of an important scientific discovery, when she hits Thor with her car.  Jane and her associates, Dr. Erik Selvig (Skarsgard) and Darcy (Dennings), think Thor is crazy, but agree to help him.

Meanwhile, Odin cannot cope with his decision and enters Odinsleep, leaving control of the kingdom in his younger son's, Loki (Hiddleston), hands.  Loki has the ability to talk his way out of any situation, but is not a warrior like Thor.  With the threat of attack by the Frost Giants, out to reclaim the source of their power, which Odin took when he defeated them years before.  Can Thor reclaim the Mjolnir and return to Asgard to protect his home?


The fourth film in the Marvel cannon: following Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man 2, as part of the lead-up to the release of The Avengers in 2012.  Marvel Comics created a franchise by making a plan for their films: each film sets up the next, with just a brief scene.  Agent Coulson appears in Iron Man 2, and is called away when they find Thor's hammer, which appears in the scene after the credits.  And the scene after the credits of this film sets up the Avenger movie.

Kenneth Branagh, a Shakespeare actor / director, directing a comic book movie?  It sounds strange, but at the same time I can't imagine anyone else better for the task.  Branagh brings his years of experience in classic dramas to create a film that reveres its origins, without reverting to camp.  He created the world of mystical world of Asgard and it's frozen counterpart of Jotunheim that look believable and intriguing.  His Asgardians and Frost Giants are awe-inspiring, but not completely out of reach.

Chris Hemsworth is an excellent choice for Thor.  Hemsworth was an obscure actor, but has been launched into celebrity with this film.  Tom Hiddleston also excels in this film, which also rocketed him to stardom.  The rest of the cast is good, but it is Hemsworth and Hiddleston that own the film.

An excellent entry into the superhero genre.

Thor (2011) 115 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Anthony Hopkins as Odin
Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig
Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson