Thor Review

I got a text from a friend the other day lamenting that my online presence has become somewhat scant as of late. I haven’t done the podcast in about six weeks, and my blog entries are become fewer and further between. Well, that’s all easy enough to explain.


For those just tuning in, I currently have no Internet access at home. My upstairs neighbours used to let me use their Internet connection. I’d give them $20 a month, and they’d give me the password for the wireless router. Well, they moved out almost two months ago, and I haven’t been able to get my own Internet connection yet. The reasons for not having it back are about 80% my own procrastination, and 20% poor customer service from the only ISP that serves Athabasca when I’m able to get them on the phone.

It’s kind of interesting that this situation is very similar to the one that caused me to start this blog. Around 8 years ago or so, my laptop crashed, and I had no way to get online at home. Maintaining an online presence was very important to me back then, so I went to Blogger, which was the popular blogging service among my friends at the time, and got myself a blog. I figured it would be quick and easy to update at libraries and Internet cafes and thus maintain my online presence. 8 years later now, and I’m still blogging.

So maybe it’s time to bring this blog back to its original purpose...something quick and easy to update at the library until I get my connection back at home. Although, if you really are craving some kind of Internet-based entertainment from me, I find that Facebook and Twitter are really quick and easy to update from my BlackBerry. I’m still very active at those social networking sites, so you might want to consider friending me or following me.

But yeah...not much to write home about. I had a wonderful day in Edmonton today. With the weather getting really warm right now, I figured I needed a new pair of shoes for walking around. I’ve always wanted a bigger memory card for my digital camera, and when I spotted an 8G card on sale for $10, I snapped one up. Oh, and I wanted to see Thor.

Since I can’t update my website, let’s blog my review of Thor!

Thor

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Colm Feore, and Jamie Alexander
Backstory:
Man o man, superheroes have dominated the box office for the past few years, and because I’m a sucker for all the superhero stuff, I try to see them all. And now we have issue 2 of Marvel’s big crossover event. Issue 1 was Iron Man 2 last year, issue 2 is Thor, issue 3 is Captain America coming out this July, and issue 4 is going to be The Avengers, the gigantic superhero team consisting of Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, coming out next summer. So, does Thor work on its own, or does it have the same problem many had with Iron Man 2, which was too much set-up for The Avengers?

Plot:
In the mystical realm of Aasgard, the gods of Norse mythology reside. As Thor is about to be crowned king by Odin, Frost Giants attack, and Thor decides to wipe out all the Frost Giants. This leads to a new war with the Frost Giants, and for this insolence, Odin strips Thor of his powers and banishes him to Earth. On Earth, Thor experiences a bit of culture shock as he gets used to being depowered and this simple Earth-dwellers, but with the help of the three astrophysicists studying the wormhole he fell out of, he begins to adjust. He even falls in love with one of them, Jane Foster. Meanwhile, in Aasgard, Loki takes advantage of the situation to seize the throne. But Loki knows that, should Thor ever return, it ruin his plans. Can Thor regain his powers, save Earth, and then reclaim the throne of Aasgard?

What I Liked:
Aasgard looks amazing. I’m constantly blown away at what computer animation is doing these days to create these otherworldly realms. The acting, too, is incredibly good, with Chris Hemsworth being wonderfully boisterous and then very sorrowful as Thor. The comedy, I’m glad to report, is not as stupid as the commercial play it out, and it does provide some very good laughs. And Loki is a very intriguing villain, but that does lead into....

What I Didn’t Like:
Loki is a very complicated villain, and as such, it’s tough to get a handle on what his evil scheme is. The film does drag a little bit when it comes to Earth. And the romance between Thor and Jane...well, it just happens so fast that it’s almost unexpected. It’s almost one of those, “We have to, I guess, because it happens in the comics” kind of things.

Final Verdict:
A very satisfying, if somewhat clichéd, superhero yarn. A friend asked where this ranks with the other Marvel films, and I’d say it’s on par with The Incredible Hulk.

3 Nibs