Movie Review: Thor

Disclaimer: This review will contain spoilers. Don't read it unless you've already watched the movie or unless you don't care about being spoiled. I like to analyze movies, and I can't really do that unless I spoil the movie. You have been warned.

As Thor prepares to ascend to the throne, Frost Giants invade and attempt to retrieve an artifact that used to belong to them. Again the orders of his father, Odin, Thor, along with his brother Loki, the lady Sif, and the Warriors Three (Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun), go to Jotunheim to control Laufey, the leader of the Frost Giants. As a result, he reignites a war against the two peoples. Odin decides this act proves Thor's unworthiness to rule Asgard, so he banishes Thor to Earth, stripping him of his powers and his immortality. He puts a spell on Mjolnir, Thor's hammer, that only he who is worthy, will be able to lift the hammer. Now as Loki plots to become the new ruler of Asgard, Thor must find a way to prove his worthiness.

Thor was originally conceived as a way to make a superhero stronger than the strongest human. The characters and places in Thor are based on the old Norse legends, including giving the characters the look of the ancient Vikings.

The concept of Thor is not a new one (although it may have been original back when it was first published in the comics). Many science fiction franchises have explored the possible existence of beings we know as gods -- humanoid aliens who were worshiped as gods due to having such advanced technology. In the film, they even mention that they were worshiped as gods due to their superhuman abilities.

Thor takes places around roughly the same time as The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 (so both Hulk and Thor take place about six months after the events of Iron Man). With The Incredible Hulk, the hints are more subtle, but with Thor, it's pretty obvious. In Iron Man 2, Agent Coulson told Stark that he had to go to New Mexico, which is where Thor and his hammer both ended up. Also, on the Thor DVD, there is a one-shot called The Consultant, in which Agents Coulson and Sitwell are having lunch, and Coulson tells Sitwell that the World Security Council want Emil Blonsky (a.k.a. Abomination) in the Avengers. So they conspire to send a "consultant" to annoy General Ross and make him change his mind. This "consultant" turns out to be Tony Stark, regarding his scene from The Incredible Hulk.

Theme

In Asgard, one is not simply born into royalty. You cannot rule Asgard unless you are worthy, a lesson that Thor learns all too well. Odin deems Thor much to headstrong and childish in seeking a fight with the Frost Giants, so he has Thor banished to Earth, stripped of his powers and immortality. Odin puts a spell on the hammer, that only the one who is worthy may lift it and rule Asgard, and the hammer is sent to New Mexico near where Thor lands. While he is on earth, he locates Mjolnir, tries to lift it, and fails. Through this act and a brief discussion with Loki, he resigns himself to life on Earth and develops a romance with Jane Foster. It's not until Thor selflessly sacrifices his life in a battle with The Destroyer does Thor prove his worthiness to wield Mjolnir.

In his conversation with Loki, Thor's brother laments that it was a cruel act to place Mjolnir so close to Thor as a constant reminder of his failure, but I think that Loki has it all wrong. I believe that Odin banished his son for a purpose -- because his son needed a wake-up call if he was going to rule Asgard. He needed some life experience. And while it's not made so explicit in the film, in the deleted scenes it's focused on a bit more than Odin had a plan for sending Thor through this trial. Odin exemplifies the fact that we can't shirk away from trouble or suffering because it's through suffering that we grow as people and we become better, by overcoming our trials. By overcoming his exile and learning how to become a hero, Thor was able to redeem himself and take the throne as the rightful ruler of Asgard.

Stan Lee cameo

In a scene where people gather around to try and lift Mjolnir, Stan Lee plays a truck driver who tries to lift the hammer by tying it to his truck with a chain. He looks back and asks "Did I get it?"

Grade: A-

A very solid film, with some solid action and good performances from the actors. Not a perfect film, and the "fish out of water" scenario has been done many times before, but a good origin film for the god of thunder.

Thor
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Written by: Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne
Starring:
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig
Colm Feore as Laufey
Ray Stevenson as Volstagg
Idris Elba as Heimdall
Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis
Rene Russo as Frigga
Anthony Hopkins as Odin
Tadanobu Asano as Hogun
Josh Dallas as Fandral
Jaimie Alexander as Sif
Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson
Maximiliano Hernandez as Jasper Sitwell
Stan Lee as pick-up truck driver (cameo)
J. Michael Straczynski as pick-up truck driver (cameo)
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (cameo)
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye