Hemsworthy: a Thor review (my post from Marvel forums) - Edit 3
Before modification by Bookwyrm at 12/05/2011 04:59:52 PM
I absolutely loved the movie, despite some of the flaws I noticed in the story. Firstly, Chris Hemsworth's protrayal of Thor was spot on. He was very charismatic and convincing as a spoilt and selfish godling, humbled in exile. Although, the part where he shed that one tear when Loki lied to him about Odin dying, I thought hilarious. It got stuck 1/3 of the way down from the corner of his right eye. lol
Odin was awesome, except for at the end when Hopkins's acting was not on the level I expected from an actor of his caliber. Shifty much?
This is where some of the discrepancies started to creep in for me. In the movie's prologue sequence, when Asgard is fighting the Frosties, we see Odin with an eye wound implied to be taken in battle. WTH, no. Odin lost that eye way before that as a price for drawing from Mimir's Well of Wisdom. Also, I did not see Sleipnir with 8 legs in the Bifrost intervention scene.
Loki disappointed me the most. IDK if the actor did not understand the character or not but I felt like Loki lacked ... personality so to speak. Instead of the conniving and cruel schemer, we got some second-rate magician with daddy issues. Loki is the consummate trickster with the ability to naturally shapeshift into what/whoever he wished. But no, all he did were throw energy ninja stars, make illusory doubles, and use the Odinpower when he shouldn't even have access to such. I think they could have given him a more different physical look as well to heighten his sinister qualities, no eyebrows for starters and have him turn Odin's spear into his trademark trident. They could have done so much more with him when he finds out he is actually the son of Laufey. I did like him in the end credits however, with the Cosmic Cube.
I echo the sentiments of another poster here that the romance between Thor and Jane did seem forced and sudden, despite the obvious chemistry between the two. I was caught off-guard with Don Blake's license picture. Was that real or faked using the picture Darcy took of Thor with her mobile? If the former, then how the hell did Jane not mistake him for her ex-beau at first sight?! -sigh-
Action sequences and CGI were amazing. I avoided the 3D versions and I'm glad I did. Movie length was too short imo. They could have added at least 30 more minutes to really flesh out the characters.
Idris Elba rocked as Heimdall. I loved it when Frigga pulled out that sword to defend Odin. Would've loved a slightly longer fight sequence with here fighting though. I mean, an "old lady" with a sword fighting like a Valkyrie? yesplz!
Finally, I half-expected them to include Balder via the Destroyer construct. It would have been awesome if the armor was stripped away to reveal Balder being used as its "host" fuel, tricked into it by Loki himself and bound with mistletoe.
I give this movie 4 out of 5 lightning strikes.
**link to discussion board below
--Response to Cannoli-- First, it's Fandral, Volstagg,and Hogun not Vandrel, Folstag, and Hokun. The Warriors Three were created by Marvel to add humor and a sense of camaraderie to Thor. Second, in Marvel's Norse myth, Sif's hair was cut before she was married to Thor, who forced Loki to replace the hair with midnight tresses crafted by the same dwarves who forged Mjolnir. As a blonde, Sif was vain and flippant, but getting her hair cut forced her to grow up and out of her comfort zone. Third, Sif never had any romantic relationship with Thor until near the Ragnarok storyline and the death of the All-Father.
Odin was awesome, except for at the end when Hopkins's acting was not on the level I expected from an actor of his caliber. Shifty much?
This is where some of the discrepancies started to creep in for me. In the movie's prologue sequence, when Asgard is fighting the Frosties, we see Odin with an eye wound implied to be taken in battle. WTH, no. Odin lost that eye way before that as a price for drawing from Mimir's Well of Wisdom. Also, I did not see Sleipnir with 8 legs in the Bifrost intervention scene.
Loki disappointed me the most. IDK if the actor did not understand the character or not but I felt like Loki lacked ... personality so to speak. Instead of the conniving and cruel schemer, we got some second-rate magician with daddy issues. Loki is the consummate trickster with the ability to naturally shapeshift into what/whoever he wished. But no, all he did were throw energy ninja stars, make illusory doubles, and use the Odinpower when he shouldn't even have access to such. I think they could have given him a more different physical look as well to heighten his sinister qualities, no eyebrows for starters and have him turn Odin's spear into his trademark trident. They could have done so much more with him when he finds out he is actually the son of Laufey. I did like him in the end credits however, with the Cosmic Cube.
I echo the sentiments of another poster here that the romance between Thor and Jane did seem forced and sudden, despite the obvious chemistry between the two. I was caught off-guard with Don Blake's license picture. Was that real or faked using the picture Darcy took of Thor with her mobile? If the former, then how the hell did Jane not mistake him for her ex-beau at first sight?! -sigh-
Action sequences and CGI were amazing. I avoided the 3D versions and I'm glad I did. Movie length was too short imo. They could have added at least 30 more minutes to really flesh out the characters.
Idris Elba rocked as Heimdall. I loved it when Frigga pulled out that sword to defend Odin. Would've loved a slightly longer fight sequence with here fighting though. I mean, an "old lady" with a sword fighting like a Valkyrie? yesplz!
Finally, I half-expected them to include Balder via the Destroyer construct. It would have been awesome if the armor was stripped away to reveal Balder being used as its "host" fuel, tricked into it by Loki himself and bound with mistletoe.
I give this movie 4 out of 5 lightning strikes.
**link to discussion board below
--Response to Cannoli-- First, it's Fandral, Volstagg,and Hogun not Vandrel, Folstag, and Hokun. The Warriors Three were created by Marvel to add humor and a sense of camaraderie to Thor. Second, in Marvel's Norse myth, Sif's hair was cut before she was married to Thor, who forced Loki to replace the hair with midnight tresses crafted by the same dwarves who forged Mjolnir. As a blonde, Sif was vain and flippant, but getting her hair cut forced her to grow up and out of her comfort zone. Third, Sif never had any romantic relationship with Thor until near the Ragnarok storyline and the death of the All-Father.