I’ll admit that this has been a rather dry year for movies for me. I haven’t been able to go see too many and the few that I have gone to see, I haven’t been particularly impressed with. Kenneth Branaugh has never struck me as the type that would EVER direct a superhero action movie. Many know Kenneth Branaugh as a Shaksperian actor, starring in movies such as modern-day translations of “Love Labor’s Lost”. For the more mainstream crowd, he’s the one that performed as Gilderoy Lockheart in the Harry Potter movies. So you can see why my surprise to see him attached to this movie as director would be akin to listening to Mozart’s first death metal album. Here’s the thing, though. He does a REALLY good job with it.
I’m not going to say this particular superhero movie is the cream of the crop when it comes to action flicks. It IS very entertaining though. Branaugh has done a great job making the characters like Thor become emotional and relatable, while remaining untouchable and God-like.
There are some great actors in this film. Anthony Hopkins is, in my mind, the REAL Odin now. Chris Hemsworth IS Thor. There isn’t much character development, however. Thor’s sudden transformation from being a prideful and arrogant SOB into a humble and wise superhero lasts literally a scene and he’s changed forever. It seemed a little unbelievable to me, honestly. Also, Natalie Portman’s role as the hot scientist chick has been done WAY too many times, and honestly done much better. She did a fine job, but her character felt more like the submissive Thor groupie than the grounded and strong-willed scientist that Portman claims to have gone for in recent interviews about the film.
The costumes and special effects are top-notch until you see the makeup job for the frost giants, the main antagonists of the film. Their leader Laufey made me feel sorry for Colm Feore. His makeup job looks so rigid and uncomfortable that he looks like he’s struggling to breathe the entire movie, and not in the way that you would think “maybe that’s part of the performance.” Let me tell you, it totally ruined his performance for me.
Speaking of the frost giants, they could have done a much better job setting up the conflict with them. They go into a 2-minute backstory at the beginning of the movie, but I didn’t really feel like there was much of a reason to hate or love them. Odin’s conflict with the frost giants literally seemed like people in Arizona trying to keep Mexicans from crossing the border.
Even with all of its petty flaws, this is a movie worth seeing. Lots of great action moments and special effects, without overdoing it. By the time you leave the theater, you’ll feel satisfied and even more ready to see the Avengers movie. It’s going to be one crazy movie with an all-star cast, that’s for sure.
So who should see this? Take your girlfriend, take your friends, take yourself. Just don’t bother with 3D, because there are only a few scenes that even seem like it would make sense.
I give it a solid B
