The movie was pitch perfect, blending the current Marvel Movie canon with the Marvel Universe's sci-fi take on the Norse Pantheon to make an entertaining, moving film. It was well written and visually stunning. If I had to give it a score I would give it an 11. 11/10 (because remember, Natalie Portman gives you bonus points!
Thor, directed by Professor Lockhart... I mean Hamlet... I mean Kenneth Branagh, tells the tale of a haughty immortal who is cast down to earth and stripped of his powers after he stirs up an old war with the Frost Giants. The Norse Gods in Thor are not Gods, but aliens-- so to speak. They come from another "Realm", which is really another world across galaxies. To understand how the Marvel Universe treats their mythological pantheons you have to understand that magic is just science you can't yet understand. The Gods of Asgard are not Gods, but a more advanced race that visited earth and were revered as Gods by a primitive culture.
The Thor movie takes this sci-fi twist and combines it with the classic Norse motifs to create a whole other world that is beautiful and engaging. Scenes on Asgard are compelling and gorgeous. Every sky is a matte painting of the cosmos. The rainbow bridge (which looks far cooler in the movie than it would ever sound) is a constantly shifting, nearly digital pathway of changing light and crystal. The monolithic golden buildings suggest a paradise and the roadways and spires suggest a utopia with technology so integrated into its culture and aesthetic that these items seem magical. Costumes combine the classic comic motifs with expert selections of materials to look real and wearable while still being epic and iconic. There are lens flares and particle effects but they never cross the line to being cheesy or standard.
The scenes on Asgard are epic and tell the tale of a mythic war. The scenes on earth are a direct contrast. In the scenes in New Mexico with Jane and her colleagues, we find humor dashed in with humble moments. Kat Denning's character threatened, in the trailers, to be a bit annoying but her jokes were used sparing and her character never crossed that line to Jar Jar Binx land.
Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) share undeniable chemistry. Portman commented in an interview that it was easy to play giddy in his presence as he was so tall and cut. Hemsworth's performance was bold and emotional. His shift from arrogant God to humbled man is heartbreaking and his wrath as he screams at his father was a scene best saved for the film-- without context in the trailer it was ruined.
Tom Hiddleston made a good Loki (though admittedly I was hoping for a more intimidating casting than the slender, almost elfish actor) and Anthony Hopkins was a perfect casting for Odin. It took powerful classical actors in these roles to make these characters seem real and Hopkin's Shakespeare background (as well as the director's) made us never for one moment doubt that he was really a king of an immortal race of beings.
The film also ties into the Avengers series perfectly. The after-the-credits scene of Iron Man two happens mid-way through the movie and after-the-credits here we have a peak at the villain for Avengers (JOSS WHEDON! WOOO!) We got a taste of Hawkeye, a casual mention of the Hulk, and even Thor's original comic roots as a crippled amnesiac were sneaked in with a cleverly placed ex-boyfriend.
I was compiling a list of points to make in this review but 5-10 minutes or so in I lost track because it was just so awesome. It was as good as Iron Man (the first, the sequel had a few flaws) and I look forward to seeing Captain America this summer.
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