Starring:
Chris Hemsworth
Natalie Portman
Tom Hiddleston
Anthony Hopkins
Stellan Skarsgård
Director:
Kenneth Branagh
Likes:
- Oh my stars and garters. And galaxies. And rainbow bridges. And shirtless Chris Hemsworths. And baby Hiddlestons.
- Alright, maybe I’m a bit biased because of the stars and beautiful men. But sometimes that’s all you need to make a movie fun. That and Loki psychotically intoning, “Is it madness? Is it?!” Gets me every time…
- Considering Marvel Studios had to juggle Norse mythology, comic book canon, and somewhat believable science-y storm chaser stuff, they did a pretty good job. And we’re introduced to Loki here, the MCU’s most loveable villain.
Dislikes:
- As much as I adored the love story between Thor and Portman’s Jane, it felt too much like the tired Disney trope of I-Just-Met-You-And-I-Love-You (OK, that’s exactly what it was).
- Apparently Loki can see down to Earth? Because how in the fuck did he know about Jane? And how did Thor talk to him unless it was through the Destroyer? Am I missing something here?
- There are many reasons MCU films excel far beyond DCU movies. Part of it has to do with Marvel having so many more darts to throw at the board that inevitably some are going to stick. But I believe Marvel has two aspects at the core of every successful work that DC always fails to maintain—the humor and humanity of the heroes. DC’s biggest names are an alien with superhuman strength, an Amazonian warrior, and a billionaire playboy. Marvel’s #1 hero is a nerdy high schooler who got bit by a spider (and their billionaire playboy drives Audis instead of Lambos and listens to AC/DC). But I digress; the point I’m trying to get to here is that Thor comes off like a DC flop. It takes itself too seriously and tells the story of a noble—if not airheaded—god who has to…nobly…earn his place among…other gods. Compare to the success of Ragnarok, which opened with our hero exchanging witty banter with his foe, and whose climax centered around the ‘Devil’s Anus.’ Even if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can probably already relate to the threequel more than the original.
