Hammer Time

Despite the big box office for Fast Five last weekend, it was this weekend that the summer movie season officially began and like it has for quite a few years now, it started with a comic book movie. This time around, it's Thor, the god of thunder who gets a chance to shine on the big screen. Thor may not be as well known as say, Batman or Spiderman, but still has a rich mythology that gets properly introduced in this film.

Given the lesser name recognition, Thor certainly had an uphill battle. First there's the issue of non-fans. With most comic book heroes, unless they are really well known, the director has to find a way of staying true to the character's history, while also making the film accessible to people who are not as familiar with him. Thor's story is more problematic given that it deals with two worlds. A lot of Thor's story involves his battle and interactions in his home world of Asgard. But since Thor will eventually join forces with other human heroes like Iron Man and Captain America, the film must also find a way to have him come to Earth and begin to establish relationships with characters there. Finding the right balance on both of those issues is not easy. The fact the film was being directed by Kenneth Branagh, a man not known for making these type of films just added to the likelihood of failure.

But I'm happy to report that Thor manages to overcome those obstacles and deliver a mostly entertaining film. A large part of this is thanks to a winning performance by Chris Hemsworth in the leading role. Hemsworth (last seen as Kirk's father in the Star Trek reboot) is not just some himbo that has the right look. In battle, he comes off looking mightly, but he's also adept with the lighter, humorous scenes. Those scenes typically come during his interactions with a group of scientists who find him in New Mexico after Thor's father, Odin (played by Anthony Hopkins) banished him to Earth. Hemsworth's plays particuarly well with Natalie Portman, one of the scientists who not surprisingly finds herself smitten with the Norse god. The two have a nice chemsitry together and I would have liked for there to have been more scenes between them as their pairing felt a bit rushed.

The rushed nature is due to the fact that half of the film takes place is Asgard, Thor's home world. It is there that we're introduced to a whole host of characters, including Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston), Thor's brother who resents the power and favor Thor has earned. These scenes will likely confuse a lot of non-fans, but Branagh does his best on drawing from his Shakespearian roots to makes the themes played out in these scenes to be as relatable as possible. Credit also to the director for avoiding the cheesiness that can often coincide with scenes involving rainbow bridges, gatekeepers, and frost giants.

While I enjoyed Thor, I also couldn't help still feeling frustrated. This is yet another film heavy on exposition and light on action. While there are certainly some decent battle scenes, including a brief but effective sequence involving an entity known as The Destroyer, there really isn't an engaging conflict to sink your teeth into. Similar to the first two Iron Man films, the concept of defeating a bad guy is secondary to having characters go through a trial to discover themselves. And to think, we've got to endure this again with Captain America later this summer. And it may not even get better once next summer's Avengers movie happens because most of that will likely be spent on having the heroes learning how to work with each other. Internal conflict is fine, but at some point, I just want to see good and evil duke it out in a blaze of glory. That's why The Dark Knight remains the apex of these films because it put the conflict between Batman and the Joker in center stage.

Those who were already fans of Thor from the comics will be very pleased with this film. From all that I've read and personally know about the character, those involved with the film have done a nice job of staying true to the character and making him come to life. For outsiders, there is certainly enough here, particularly the scenes on here for you to enjoy and be able to watch the film without feeling lost. Everyone needs to realize though that this is ultimately still another piece in a larger puzzle. If you can accept the lack of payoff here and the teases of bigger things to come, then you'll be in for a fun time at the multiplex. Thor isn't quite a god amongst comic book movies, but director Kenneth Branagh makes a heroic effort to have this film be as enjoyable as it is. Grade: B