07 May Nerdy for Thirty #25: Thor

THOR

dir. Kenneth Branagh, starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins

The fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor continues the unsteady and tenuous hold the overall franchise had on superhero films. Thor Odinson, the powerful and arrogant future king of Asgard foolishly reignites an old war between the gods of Asgard and the Frost Giants of Jotunheim after a handful of them interrupt Thor’s coronation ceremony. After betraying All Father Odin’s wishes and taking the war to them, Odin banishes Thor to Migard, where he meets and falls in love with astrophysicist Jane Foster. Behind all this is Loki, half-brother of Thor who takes the throne for himself after the All-Father collapses into Odinsleep. What results is a War of the Realms, with Midgard caught in the middle as Thor fights his way back to Asgard in an attempt to unseat Loki.

Starring Chris Hemsworth as the titular Thor, God of Thunder, rarely has there been a better casting. Looking like a man molded from the godliest of clays, Hemsworth looks the part of a demigod, imbuing the Norse legend with a sense of regal nobility with an untamed side. Coasting by on mostly looks in his first outing, Hemsworth would thankfully step up his game in later films, but here in Thor, his thespianship leaves something to be desired. His chemistry with Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster seems more forced by the plot and source material than anything natural. For her part, Portman playing the talented astrophysicist skates by on her willingness to commit to being swept up in events larger than her. It’s Jane’s desire and drive to learn more that’s her best trait; a characteristic that Portman leans into as best she can.

Upstaging Chris Hemsowrth almost every scene is Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the God of Mischief. The outcast villain, the one who questions his place in a society taught that his heritage is the stuff of nightmares, Loki is as classic a villain as could be. Hiddleston’s initial soft-spoken nature, always beguiling, belies a zeal for power, a desired to be recognized, and a thirst to be loved. By far the MCU’s most compelling villain through its first four films, and easily the best villain of Phase One, Hiddleston’s villainous charm makes it easy for the audience to both hate and pity the character.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, one of Thor’s strongest suits is the sense of scale and scope he provides. The Shakespearean nature of the story is perfectly suited for Kenneth Branagh, who’s previously directed six adaptations of The Bard’s works, in addition to starring in more, both on screen and stage. Though a large chunk of the movie takes place in a backwater city in the New Mexico, the rest of the movie is audience’s first glimpse at the Marvel Cinematic Universe on a galactic scale. Branagh, along with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, make Asgard look radiant, a true shining beacon of hope, strength, and leadership. Branagh’s love of Dutch angles gives the film a foreign, off kilter vibe that adds to its not-of-this-world feel. Composer Patrick Doyle crafts a score that’s immensely underrated, bringing home the entire package for a story of scheming gods set amongst the stars.

Overall, Thor mostly succeeds at what it’s aiming for: a fantastical story of gods and monsters, with humans trapped in the middle. Kenneth Branagh’s love of Shakespearean stories of tragic heroes and misunderstood villains translates into the presentation of a noble but flawed Thor, with his hubris and righteous anger being his downfall. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are wonderfully cast in their respective roles, playing off each other with a chemistry that conveys a pair of men who’ve grown up around each other for years. Hindered by a weak romantic subplot between Thor and Jane, which leads to a middling second act, Thor is good, not great.

Review by Darryl Mansel