Special Edition Podcast
Show Notes
‘Pon this day, Conor Kilpatrick, Ron Richards, and Josh Flanagan did gather to discuss the latest of Marvel Studios’ big summer movies — Thor! What was good? (A lot.) What was bad? (Not much.) What was ugly? (Certainly not a shirtless Chris Hemsworth.) And how does it hold up to the previous Marvel Studios films that are paving the way for The Avengers? Find out now! Verily!
Running Time: 00:32:43
Music:
“The Frost Giant’s Daughter”
The Sword
First, there was Iron Man. Then, there was The Hulk. Then, there was Iron Man again. And now – The God of Thunder, The Mighty Thor comes crashing into multiplexes all across Midgard!
Today, Kenneth Branagh’s Thor finally hits screens in North America and it’s an exciting and a tense time. Will general audiences embrace a super hero tale with healthy dollops of Lord of the Rings-style royal intrigue? We will find out soon enough.
For all of our sake, let us hope that the audience embraces Thor because you really don’t want to have to deal with a pissed of Thunder God wielding a bitchin’ hammer.
Want to read Conor’s spoiler free review of Thor? You can find that here.
Are you going to see Thor? Of course you are! So let’s talk about it!
If you haven’t seen the movie yet be forewarned — there be SPOILERS ahoy! So don’t scroll down any further if you are sensitive to that kind of thing.
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I sat down watched it, enjoyed it then left and have not thought about it since.
So basically, it’s pure simple entertainment. not much beyond visuals and a very charming lead actor (that’s how straight dudes describe actors that are really buff, right?)
I did kind of think it looked a lot like the Schmaker Batman films in terms of costumes but only with a good director making it.
So, yeah it was good.
one thing though, i feel like the ending came about really quickly and a few things were resolved strangely. Like the hammer just flying to thor when that plot point needed solving. and the relationship was a little light. i kept thinking what the fuck does Thor care about Jane?
and Kate Dunning
This movie rocked. Time to grow out the hair, beard, and take steroids.
Kat Dennings
@edward Kat Dennings?
@Paul- Who? the sassy chick, you know the one. I wish there was phyical characteristic of her i could point out but i’m drawing a blank.
but anyway,paul, tell us about your thoughts of the film. there’s no judgements here
I’m heading out to see it in about an hour.
in an hour’s time i am going to defamed the hell out of your character in this thread than.
Not really,
A couple of points that I’m sure 98% of iFanboy readers noticed but I’ll mention anyway:
Skarsgard makes reference at some point to a gamma radiation scientist he once knew who mysteriously disappeared (most likely Bruce Banner.)
And of course Coulson asking if the Destroyer armour was “one of Starks?”
The reason I bring these up is that I liked how the connective tissue of the other movies was there, but they didn’t bash us over the head with it (as some might argue they did with Iron Man 2.)
Really easger to see how it does!
I actually liked this a lot more than Iron Man. You guys covered all the bases: It was well directed, amazingly acted by all parties, well written in terms of dialogue and plot, they hit the right tone and themes perfectly. It was epic in scope, surprisingly emotional, and very unique.
By the way, I saw it in 2D because I hate 3D.
I’ve seen it twice now. First by myself. Second with the girlfriend. She had quite a nice time during the scenes where Hemsworth was sans shirt.
I enjoyed Thor. I’ll buy the Blu-Ray. I think it’s a great, fun movie. But I don’t think it’s a 10/10. It’s no Lord of the Rings, and I kinda wish it was because Thor has all the right stuff to be a Lord of the Rings style epic.
I kinda wish there were Loki/Thor scenes because I don’t think that relationship was properly developed in the movie. Loki utters a fantastic line in the movie but I felt as if there was no context to it. I was sort of filling in the gaps I saw based on my own comic knowledge.
Other than that, it is a really good, really fun movie. The casting was absolutely spot on. Hemsworth and Hiddleston especially.
I’ve scrolled through the comments because I don’t want spoilers, but I just wanted to say that I’m very excited to go see this this weekend. I may even convince my wife to go with me.
@Cooper “
The reason I bring these up is that I liked how the connective tissue of the other movies was there, but they didn’t bash us over the head with it (as some might argue they did with Iron Man 2.)”
count me among those who thought Iron Man 2 was an extended trailer for the Avengers movie.
can’t wait for this one though. Thor is one of my favorites and I’ve been more eager for this flick than the rest of the movie line-up, superpowered or not. I’ll post more of what I think after the show.
iron man that is.
i saw it and didnt like it. that said, im still looking forward to cap. p.s. if u wait after the credits u get to see a certain artifact.
Saw it in IMAX 3D and loved it. Asgard was fantastic. Thor’s battle in the Frost Giants realm (not trying to type that) was one of the coolest battles I have ever scene. That is how you do a fantasy movie!
@ericmci Yeah, I had a feeling that Ron wasn’t right about Iron Man’s U.S. box office, but I didn’t want to stop to check in the middle of the show. Thanks for posting the numbers.
Caught it at Midnight last night. Loved it. I mean I got to see a movie where Thor and Loki battle on the Rainbow Road and it didn’t feel ridiculous. That’s a success in itself.
My favorite part was them going to and from asgard, just so cosmicly awesome.
Oh I saw it in 2D. Thank God.
I thought Thor was great, I really enjoyed it and I hope it makes a ton of money – buuuutttt I do think the script was a little sloppy at times. I can think of a number of criticisms that hold the film back a little. Still, nothing crucial.
Saw it last night and thought it was good. Lots of little Avengers pieces sprinkled in just to keep me looking. Hawkeye was pretty cool in his little scene. Thought the whole movie was good but ended rather quickly. I felt anothe 30 minutes would have helped flesh out the story and romance a little more. The extra scene after the credits through me a blindside curve. So we had Hawkeye, Dr. Banner refrence, Iron man refrence and a Cap refrence all in this movie. Now excited for Cap!
Oh and does everyone else clap when Stan Lee comes on?
Saw the midnight IMAX 3D last night, loved it. The dude playing Loki was really good, and I’m always impressed that Anthony Hopkins really brings it in the films that you can tell are just a paycheck to him. Great casting all around. The comedy relief was light and appropriate, which is one of the hardest things to pull off in a comic book movie. The “fish out of water” gags came naturally, and so did Kat Dennings’ (Philly represent!) character.
@edward The hammer flying to Thor could be one of the most literal deus ex machinas put to film. That said, I did still like it.
@edward @ottobott…That scene was borderline corny, but the quick shot where you see just his arm with the hammer and the lightning striking…I got goosebumps
np
I would bet that Thor gets somewhere close to it when it’s all said and done maybe even surpass.
I have never been much of Thor guy and still maintain that more people were “aware” of Iron Man if just from periphery than they were that Marvel had a comic book character named Thor- I think that’s different than the mythos.
But Marvel has done a good job promoting and even if Iron Man 2 wasn’t as much fun and Hulk didn’t wow- it’s still keeping comic book movies in the public eye with a positive feel and Thor can ride that wave to some nice box office numbers.
I loved the bit where he was just wondering across the road trying to shoo cars out of his way, like it simply hasn’t occurred to him such puny chariots could hurt him.
@edward I too wondered why the hammer came back to him, but I think it’s because he had learned his lessons and even sacrificed himself to protect innocent lives, the hammer was only to be his again under circumstances such as those.
I wonder if like, everyone in Norway will go and see this. I mean, I know it’s not “their” Thor, maybe they’ll be offended, but it could just as easily be the biggest film ever released over there.
Just got back from a 2D screening. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I kind of like how focused it is, not as sprawling as I’d imagined.
High points:
Thor’s characterization and Hemsworth’s performance
Loki’s characterization and Hiddleston’s performance
Mjolnir
Heimdall and Elba’s performance
The elegant solution to the rainbow bridge design and concept
The Destroyer
The pet shop
The Donald Blake solution
dedication to camp
a smooth introduction to Hawkeye
As for cons, the print I saw was very odd looking. Colors seemed off, but I’m not sure if it was the screen or an accurate assessment of the film itself. Some visual effects looked very awkward, especially Fandrall’s injury. Not the best backgrounds or lighting for closeups on the Frost Giants or Volstagg in particular. A distracting number of dutch or canted angles throughout, regardless of what world we were in.
Overall, I was very impressed. I think Hemsworth’s Thor is as rock solid a portrayal as RDJ’s Tony Stark.
Much better than I thought it was going to be! VERILY!
I saw it in 2D for $6 too! HAVE AT THEE THIRD DIMENSION!
After seeing this movie, I’m glad to say I was worried for nothing. Now the next movie I am concerned about isnt cap or xmen……its green lantern, even tho its dc I have been concerned for that movie since I saw the first trailer…..lets hope its good!
until actual holograms are invented 3d on the small screen and large is little more than a gimmick.
am I the only one who didnt like it? I thought Hemsworth was awful, his accent bothered the crap outta me, i thought Asgard looked very…I dunno, tacky or something, the costumes of the gods were plastic looking to me. I know those are minor gripes but they really broke the suspension of disbelief for me. It was just so…formulaic i guess? I know, of course it was, it was an origin story but i wasnt expecting much and it let me down big time.
I really enjoyed it. Thor seemed like the easiest to have failed, mainly due to the fantasy subject matter in the Marvel Universe movies.
Liked it much better than Iron Man.
I really enjoyed Thor. It was great stuff. I would say it was probably my second favorite of this bunch of movies behind the first Iron Man. The synthesis of mythology/science fiction/comics really worked well, I thought. Granted, it does have that Stargate lilt to it, but it works. Bifrost looked great, the mechanism is a great caveat. Odin, Thor and Loki were pitch perfect and exactly what I wanted. Hemsworth is a great balance between something new and a blend of JMS/Ultimate/Simonson Thor. We could have used more of the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, but I was happy to see them do a lot more than I had originally heard. (Also, Lady Sif is flippin’ hot!). Heimdall was awesome, as Idris Elba is wont to do. Loved it all though.
Portman seemed underutilized, and infact the Jane/Thor relationship needed work. The intern girl seemed pointless other than a vehicle to spout out quips. Perhaps too little action, in the sense that the action scenes are well done but short. However, the dislikes were few and far between. The biggest issue I had with my viewing was the pointlessness of the 3D. Nothing required it, though the credits had some really nice looking Cosmic Vistas in 3D. I normally opt out of 3D when possible, but I was locked into because of insane scheduling.
Overall though, this was a really well contained movie. It could have been massive and heavy, but it’s a “little” spritely film. I think my runtime was 1:55 without the 20 minutes of trailers. Decent mix of comedy and drama. Perhaps the biggest narrative flaw is the lack of a concrete villain until late in the film, but it’s not a huge problem. The movie does feature some Branagah-isms. Including SHOUTING LINES OF ANGER! But, I ate it up. The movie left me wanting more, which is really something nice in today’s movie market.
As a last note: Did anyone else get a small glimmer “Man, this is very close to some of the things that went on in the Dolph Lungren Masters of the Universe movie? There’s a scene in the film that I saw and went “Oh man” slapping my head because it seemed similar.
And what surprised me was the director. Although I liked some of his previous films, his Frankenstain was bad, Last Air Bender bad.
@PraxJarvin Nowt wrong with a bit of Stargate!
@UncleBob You should see Henry V it’s pretty great.
@PraxJarvin – When Thor reclaimed Mjolnir I really wanted to yell “By the power of Grayskull! I have the power!” But since I had already yelled at the idiot teenagers behind me for making numerous stupid comments I didn’t want to be hypocritical.
Oh, and I really, really liked it. Loved the nods and cameos (I’m proud to say I caught quite a few all on my own!) and I thought it was insanely well acted – everyone was spot on.
Another thing I really liked was that they didn’t try to shoehorn in all the catchephrases and things. I saw the first Green Lantern trailer in front of Thor and hearing Blake Lively try to say “You have the ability to overcome fear.” is like dropping a bag of concrete. THUD.
A few comments:
where was this australian accent Ron, Josh and Conor where talking about? I didn’t hear a thing. It’s not like we all have nasally high pitched drones
I can see absolutely no difference, in terms of quality, between this, Iron Man I, Iron Man II and The Incredible Hulk. They all had very smoothly stylised action, comedy and scripts that seemed to a little forced.
And i just remembered i had to pay $22 to see this movie – What the Fuck, right?
I noticed it was expensive too, 9 quid a ticket for 2D I think, it’s usually more like 7 fiddy.
@boosebaster ppfft, stupid Thor
Also, it was nice that they took Samuel L Jackson out of that horrible nerdy leather trench coat and put him in real clothes for the after credits scene.
I saw the prescreening and was forced to see 3D. I was not a fan of the 3D and I felt some of the action seens were really dizzying.
However, overall a great move
I thought this was very well done, very good acting, great special effects (saw it in 2D), and a good story. Don’t think it is as good as Iron Man, but it is another great movie put out by Marvel. Really, really liked the scene after the credits, can’t wait for Captain America and The Avengers.
really enjoyed it.
@Paul you nailed it with all those points!
Liked how it kept its relation to the overall avengers arc loose and not overbearing (my biggest gripe about iron man 2).
Loki and Heimdel steal the show for me!
Also was loki embodying the DR in the post credit sequence or just influencing him?
Very enjoyable – nice balance of action, character, humor; well-paced, self-assured and well-crafted. In the places I was most nervous it would fail – Asgard and Jotunheim, SHIELD and continuity – it excelled.
I really enjoyed the movie. I really love the scene were Loki yells at Odin to tell him the truth. Its kind of moving in a way.
Does anyone know when that Hawkeye cameo was filmed? I got the feeling that was a late addition because there was no point for him being there besides the fact that it was kinds cool. I just got the feeling that they didnt have Hawkeye in mind when the whole Thor breaking in thing was being filmed.
Loved the movie, especially the performances of Hiddleston and Elba as Loki and Heimdall. Two moments that stick out to me were the look on Loki’s face as he watches Odin admonish Thor in Act 1 and the whole scene where Heimdall calls upon Lady Sith and the Warrior’s Three to the rainbow bridge to have them retrieve Thor.
Also, I loved Kat Dennings and I thought her and Skarsgard and Portman made a really fun team.
Also also, the Asgard design and explanation of magic-science and the tree of life worked masterfully. I loved the view of a waterfall flowing into space near the end as Heimdall and Thor stood at the edge of the bridge.
Took my 8 year old to see it and he was on the edge of his seat, mostly waiting for the Hawkeye cameo. All in all, I felt it was decent. As wierd as this may be, my favorite stuff to see was Thor twirling Mjolner in the Kirby style…didn’t think they would do that.
Just got back from a 2D screening and loved it! I think I loved Loki’s characterization was great, everytime he did something my girlfriend went “what the fuuuu!?!” This was a movie I could probably watch over and over (and I plan to do so). It looked great and I am now even more excited for Cap and Avengers!
This movie, I like it. I’ll have another!
I NEED A HORSE!
i was dissapointed in the bonus scene. for like 5 secs i was like WTF is that??? ohhhhh… WEAKK!
@ed209AF – I assumed it was influence since in the reflection they are both stadning there, rather than the reflection actually being Loki.
Haven’t listen to the podcast yet but I’ll throw my two cents in anyway.
I think Edward’s sentiments mirror my own pretty closely. I enjoyed the movie while I was there, and I haven’t really thought about it since. That’s not neccessarily a bad thing, but it definitely didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Branagh and co. did everything right. They hit all the right beats. The action was exciting (LOVE the first Frost Giant fight), the comedy was funny, it was true enough to the books, and the effects were serviceable. There were no groans in my audience, and none of my buddies were checking their watches.
That being said, it just didn’t grip me. This could be entirely due to my indifference towards Thor in general. I don’t hate him, but I’ve never really loved him either. I dunno, it’s tough to put my finger on it. I was entertained, but I didn’t really care. And I think a person should be invested in whatever they’re watching.
Also, though Colson was great in this one and the Avengers tie-ins were minimal, count me among those that are already sick of this “plan”. Obviously it’s way too early to pass judgement on the Avengers film, but it’s not hard for me to see the possibility of this blowing up in Marvel Studio’s collective face. It IS hurting the individual installments more than it’s helping them. And we’re only a third into Jackson’s ridiculous nine movie deal, and I don’t care if I never see his Fury again. That can’t be a good thing.
FRIDAY BOX OFFICE ESTIMATES
1. THOR – $25.7M (plus $3.2M from midnight screenings)
2. FAST FIVE – $10.5M
3. SOMETHING BORROWED – $4.8M
4. JUMPING THE BROOM – $4.1M
5. RIO – $1.9M
Source
Not bad! I expected it to get beaten to a mushy pulp by Fast Five. Interested to see how it does over the weekend.
Oh shit! I totally forgot to point this out. The ultimate Post-Coital Thor moment:
“Oh, um… Thor would love to go out with you again, Jane, but… um… Rainbow Bridge smashed… Somehow… By someone… We get right on fixing it… BYE!”
This was so amazing. The best Marvel movie since Iron Man, so many great moments, references & yes the rumors are true, look for some goosebump-inducing cameos, especially the one after the credits. All I could say is: Hemsworth + Hiddleston + Hopkins = AWESOME!!!!
Just got back. I really enjoyed it. I thought i was visually stunning. I loved how they made the rainbow bridge look especially. I thought it was very well acted. Overall, it was everything I wanted in a Thor movie. I don’t know what they do for a sequel though. I love seeing these characters come to life and am super excited for Cap and even X-Men (despite the fact that its not in universe).
That wasn’t the Eye of Agamotto, that was the Warlock’s Eye.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/Vartha2/Thor%2520movie%2520stuff/TheWarloksEye02sml.png
where was the JMS cameo? was he one of the rednecks?
even though everyone probably has a vague understanding of what Thor is, I still think it would have beneficial to have it explained that he is the God of Thunder. I don’t think those exact words were used at all. same with Loki being the God of Mischief/Chaos/whatever works.
as for the flying, I find it unfortunate that there was no takeoffs with him using the hammers momentum to fly. I think it would have come off more charming on film than one might think.
literally laughed out loud on the Donald Blake references. “He’s my ex-boyfriend. Great with patients but horrible with relationships.” Perfect!
in case I’m sounding too negative I have to agree with everything positive mentioned on the podcast and in the comments.
by the way, EXCELLENT choice for the podcast music!
Did anyone else think when Loki says “They need a sense of continuity to feel safe!” was kind of a nod to us comic readers? I found that funny, but maybe I’m just thinking of continuity as a comic term.
@ABirdseysView Fandrall makes reference to Thor going to Midgard at some point, calling down thunder, and being worshiped as a god. So it’s in there. JMS was the guy who first drove up to the crater and tried to pull the hammer out.
@mithandur Marvel told us that it was indeed the Eye of Agamotto.
Saw it again for a second time this afternoon. Turns out the projection/print I saw yesterday was a poor one. Today’s screening looked MUCH better. And I loved it even more. Took my dad along this time and he really seemed to enjoy it too. Will always be grateful for these movies because it’s something the two of us can both enjoy.
So, my mom and I are about an hour into Thor when the fire alarm goes off. So I didn’t get to watch it. lol
Great movie,very well done.
@Conor
http://collider.com/kevin-feige-interview-thor-avengers-iron-man-3-ant-man-doctor-strange/88459/
““I’m not sure about Doctor Strange in particular. Oh, I know what they are talking about. That is not Doctor Strange. It is right out of Thor. It is right out of the first Tales of Asgard stories. I think it’s called “The Warlock’s Eye” I think it is verbatim what [Jack] Kirby drew. I think those are the scenes.”
– Kevin Feige (producer of Thor)
So I dunno…. Would LOVE a Doctor Strange movie though, because his origin is fascinating. A hoity toity surgeon, science minded thrust into the world of magic.
I thought it was a great time and so did my friends.
I can’t believe Branagh managed to pull that off. Fucking fantastic! I think it managed to cram almost all of the crazy mythology into the movie. The only thing missing were Odin’s talking crows. And Damn if those end credits have me excited for The Avengers. They were great but it raises some questions about the content in the earth scenes of the movie. Seemed to me like the Dr Selvig in that scene was either possessed by Loki or WAS Loki. Now was this only for the end scene (since it’s after he fell from Asgard) or was it for the entire movie? Makes ne question some of his moves/motives like giving Jane the Norse mythology book or trying to convince Thor to leave Jane after drinking with him at the bar. What do you guys think?
@mikegraham6 It was only once Loki fell to Earth.
I’m not particularly a fan of the Thor comic but this movie was a lot of fun! I thought Branagh struck the right balance between the myths and the comics. A lot of stuff was included that SHOULD have looked cheesy but worked here, like the rainbow bridge or the spinning hammer.
I think I’d have liked to have seen Donald Blake as an actual secret identity but I can’t argue with how they did it, as it worked very well.
I loved that they included the Warriors Three! I would have liked just a little more with them, and a little more of the romance with Jane Foster. In terms of quality I’d put this slightly below the first Iron Man but a fair bit better then the second Iron Man.
@mithandur I’d second a Doctor Strange movie!
@edward <at) good review. good movie. Great End!!!!! A problem that a hammer can cure… who saw that coming?????
all and all…. 7-8 out of 10
@mikegraham6 I was wondering the same thing, but if you recall that it was what Loki said first, then Dr. Selvig said the same thing after, so I think that it is more of Loki possessing him rather than being him.
I think it’s entirely possible Selvig was Loki-controlled the entire film. He was the main person agruing that Thor and Asgard were just myths, he wanted nothing to do with Thor/wanted him to leave town, he was already on Earth to talk to Thir and try to lift Mjlonir…I don’t know…
Bummed out that I missed the Eye. CURSES.
I went to see it in 3D at L.A.’s fabulous Arclight Hollywood theater, which was a lot of fun. I felt dumb for wearing glasses instead of contacts, but was able to get the 3D glasses over the top anyway.
I definitely want to see it again in 2D. Looking forward to a brighter version of the film.
This movie exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. I thought it would be fun, but not being a huge Thor fan (don’t know that I’ve ever read a Thor trade, my biggest exposure to him is probably through the Avengers and Siege), I was pleasantly surprised that I had enough knowledge to make the fan service stuff fun and was able to get it all.
Heimdall may be my favorite discovery; he was a blast. I’m intrigued about the cosmic cube, and I’m assuming that’s going to play a role in Captain America as well, so it’s kind of an interesting backwards introduction (I’m betting at the end of Cap it ends up somewhere that SHIELD ends up finding it in the future).
Brannagh did all that palace intrigue stuff perfectly, of course. Made it feel so wonderfully Shakespearean, while at the same time modern.
This movie really ignited my imagination more than pretty much anything I’ve seen since Iron Man, Asgard in particular. Hoping we get a Thor 2.
so far, for teh avengers movie, they have set up that Tony Stark won’t be actual Iron Man but a consultant (whatever that means) and that Thor is on a different planet with no way back to earth.
hmmm….
@edward
“they have set up that Tony Stark won’t be actual Iron Man but a consultant “
I have heard this a bunch of times and I think this is a mis-reading of the scene. Fury said they wanted Iron Man but not Stark – there are numerous ways that could be taken. “We need you to be a team player, this isn’t about the Tony Stark ego” perhaps being just one of them.
“Hi RDJ, we want you to be in the Avengers movie but you won’t actually be wearing your armour and being the hero, the entire point of your character, you’ll just be waltzing around in your suit “consulting” – does that sound attractive to you?”
It wouldn’t work for RDJ, it wouldn’t work for the movie, it wouldn’t work for the audience. Yes maybe he won’t be in it at the beginning, maybe him getting back into the suit is related to his arc in the movie – but whatever the case, I guarantee you Tony Stark will be Iron Man in the Avengers.
@boosebaster yes. seriously, are you agreeing with me? i don’t get your point.
i was saying that they have placed the characters in interesting places to begin the avengers movie with
Ah yes I see what you meant 🙂
I HAVE heard a lot of people saying RDJ will barely be in it, or that he won’t be in the suit – my post was more directed at those sentiments.
as for THOR, probablyt the best of the Marvel movies yet. visually stunning from the sets to the costumes stunning. the story lacked some, but there only so much that you can put into an 1 1/2hrs of film. way too much history to pick from to put everything in. the only thing i would have put in the film is Thor calling out to his hammer during his battle against the Destroyer. as a last ditched effort to protect the people, i think that sceen would have sealed the deal for all fanboys and fangirls out there.
as for the set-up for the Avengers, Thor will be sent to deal with the Loki when he starts to playing with the Hulk. but it’s only a ploy get him away from Asgard, Loki hopes to rid himself of Thor on Earth by bringing the Skrulls to the planet. and with SHEILD trying to find a replacement for Stark, u really only have 4 Avengers around at this point, Thor, Cap, Hawkeye, and Blackwidow. but we will see Tony force his way back into his armor, either the confiscated one or a new one and they will defeat the Skrull and Loki threat. The Hulk becomes a hero during this battle, well kinda of. but in the end SHEILD still wants Banner and the team realizes there just are some threats that can’t be handled anlone. from here we will see the Hulk on the big screen like never before, wandering and alone. a turn back to the old TV show, hunted and feared. a monster with a heart, kinda like Frankenstein. if everything goes well at this point comic book fans will be able to go back and watch this all unfold over 15 movies. it will resemble a marvel comics crossover. they are already talking SHEILD, Hawkeye, and a Blackwidow films.
in closing i want to give a HUGE thank u to all the bandwaggon jumpers out there that continue to go to these films and start buying these comics and then talk to us TRUE fans about it all. it’s because of you guys that right now it is a great time to be a fanboy and fangirl. you keep talking like u actually know something about comic books and the history. and us TRUE fans will continue to laugh at u.
@mithandur @Skyfire124 There is a Dr Strange movie in some stage of development (possibly “conception”) – Marvel said last year that they were interested in taking some of their lesser-known characters and giving them smaller budget films with more risks taken:
http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=27664
Which I fine rather interesting. I want to see how Marvel Studios continues as a film company if/when the public tire of the Avengers franchise.
Wait, I’m confused. That wasn’t the cosmic cube at the end? That’s what it looked like to me. And that would set up a potential Red Skull connection with the Cap movie.
I enjoyed the film a lot. I thought it was about as good as you could make Thor without it being a 5-hour mini-series.
Saw this yesterday and loved even though I had a difficult time with the 3D. It was funnier than I thought it’d be and it left me wanting more. They really coveres alot of story. Great characterization for all, especially Loki. You just know he’s coming back at some point bigger and badder.
@flakbait That was the cosmic cube. They’re talking about the relics in the Asgardian treasure room, glimpsed the first time we see the Frost Giants’ casket on display.
I really want to know how this film is doing in Norway. I hope they love it
Here’s a picture of the artifact in question: http://flipgeeks.com/thor-scene-features-doctor-stranges-eye-of-agamotto/
I didn’t realise that was the cosmic cube at the end until people started mentioning it online. During the credits my girlfriend and I were speculating as to what the scene might contain, and settled on something Cap-related (my bet was on a glimpse of frozen Cap.) When the scene happened, and the case opened, I thought “I bet it’s the infinity gauntlet or cosmic cube,” then didn’t recognise that it actually WAS the cube. I guess I was confused by the other stuff in the case, the stuff holding it in?
Anyway, at least we all now know that the cosmic cube was in the case in Pulp Fiction.
Good film. It did everything it needed to do for an origin story, and managed not to plod. i loved the artifacts in Asgard. Makes me think that those artifacts will be unleashed in the second movie leading to other stories/heroes (I thought it was Eye of Agamotto, if I’m wrong, NBD) to keep the connectivity of the universe. Loved the Hawkeye cameo. The tease after the credits was awesome. can’t wait to see how that is all going to come together (the cosmic cube is in Cap right?) I am super pumped to see Cap and cant wait for the Avengers.
In the battle of superhero movies, Marvel studios is doing a great job. I hope Green Lantern is amazing but it’s going to be tough for Warner to compete with what Marvel is doing. I just want as many good superhero movies as they can put out. Here is to hoping that is the case. GL has to be good, the next Superman needs to be good, and the next Batman.. well, that will be good. Cap looks great to me and I don’t see how Avengers could be bad.
I would love if Marvel could get some of their licenses back. Good Daredevil, Ghost Rider and Punisher movies would be welcome. I don’t think they will get Spider-Man back for a long time, and that is a bummer.
I just remembered “Xena, Jackie Chan and Robin Hood just arrived sir.” 🙂
I left the movie theatre feeling entertained. But isnt that the whole point of going to the movies? I think if you go to see this film with the conception its going to be stupid or corny. Then you will probably hate it. I think sometimes we forget that these are are our comic book heroes on screen. And of course Hollywood is going to do some “tweeking” thats what Hollywood does. So go and see this movie and be ENTERTAINED! As a huge comic book fan I hope they keep’em coming!
I saw it in 2D and loved it. I’m also in the camp that totally geeked out with how Thor whirled Mjolnir about comic book-style. I especially loved his fight with the frost giants and while all of his companions were completely outclassed and overwhelmed he was just having the time of his life and not really even breaking a sweat. One of the things I always kind of fret over before seeing these movies is whether or not the characters’ power levels will even come close to where they are in the comics. I was extremely pleased to see that the filmmakers definitely portrayed Thor’s power in the way I was hoping.
Makes me think that Hulk will actually need a bit of power upgrade from what we saw in The Incredible Hulk in order to keep up with Thor, much less engage in a full-on slugfest with him. Hemsworth mentioned that he gets to tussle with Hulk at some point in the Avengers movie. I will be in fanboy Nirvana if we get a fight with power stunts like Hulk buses and Thor batting them aside with his hammer, the two of them smashing each other through buildings, etc.
Loved it, good action, right amount of humor, great acting, and plenty of little moments for fanboys to mark over, good flick
Also Stan Lee’s cameo in this one might just be his best yet
I saw the film in 2D. Thought the story was great and had no problems with the changes that everyone else had such harsh feelings for such a black Heimdall or etc. I do however feel that thors time on earth was not played out as well as I would have hoped for and the movie didnt feel as if it moved around alot. I could go on and be a picky but all in all I thought it was a well played out Thor movie. What made the movie for me in all honesty was Loki though,
Loki Was Great!
This review up top by Conor is about the best review yet though. Does anyone agree with me though that the part of Volstagg should have been acted by none other then Robbie Coltrane?
@FoeApple No!
I was just wondering (and I’m sure that I’ll be over to Wikipedia in a sec to find out anyway) whether Loki being a frost giant is continuity in the comics? Not that it matters.
@boosebaster Loki is indeed a Frost Giant in the comics.
in terms of this year being a big year for comic book movies, i think next year will be much bigger, we get iconic heroes superman, batman, spiderman aswell as the avengers
Just got done seeing it with my son in 2D,,,,loved it
Sort of feel bad that I’m one of these odd balls who never thought much of the character, yet really liked the movie. I keep asking myself why is that? Is it because the theatrical side (speech, bravado, boisterousness) of Thor is better communicated in live action? I will keep thinking about it.
I like the way the film seems to suggest that without the Hammer, he isn’t much more (neutralized by drugs, stunned by tazer shocks, knocked down after being hit by cars) than a human. I appreciate the clarity of vision and never really understood those who thought Thor would be a challenge for Hulk or Superman. Mind you I would never take on a big dude like Hemsworth but him being a match for the beings who can incinerate you with their vision, are bulletproof, and or can lift aircraft carriers just never sounded right.
Diehard Thor fans, that doesn’t mean he isn’t an extremely powerful character. I just could never really make scale conclusions about the character before.
I loved almost every other aspect of the film. The Thor cinematic experience was really fantastic.
@comicrelief1 Thor is not normally dependant on the hammer for his powers. In the movie Odin stripped him of all of his powers and then enchanted Mjolnir so that once Thor was worthy enough those powers would be restored. The hammer is a phenomenally badass weapon, but the raw physical power and the ability to control the weather is all Thor himself. Without the hammer, Thor is still Hulk-class physically.
@FoeApple I suggested exactly that. Or someone like him.
Thor estimated weekend box office courtesy of Deadline:
Thor (Marvel/Disney/Paramount) NEW [3,955 Theaters]
Friday $25.7M, Saturday $23.5M, Weekend $66M
International $176M, Global Cume $242M
Solid, but not fantastic (though impressive with the starring actors, there is no one in this film on RDJ’s level). I think word of mouth is going to help this one, especially with no major family-friendly blockbuster out next week.
Loved this so much I saw it twice, and used my Amazon gift card on my first omnibus buying the new Thor one.
Can we please get a Black Panther movie now? I also want to see the Vision mentioned in The Avengers.
I really thought Thor was going to be horrible and wanted to see it because it looked so corny. Now he’s quickly taking over as my number one hero. I saw Thor 3 times and each time got goosebumps when he is revived by the lightning.
I HAVE TWO COMPLAINTS. 1) He didn’t wear his helmet nearly enough, which I hope they fix in the Avengers. and 2) I wish they got it across more just how powerful Thor actually is.
I loved the idea from the comics that they are highly advanced aliens, who dress and use weapons like olden times. HOW COOL IS THAT? The scenery was amazing, Asgard was totally beautiful. My favorite shot was when the planet turns and comes back through the other side out of the ocean.
ONE MAJOR QUESTION. Is Asgard only inhabited by that city which they all lived in, or is there more to their world?
Saw this tonight. I’d give it a C-. Was entirely unimpressed with any of the acting, save Loki. The fight choreography was slow and boring. The dialogue was trite and predictable, I quoted almost every line before it was even delivered. This movie lives on sentiment alone and has nothing beyond surface depth.
Saw it on the weekend and I was pretty neutral on the whole thing. Didn’t like the Asgard scenes for the most part, it seemed so fake (and was pretty bored till the banishment). I also had issues with Thors arc in terms of his change of personality once his banaishment. It was all to fast. Though I guess it being a film forced that on people.
Kat Dennings I loved though, as well as the brief Thor/Destroyer encounter.
But really I think my main issue is that I just don’t find origin films interesting. Which is why for a while now I’ve been waiting for rentals for superhero films. My Thor love got the better of me in this case.
I guess I’d give it a B- or a B.
It met my expectations, but it didn’t exceed them. I would give it an average. Loki was probably my favorite part of the film.
Damn just got back and i loved it . This is right up there with the 1st iron man movie, the cast was spot on, and Heimdall, played by Idris Elba was a perfect mact. Now i must go tommorow and see it in 3D.
@zombox i didn’t want to be the one to pee on the parade but i can definately see waht you mean
particularly, the sentiment and nothing beyond surface comment
@JRScherer
I have to say thanks for the correction. Your comment…
“The hammer is a phenomenally badass weapon, but the raw physical power and the ability to control the weather is all Thor himself. Without the hammer, Thor is still Hulk-class physically.”
…clarifies quite a bit. I did not realize that events occurred as you depicted in the film. I must admit I did see Odin diminish his powers prior to Thor being banished yet I had the impression that Mjolnir had enabled EVERYTHING pertaining to the wupass that Thor delivered the Destroyer. Maybe in future film’s the distinction between Thor and the weapon will be made more clear.
I imagine you’re saying the techno/magic aspect of the character makes the him a challenge for Supes even without the weapon. Hmmmmm, can’t wait to see more that would confirm this.
Either way I’m definitely a fan of the live action depiction of the thunder god.
· – In the future I can’t wait to see how they resolve the eventual love triangle between Thor, Jane, and Sif.
· – I would still like to see Donald Blake enter the picture, even if the franchise never intends to entertain him as Thor’s alter ego again.
· – And of course seeing him as an Avenger will be epic.
Watched this on Saturday and I loved it. It was way better than the Incredible Hulk and at least as good as the first Iron Man movie. I didn’t realize that was Renee Russo until the end of the movie. I liked the humor, action, and the overall story. The actor that played Loki did an awesome job and stole the show. My only question is this, what the hell was in the case at the end of the movie?
@JesTr Cosmic Cube.
@comicrelief1 They won’t have a Donald Blake sadly becausue the films are based off Ultimates.
The Donald Blake solution was very smart. No need to further complicate things.
I love Don Blake, especially what they’ve done with him recently in comics, but I agree with Paul that they handled it very well in the film, and anything more would jut be overcomplicated.
Big win. Loved it. Fulfilled it’s promise. Dug the easter eggs all over the place. Very well done, expecially the Asgard visuals. Loki came off well, Helmsworth was perfect – especially his deep voice with the proper accent.
My wife – not a comic book reader – was able to pick up on the threads from the Iron Man flicks, both of which she enjoyed. She also liked the Cap trailer. Always interesting to see a non-fan’s perspective.
(Personal note: Saw this on my 40th birthday – which was also FCBD – so this was officially my THORtieth birthday. Beat that.)
I verily enjoyed it in 2D this past weekend. Not as much as the first Iron Man, but it ranks up there with Spider-man Superman (original Reeves) and Batman Begins as one of the upper tier of enjoyable “super-hero” movies. [I don’t mention Dark Night becasue that was just on a totally different level]
Question: Did anyone else have the first reaction that the cosmic cube looked like an iPad? (Change reality? There’s and app for that)
@Justincresswell
Happy Thortieth!
Saw this on Sunday, listening to the podcast now. I don’t know if this was already covered, but I just wanted to back Josh on his observation regarding Hawkeye. If I’m not mistaken, that scene was added in AFTER the principle filming. If you notice, it’s entirely made up of cutaways between Hawkeye and Coulson — that’s why he doesn’t do anything. If it was filmed at the time, the slam dunk move would’ve been to have Hawkeye fire the arrow and take Thor down. But as it is, he doesn’t impact the scene at all, so all it does is serve to introduce Hawkeye for the Avengers film. Still — a nice treat for insider fans. 🙂
Oh, and my hunch is that the cosmic cube will play into the Captain America film (it’s what the Red Skull will be after). Thus, you have Loki (from Thor) grabbing the cosmic cube (from Captain America), and creating the giant crisis that will be the Avengers film. If so, that’s a cool way to link the films.
Thor was a great film. I’ve never been completely sold on the Thor comics. I’ve read a few trades and am currently following Fear Itself but I could REALLY buy a Norse god among superhero like Cap and Iron Man. This film helped me to see Thor in a different perspective. Like Superman, Thor is outsider to Earth who comes to love humans and now has a desire to protect and help them.
I wish there was a bit more character develop with each character but overall, the story was great, just enough humor, and plenty of action.
Loved it solid A- in my book. Iron Man being an A+ and 2 being a C+ for me.
Great acting by all, loved Loki and Thor in particular
WEEKEND – NORTH AMERICAN ACTUALS
1. THOR – $65.7M
2. FAST FIVE – $32.4M
3. JUMPING THE BROOM – $15.2M
4. SOMETHING BORROWED – $13.9M
5. RIO – $8.5M
@BizDaddy thanks brother
I hate to be such a downer but I feel like I saw a totally different movie from what most people here seem to be reporting. I was expecting something on par with Iron Man. I got something perilously close to X-Men 3 territory. I mean it was well into mediocre bordering on bad. The script with the exception of 4 or 5 chuckles was tripe and formulaic. The characters were paper thin and underutilized. And as far as I can tell there wasn’t really a plot. I understand they were trying to build both the Asgard and the Earth universes but what they got were 2 half movies – one a poor man’s romantic comedy, the other a poorer man’s lord of the rings. It also felt extremely rushed and underdeveloped like huge chunks of the script had been cut out to save time. Eminently forgettable. Also thought the 3-D was completely uneccessary.
Just wanted to add as I’m not sure who said it in the podcast concerning Hawkeye, but if you noticed his bow was purple. I was pretty pumped about that!
@comicrelief1 “I had the impression that Mjolnir had enabled EVERYTHING pertaining to the wupass that Thor delivered the Destroyer. Maybe in future film’s the distinction between Thor and the weapon will be made more clear. “
In the upcoming Hulk/Thor tussle that’ll certainly be in The Avengers I’d love to see Thor put the hammer down and just go toe to toe with Hulk. This has happened at least once or twice in the comics, where Hulk basically shamed Thor by telling him that he didn’t stand a chance of beating him without his magic hammer. Each time I’ve read Hulk vs Thor battles they’ve been very evenly matched (though Thor did actually kill Hulk in a classic What If? story).
Thought it served as a great introduction to a character that the general public knows of, but doesn’t know about. Didn’t really enjoy the way he was portrayed in the beginning, acting more like hercules than Thor, but I think it was necessary to see his progression from the way he was at the beginning, to the Thor we all know and love at the end of the film. If anyone’s interested, I wrote a little bit more about the movie on my blog.
http://thewolfmancometh.com/2011/05/06/thor-2011/
@ABirdseysView I think they avoided saying that they were in fact Gods and instead just implied that they were actually “cosmic beings”. Which makes way more sense in the context of the other properties.
Just saw it and I thought it was very good.
Not Iron Man or Iron Man 2 level good, but pretty damn close. I was expecting an over the top, action packed film but instead I saw a pretty good Shakespearian drama with some humor to balance it. I gotta admit though that the stuff involving Natalie Portman was pretty boring to me. Not just cause I hate Portman (well maybe a little….) but the romance just wasn’t there in my opinion. But the stuff involving SHIELD was great, I love Agent Coulston.
Plus that Hawkeye cameo! I wasn’t expecting that much dialogue from Renner but I’m excited to see more of him in Avengers. Overall it was a pretty entertaining film and I can’t wait for Captain America.
The Good:
-Most of the Cast. (I really enjoyed Tom Hiddleston as Loki)
-Most of the Characters (Shocked to see Warriors 3, Sif, and Heimdall used so much but they had a purpose and they were great to watch)
-Story (There wasn’t any plot holes or unnessicary moments from what I can tell)
-End of Credits (COSMIC CUBE!!!)
The Bat (Nitpicks really)
-The Love Story (I know it’s important because of the comics but Jane and Thor didn’t do anything for me)
-The 3D (Now I didn’t see it in 3D but my theater had it out of focus like it was suppose to be. That was annoying)
-Some of the Action was hard to follow. (Especially when they went to the Frost Giant’s world in the beginning. Couldn’t tell what was happening)
B+
I saw Thor on Sunday night in 3D and enjoyed it. I put it up there with Iron Man.
@djchangchild I’m guessing that Loki will get the Cosmic Cube and use it to rebuild the rainbow road (Thor has to get back to earth for the Avengers movie).
Come on guys, that wasn’t the Cosmic Cube, that was so obviously the puzzle cube from Hellraiser! Does anybody else smell a genre crossover?!
Oh I forgot the worst part about the movie in the mini-review!
The rampant subliminal advertising was really pissing me off the latter half of the movie.
Jane really loves LEAN CEREAL. A small town in New Mexico somehow has a major BANK OF AMERICA building and also a big 7-11 gas station. Those three, and a lot more, were really hurting my enjoyment out of the second half.
I guess Morgan Spurlock was right…
@JRScherer
It’s amazing how much a few comic’s head can drive you to a better understanding of a character. As I’ve said I’ve never considered myself a comics novice but my Thor Lore is really weak. Somehow you can read around the characters that (for whatever reason) just don’t appeal to you.
I saw Thor again in 3D to test out what some many of you said. Yes I can say it is apparent that Thor’s real power potential really isn’t alluded to. And I can see how fans like me could end up doubting that he is Marvel’s equal to Superman.
I really appreciated the ways many of you (this site’s esteemed readership) have helped me fill in the gaps in my understanding. I’m sure I will do a lot more commenting and less lurking in the future.
http://linkedinhollywood.com/2011/05/05/thor-likely-a-very-interesting-brew/#more-2185
I’m with @kidCharlemagne. I thought everything about it was (generously) a “meh.”
The costumes were rigid, the CGI way over the top and the acting was (with Hopkins as the exception, natch) really, really canned.
Now that said, I think they did a lot with the source material. I thought it would be a huge bomb and it was not that. So props for introducing one of the riskier Avengers in a decent, popcorn-y kinda way.
But really? All of this lauding of the movie is confusing to me. I WANT to like it – tell me where I’m wrong!
@Buckshot0000
Well I for one can’t explain it man. Maybe you’re like Josh and just don’t like fun?
@Cooper well that doesnt look like any eye of agamotto ive ever seen, but if conor says marvel confirmed it is then it is. when i first read that i was all like what! i cant believe i missed the eye but seeing the pic i remember i did. i just didnt link it to strange because it looks so diffrent.
@halik his bow was purple? am i the only one who missed that? i just saw a black bow.
@boosebaster im proud of being a member of josh’s fun hating club.
Oh God, please someone let it die!
@josh The idea that you dislike fun? Or fun in and of itself?
@PaulMontgomery You’ll pay.
I watched it a second time last night and enjoyed it much more than the first time (and I LOVED it the first time).
So many awesome bits I’d forgotten – Thor blowing out that dinosaur thing’s brains (and the sonic boom when he takes off just before doing so). Volstagg’s epic sandwich. The way The Destroyer’s body twists round after Sif skewers it. Thor preventing Loki from getting up by putting the hammer on his chest, and dozens more. I’d also forgotten quite how much range Hemsworth has and how good he is in this. I remember thinking last time that his character development and the Jane / Thor love story happened really quickly but they do make sense and I totally bought both in this viewing.
I’m now of the opinion that it’s Marvel’s best yet. Great as Iron Man is I think a lot of it is that it was the first Marvel Studios movie, that first time we saw the potential of what Marvel could really do. It’s really hard to shake that feeling and see it without that bias. But considering its flaws (weak third act, weak villain, the fact that it’s an “Origin Story” – something Thor doesn’t really have to do) I think Thor is plainly better.
Best of all I am feeling quite strongly that Cap will either be as good, or most likely better than Thor. Cannot wait!
LOKI was fantastic. Reminiscent of watching Dark Knight where my favorite scenes were those that involved the Joker, my favorites from this were those that involved Loki.
I’m seriously pining for this on Blu-Ray. If there was to be, as Josh (I think?) mentioned, a slightly longer Director’s Cut with a couple of extra scenes (especially if they did plan a night out drinking montage) this could well end up among my favourite films.
I loved this movie!
I liked the movie but I agree with most of what Josh said. I had to explain to all my friends what they were looking at in the credits end scene. Even I was little annoyed waiting for a very weak teaser like that. I rather see Hawkeye practicing his skills or show Mark Ruffalo as a cameo than see a cosmic cube.
In my opinon of the movie overall, I think the comedy overshadowed the minimal action. I liked the costumes and set designs but the fight scenes were way too short and unfulfilling toward the end. I agree with Josh, it did feel like a chapter. It didn’t feel like good guy beat bad guy, it felt more like selfish guy became nice guy.
Before I start let me say this: HERE THERE BE SPOILERS. Many a time I catch myself reading something I know has spoilers hoping I’ll manage to read the bits without spoilers and skip the rest. Don’t do it to yourself. Its not worth spoiling the ride cos the unanswered questions about what happens next is really what holds the film together. Once you know the plot you’ve really spoilt the whole experience. Hence ‘spoilers’. So don’t read this til you’ve seen the film. Thats all.
So I went and saw Thor a few weeks ago but avoided posting my review until I’d had time to consider it more. It begins with the tale of a man and his girlfriend who has agreed to see Thor about 4 times with him but due to her coursework piling up had to cancel. He didn’t mind but decided enough was enough and when he discovered she saw it with friends he made his move. And saw it alone! So, as you can guess, he had high expectations and had been waiting a long time for it. And the results of his cinematic excursion where….mixed.
All in all a fun film. Sadly that is more or less it. Now don’t get me wrong there was emotion and there were stellar performances and some interesting aspects. But it felt very…80s. I enjoyed it. I love Thor, especially the more recent stuff since his rebirth that really took the Asgardian elements back to a tough, gritty warriors in the snow caked in blood type roots. The film did Asgard well. VERY well. Bifrost and Heimdal and the whole end of the Rainbow Bridge, physically and metaphorically, were genius. The interlinking of the worlds by that whole system was executed well. The Jotun and Jotunheim were spot on, the Frost Giants both intimidating but not wildly outlandish. Hemsworth nailed the young immature Thor (he wasnt the grown warrior we know it comics but in terms of Thor’s ‘origin’ it was more or less how I wanted it to be). Odin was sublime as were Sif and the Warriors Three. The whole interaction with the earthlings and the four Asgardians was very cleverly done and genuinally funny and heartwarming. SHEILD were done well, Hawkeye was an interesting mystery for those who might not know to take away and ponder and for those who know it was a welcomed nod to what is still to come (though those sequences had flaws I’m focusing on the positives first). Sleipnir was there and had SIX LEGS! Well done guys that made me smile a heck of a lot. Some of the shots were beautifully cinematic and luxurious. The character relationships (Thor and Loki, Thor and Odin, Jane and her pals) were absolutley perfect and very touching. But…
There were two words I could use to describe what let the film down for me. They didnt ruin it but they let it down. These words are: cringeworthyness and lackofdepthitude. And, yes, these are both words. For me they really pulled me out of the experience and made me aware I was watching a film. Perhaps had I had lower expectations I wouldn’t even have noticed but the fact is I really admire Branagh’s work (Hamlet and Frankenstein are genius) and so for me I was shocked that he could remove me from being fully connected with the film.
To explain what I mean I shall start with my first by-no-means-madeup-word. Cringeworthyness: sometimes I felt it was, as I have experess, watching an old 80s action film. Or playing Streets or Rage. The noises made when combatants clash invoked those ridiculous overly-masculine tropes or, on the flip-side, women’s tennis. The grunts were not butch, they were not the shouts of a warrior seen in something like Gladiator there were half-hearted groans the actors were seemingly forced to express. You could sense they had been given direction which you never want, you always want an organic experience. Poor Hiddleston is not a grunting action hero, nor should Loki be. I could understand cries of pain or chuckles or the odd yell as he thrusts but there were, I swear, squeeks and yelps that held no power or gravitas from both men. This was a pity. Similarly cringeworthyness was found, for me, after the breaking of the bridge. From the point that Jane looks up and the sky and gives her cliched line the music was so counter-evocotive (almost attempting to hold the immensity of the LotR score and come across as a cheap imitation) that I looked around the cinema to see if anyone was laughing. Oh, Kenneth. This said the idea to leave Thor in Asgard was not expected, very clever and very, very appreciated. Gave me some hope and the film was vindicated in that moment.
Now, to lackofdepthness: I was never afraid. I never got the sense that anything was really at stake. I never truly believed anything was threatened, not because I was aware Thor would come through but because nothing was ever really threatened. If we take Loki’s actions, which are somewhat intergral, that is where I saw the big lack of depth. I appreciate we are fleshing out his character in this film and he is not yet the villian we all know but he really didn’t seen up to an awful lot. yes he lied alot and when he did it he did it bloody well; convincing Thor to go to war and explaining why he couldn’t renounce his throne to Thor for example were sensational bits of acting with no hints of wink-wink-nudge-nudge. However prior to these moments Loki had no context. We never knew why Sif and the Warriors Three were so scared of him in power. We’d never seen why he’d earnt the title god of mischeif. Fandral mentions he had always been one for mischief but we never saw it. We saw magic tricks but never the manipulation we know him for (save the scene mentioned above). Evil or not, even when simply for fun, Loki controls the players like chess peices. He doesn’t learn it or fall into it it is simply his nature. And its not that that is missing as it is implied by people’s reactions we just simply never see any examples of why he is so terribly scary. He just seems a tad whiny. Now I must say based on what he was given Hiddleston was fantastic. But I really wanted Loki to flex his scheming mind muscles. I never want to see the peices connecting in one of Loki’s plans; he always needs to be smarter than me and for the revelation of what he’s up to to take me by suprise. For now I’m happy to believe they are saving that for Avengers and I’ll leave it at that.
Going back to threat: why didn’t he point the bridge at Earth like he threatened. If we had seen that then I would feel like there was genuine threat and would have been totally enraptured. There is a scene where Thor regains his hammer and Loki is using the Bifrost to basically destroy Jotunheim. I suspected him to see Thor and when Heimdall summons him back I expected Loki to leave the bridge open to begin destroying Earth only for Thor to stop him. Instead we get a threat that is not follow through followed by the women’s tennis tournament (admittedly with scary hammers and spears, which IS cool). I do think an opportunity was missed. They could have wiped out the town and the film could have concluded with Jane and the guys helping rebuild as Thor would have done. Destroyer was cool but not big enough to be the ultimate threat and Loki at the end just didn’t pose one as they turned him into a physical threat which simply ought not to be his trump card.
Hawkeye needed to appear later on just to clarify he had a purpose rather than one scene. One scene is too forced, bring him back and given him some character even if only to wink and Jane or something. Or to try and take a shot at the Devastator before being knocked out with the other agents who weren’t killed.
That said I have admitted the film vindicated itself somewhat in those final moments. Odin’s return could have felt like a massive deus ex machina but didn’t as it felt like a father rescuing his quarrelling sons from each other. Which was exactly what it should have been. Leaving Thor is Asgard I’ve said I liked. But this was the same time as the lousy music and second gratuitous shot of Asgard (wasn’t sure if it was recycled from early) so I was still a tad removed. And after the credits was faultless and exciting.
All in all good but not nearly great and it certainly wasn’t, as some say, as good as Iron-Man or Batman Begins. 7 out of 10. Maybe a 6. A bit more than average but alot less than I hoped or expected. It wasn’t even that it didn’t ‘say’ something, I CAN appreciate fun for fun’s sake but bits of it were just cringeworthy and a tad lacking.
The worst part is the trailers for GL are giving off a similar sort of vibe and I’m not so keen. Thankfully Cap and First Class seem to have a bit more meat on there bones
hmmm somehow I posted my comment on the wrong tab I had open. thats way too long for this reply section. meant to but it in a forum. Can someone remove it cos its just eating up space here and getting in people’s way. probably lol
Hmm, you say there was no threat in the film, but that basically boils down to whether you care if Loki kills billions of Frost Giants? Thor did – and I certainly seemed to.
On the same point what you’ve said about Earth being threatened – I think Thor sticking up for, and giving up what he wants for a race of people who he basically hates is a much more powerful heroic gesture than sticking up for a planet you’re quite fond of and where the lady you have fallen for lives (it’s also proof that he has changed by the end of the film).
It also wouldn’t necessarily track that Loki would want to destroy Earth. I think this film basically showed the “origin” of Loki as a bad guy. I think mischievious was all he had been prior to this. His grand plan was to rule Asgard (I’m sure he meant to rule it well) and get rid of a long-term danger to the kingdom at the same time (and once he found out what he was, which he clearly found repellent, it also became a bonus for him that destorying Jotunheim would be the ultimate denial of the monster in him). He would have had no call and no justification for trying to destory Earth – everyone in Asgard would have been like “what a prick” whereas it is at least conceivable he’d had some level of respect for getting rid of the Frost Giants (especially after attempting to kill Odin in his own chamber).
I’m sure that NOW he wants to destory Earth, but that’s beside the point.
See I do get the feeling I need to watch it again. For me I still never really felt like ‘Oh Crap Thor is in trouble’ or that anyone we’d met really really was. Destroyer was cool but it felt like the warm-up you know. I did think Jotunheim getting attacked did exactly what you said and showed clearly the change in Thor from the start where he would have done that himself. But it just felt like that final epic moment was sort of misconstrued by a battle with Loki. When I watch something like the BBC’s series Sherlock (which I did today) the final face of between Sherlock and Moriarty in the final episode is just full of tension and threat and so on the edge. I think even if you put in a physical guy like Thor and just have this moment of tension and malice and threat then it would be brilliant. I just think having Loki jump about negated some of what made him great up until that point. I just wanted them to give him more bite. I know it was his origin but it feels like before that he was just ‘the god of potential’ and I would have liked a reveal at the end showing he had a long term plan-even if it wasn’t outright evil just to show he is always up to something.
Maybe thats why I’m still wondering if Erik is Baldur. But I think thats just fan wishful thinking cos I like and miss Baldur
Can someone clear something up for me? In the comic is Heimdall able to change size? It was inconsistent in the movie. He seemed to tower over Loki at one point, yet was of similar height compared to Thor, or of normal heigt in the gateway.
@UncleBob I don’t recall Heimdall changing size in the movie. Sometimes he was standing on a platform.