Thor (2011)

At the opening day matinee the two dozen or so in the audience were mostly Gen-X males, the target demographic for this Marvel-Comic-based action movie about the Nordic god cast down to earth, where he meets some mortals and protects them when trouble follows him here. Jack and I liked it, but we've seen better in the genre, and we most assuredly enjoy many of this kind (the X-Men series, especially Silver Surfer (2007), Spider-Man series (2002, 2004, 2007), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2, more) even though we don't fit the profile. One reviewer said the real star is production designer Bo Welch (nominated for art direction Oscars for the very different The Color Purple (1985), A Little Princess (1995), The Birdcage (1996), and Men in Black (1997), won a BAFTA award for designing Edward Scissorhands (1990), and also designed Beetle Juice (1988), Grand Canyon (1991), Batman Returns (1992), Men in Black II (2002), and one of my personal favorites, Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), among others) and I agree that the world of Asgard is eye-poppingly beautiful, especially that gateway set.

Chris Hemsworth (Captain Kirk's father in a flashback in Star Trek) plays the title character as appropriately arrogant and has the beefcake to back it up. Natalie Portman (after I wrote about her in Black Swan which won her an Oscar she was in No Strings Attached--we didn't see the one after that) has second billing but she is only in some of the earth scenes, about half the movie, as a dedicated scientist who just might believe that Thor comes from another world. Her colleagues are played by Stellan Skarsgård (I wrote about him at the end of the last paragraph of Angels & Demons), whose character Erik grew up with the Norse legends, and the adorable Kat Dennings (Charlie Bartlett (2007), Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), who has some of the comic relief lines. There is humor here and there, and our audience, ourselves included, went crazy during the scene at the crater when Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics, makes his mandatory cameo, this time driving a white pick-up truck in a gag inspired by Animal House (1978). We couldn't hear his line because we were laughing too hard--he says, "Did it work?" Someone has made a reel of Stan Lee cameos, ending with The Incredible Hulk, and here's a list of all the Marvel Comics made into movies. I'm not sure if Clark Gregg's Agent Coulson is supposed to be funny but he makes me laugh because of his roles (more details in Choke). Up in the world of Asgard there is little humor. Anthony Hopkins' (see my post on You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger) Odin is a wise king who lashes out when provoked. In the beginning we see many reaction shots of Thor's brother Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston (new to me) but his part grows with time to a predictable finish. Handsome Idris Elba (seven episodes of The Office in 2009 and four of The Big C, among others) is the gatekeeper with yellow eyes, and Thor's mom is played in a cameo by Rene Russo, who hasn't had a hit since The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) (I liked her in and liked Get Shorty (1995)). Kenneth Branagh (Oscar nominations for acting and directing Henry V (1989) and for the screenplay of Hamlet (1996), has directed three other Shakespeare adaptations--Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Love's Labours Lost (2000), and As You Like It (2006)--among others) tries to bring Shakespearean gravity to this, but it's a popcorn movie, with the possible exception of Sir Hopkins.

Jack can't see 3D, and I usually can, but I had problems with this one, even after moving back several rows. I kept lifting the glasses and trying to keep my head still but I couldn't focus when the action was moving, and I don't know if it was my eyes, the projection system, the print, or the production. You probably don't need to pay the extra to see it in 3D. I heard one guy (in the target demographic) say he thought it was great in 2D. Critics are behind this one on rottentomatoes, with 79% and audiences scoring it at 83%, plus it was number one at the box office last weekend, thanks in part to us. Just about everyone stayed in the theatre with us to the end of the credits, when we were rewarded with a preview of next year's The Avengers, in which many of these actors will reprise their roles.