Jason KingThor: A Review
April 22nd 2011 09:08
:
Surprisingly awesome!!
Category: Reviews
WOW - I was mesmerised for an entire hour and 54mins from go to woe. Kenneth Branagh has created one damn fine looking and extremely fun action blockbuster movie that easily fits into the brilliance of the Marvel fold. Seriously, is Marvel becoming the Pixar of the Blockbuster?
Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present this epic adventure, "Thor," which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It's while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
I am going to go as far as saying this is visually the most splendidly grand superhero movie ever made. Ouch - I feel the wrath of many coming to get me
. But honestly everythin gon Asgard is just stunning and the costume design and art direction is some of the best I have seen for years. It is a newly created universe that hasn't had me so spellbound since Lord of the Rings or Star Wars (originals) - I want to go to Asgard. The film never takes itself too seriously and it has epic production qualitites that never once had me wrestless. To me it actually had the succesful formula of the original Star Wars films, light hearted adventure action with a powerful story and decent cast.
Hemsworth is a cross between a young Harrison Ford and Arnie. And it bloodywell works - he is going to be a superstar and I can see plenty of upcoming Norse films being made starring Hemsworth - physically he is out of control and capable of turning Natalie Portman into a giggling school girl. Honestly I much preferred the clean cut Captain Kirk Snr Hemsworth - the Thor version of Hemsworth is way too big for my personal tastes but my god what a perfect specimen of the Norse God or should I just say Australian male. It is a stroke of luck and a long journey that saw Hemsworth get the role. The list of actors lined up for the part was incredible, from Brad Pitt to Charlie Hunnam and Channing Tatum to even Daniel Craig but in the end it came down to two Aussie boys and both of them brothers - Liam and Chris Hemsworth and in the end Chris scored the part and ate all the protein in the US while benchpressing blue whales to gain his supersize. He actually got so big Branagh had to eventually get him to start losing the bulk. He does look tremendous though and his mix of light humor and over cockiness are so well done I actually think it was perfect casting - I would be very surprised if we do not see a sequel in the works sometime soon.
Grumpy old bastard Anthony Hopkins was also a stroke of great casting as Odin. He actually stated when him and Hemsworth turned up in full costume on the first day of shooting that "God, there's no acting required here, is there?". He also claims he is very similar to Odin in reality. "I'm a little like Odin myself. He's a stern man. He's a man with purpose. I play the god who banishes his son from Asgard because he screwed up. He's a hot-headed, temperamental young man, probably a chip off of the old block... but I decide he's not really ready to rule the future kingdom, so I banish him. I'm harsh and my wife complains and I say 'That is why I'm king.' He's ruthless, take-it-or-leave-it." Regardless of therumors of alleged tantrums on set and Hopkins allegedly abusing Hemsworth for being a crap actor and for the over use of green screen the old guy should be bloody impressed with the final outcome. If he did claim Hemsworth was a crap actor I do hope he eats his own words.
Portman is pretty decent as the love interest scientist Jane Foster. Originally in the comic Foster was a nurse that became a doctor but they mixed it up a bit to create the scientist version that works well for a sequal. Portman is in everything at the moment - I think she decided to go in a hundred movies so she could take time off for babies and not be forgotten. I am liking it and she is shedding the prudish characters she normally loves to play. She is actually a pleasure to watch in nearly everything but to see her have fun and not take herself so seriously is a joy to see and seeing her giggle at Thor's bulk and affections was awesome.
I also really enjoyed Tom Hiddleston as Thor's brother Loki, the God of Mischief. He was the perfect balance of straightly intelligence and manipulative evil to Thor's stupidity, arrogance and running straight into every fight. But seriously Loki is one mentally messed up guy!
The tie in for the other Marvel films for the eventual Avengers movie via Shield is moving along nicely - as usual I missed the end sequence after the credits so make sure you remain in the cinema until the end of the creidts where you can see the standard Samuel L Jackson cameo that can get you a little excited at the possibility of an eventual Avengers film. And don't forget the Stan Lee cameo - he's the guy driving the truck trying to rip the hammer out of the crater.
In typical Branagh style he moulded the Thor film around Shakespeare. Kenneth Branagh conceptualized this film as a Norse/comic-book twist on William Shakespeare's 'Henry V', which was about a young king who underwent trials and tribulations: fighting a war, courting a girl from another land, and basic character development. After probably close to 10 directors for this film and numerous rewrites it ended up with Brannagh and what a hammer blow of luck that was! I think Thor needed a more granduer epic tale not by Marvel to gain what a God deserves but as the comic/ Norse version it is spot on the mark.
The art direction of this film is literally out of this world - it is the most stylised since the Stargate movie and suits the world so well, I smell Oscars. One thing I did find humorous - when the heroes come to earth they do look so out of place and hysterical - the Shield guy is on the money when he says he has seen Zena. I love how it looks astoundingly powerful in Asgard and like a fancy dress party on Earth. The contrasts of the worlds and the way to travel between them was a visual highpoint of the film also reminscent of Stargate and I think the Thor sequal should try and bring the Stargate crew into the movie to assist Jane Foster in constructing a "bridge". I am onto a screenplay right there Mr Branagh!!
Thor is out this week and is a perfect action adventure blockbuster. If you love Star Wars movies and/ or The Lord of the Rings films and Iron Man movies then you will be in heaven (or Asgard). Out now and worth an easy 9 out of 10.
Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present this epic adventure, "Thor," which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It's while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
I am going to go as far as saying this is visually the most splendidly grand superhero movie ever made. Ouch - I feel the wrath of many coming to get me
. But honestly everythin gon Asgard is just stunning and the costume design and art direction is some of the best I have seen for years. It is a newly created universe that hasn't had me so spellbound since Lord of the Rings or Star Wars (originals) - I want to go to Asgard. The film never takes itself too seriously and it has epic production qualitites that never once had me wrestless. To me it actually had the succesful formula of the original Star Wars films, light hearted adventure action with a powerful story and decent cast.
Hemsworth is a cross between a young Harrison Ford and Arnie. And it bloodywell works - he is going to be a superstar and I can see plenty of upcoming Norse films being made starring Hemsworth - physically he is out of control and capable of turning Natalie Portman into a giggling school girl. Honestly I much preferred the clean cut Captain Kirk Snr Hemsworth - the Thor version of Hemsworth is way too big for my personal tastes but my god what a perfect specimen of the Norse God or should I just say Australian male
. It is a stroke of luck and a long journey that saw Hemsworth get the role. The list of actors lined up for the part was incredible, from Brad Pitt to Charlie Hunnam and Channing Tatum to even Daniel Craig but in the end it came down to two Aussie boys and both of them brothers - Liam and Chris Hemsworth and in the end Chris scored the part and ate all the protein in the US while benchpressing blue whales to gain his supersize. He actually got so big Branagh had to eventually get him to start losing the bulk. He does look tremendous though and his mix of light humor and over cockiness are so well done I actually think it was perfect casting - I would be very surprised if we do not see a sequel in the works sometime soon.
Grumpy old bastard Anthony Hopkins was also a stroke of great casting as Odin. He actually stated when him and Hemsworth turned up in full costume on the first day of shooting that "God, there's no acting required here, is there?". He also claims he is very similar to Odin in reality. "I'm a little like Odin myself. He's a stern man. He's a man with purpose. I play the god who banishes his son from Asgard because he screwed up. He's a hot-headed, temperamental young man, probably a chip off of the old block... but I decide he's not really ready to rule the future kingdom, so I banish him. I'm harsh and my wife complains and I say 'That is why I'm king.' He's ruthless, take-it-or-leave-it." Regardless of therumors of alleged tantrums on set and Hopkins allegedly abusing Hemsworth for being a crap actor and for the over use of green screen the old guy should be bloody impressed with the final outcome. If he did claim Hemsworth was a crap actor I do hope he eats his own words.
Portman is pretty decent as the love interest scientist Jane Foster. Originally in the comic Foster was a nurse that became a doctor but they mixed it up a bit to create the scientist version that works well for a sequal. Portman is in everything at the moment - I think she decided to go in a hundred movies so she could take time off for babies and not be forgotten. I am liking it and she is shedding the prudish characters she normally loves to play. She is actually a pleasure to watch in nearly everything but to see her have fun and not take herself so seriously is a joy to see and seeing her giggle at Thor's bulk and affections was awesome.
I also really enjoyed Tom Hiddleston as Thor's brother Loki, the God of Mischief. He was the perfect balance of straightly intelligence and manipulative evil to Thor's stupidity, arrogance and running straight into every fight. But seriously Loki is one mentally messed up guy!
The tie in for the other Marvel films for the eventual Avengers movie via Shield is moving along nicely - as usual I missed the end sequence after the credits so make sure you remain in the cinema until the end of the creidts where you can see the standard Samuel L Jackson cameo that can get you a little excited at the possibility of an eventual Avengers film. And don't forget the Stan Lee cameo - he's the guy driving the truck trying to rip the hammer out of the crater.
In typical Branagh style he moulded the Thor film around Shakespeare. Kenneth Branagh conceptualized this film as a Norse/comic-book twist on William Shakespeare's 'Henry V', which was about a young king who underwent trials and tribulations: fighting a war, courting a girl from another land, and basic character development. After probably close to 10 directors for this film and numerous rewrites it ended up with Brannagh and what a hammer blow of luck that was! I think Thor needed a more granduer epic tale not by Marvel to gain what a God deserves but as the comic/ Norse version it is spot on the mark.
The art direction of this film is literally out of this world - it is the most stylised since the Stargate movie and suits the world so well, I smell Oscars. One thing I did find humorous - when the heroes come to earth they do look so out of place and hysterical - the Shield guy is on the money when he says he has seen Zena. I love how it looks astoundingly powerful in Asgard and like a fancy dress party on Earth. The contrasts of the worlds and the way to travel between them was a visual highpoint of the film also reminscent of Stargate and I think the Thor sequal should try and bring the Stargate crew into the movie to assist Jane Foster in constructing a "bridge". I am onto a screenplay right there Mr Branagh!!
Thor is out this week and is a perfect action adventure blockbuster. If you love Star Wars movies and/ or The Lord of the Rings films and Iron Man movies then you will be in heaven (or Asgard). Out now and worth an easy 9 out of 10.
| 22 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by K @ the Lair
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Nice job!
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness