Thor D movie review (2011)

Thor [3D] (2011)

Full review: Actor-turned-director Kenneth Branagh brings his latest flick, based on Marvel Comics character, "Thor" - a fun, entertaining and visually-stunning superhero blockbuster, that not only blends cleverly Norse mythology with fiction and modern reality, but also manages to balance stupendous action with human drama quite well, in order to provide us with tons of 'Marvel'-ous entertainment. Probably the best thing about "Thor" is, that it never takes itself too seriously, not to say that the film often flirts with silliness, without crossing the line into stupidity. The dialogues are moderately intelligent and full of wit, and the all the characters are well-written, but "Thor" is not without its problems - it suffers a bit from a lack of cohesion among its constituent parts, and as a result, it often feels either rushed or contrived. Silly costumes aside, "Thor" is pure eye-candy in terms of visuals. The art direction is certainly the film's highlight - while the 'golden' kingdom of Asgard is bright, stylish and lavishly-designed, Jotunheim is grim, dark and downright chilling, yet highly atmospheric - together they make an impressive visual depiction of good and evil! "Thor" also boasts some first-rate CGIs and above average 3D effects, and it features number of thrilling and well-staged, if hardly spectacular action sequences. Branagh's direction is precise and typically solid, but at times you would guess that directing this film has been a challenge for him. Acting-wise, "Thor" also delivers, thanks to its charming, talented and likable cast. Chris Hemsworth makes the perfect Thor - he's not only hunky, good-looking and incredibly charismatic, but he also possesses enough acting abilities to carry the film on his shoulders. Anthony Hopkins shines as the wise and temperate Odin, and Natalie Portman delivers another fascinating performance as Thor's love interest, though her brief screen time isn't enough to allow her to steal the show. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is certainly the weakest of the bunch - his character is neither interesting to watch, nor particularly memorable.

Overall summary: Kenneth Branagh's latest Marvel-based movie may not be as spectacular as expected, and it doesn't break any new ground in terms of plot or characterization, but at the end of the day, "Thor" is a true crowd-pleaser, and a solid entry into the superhero genre, thanks to its sharply-written script, engaging cast, and flashy visual effects.