Thor - Spoiler Free Review

Thor, the God of Thunder, is stepping into the realm of Midgard, but will the mortals of this world be accepting or turn their backs?

We're only half way through its opening weekend but fans all seem to be loving Thor and have not been holding in their thoughts. Rightfully so, Facebook and Twitter have been buzzing about how great Thor was. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, (known to many as Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets) the movie follows a solid (yet simple) storyline and delivers it well while staying true to the comics. It may have been done this way (Captain America may be written in the same manner) because Marvel is looking to this movie as an introduction movie that will pay off later when we reach The Avengers. There may not be a lot of bulk to this story but all the same the story that is in place does a fantastic job of introducing all the necessary characters and delivers a fun experience. One thing that I had not expected and found it to be a pleasant surprise was the comedic side to the film. The comedy was well balanced and a welcomed aspect. While the scenes on Earth may be more slow paced, the scenes on Asgard and Joutunheim are really where the movie shines. Branagh and his team have created some truly memorable moments in these scenes that fans will be cheering for. The action/fight scenes will have everyone cheering on the almighty Thor as you really get a sense of what this character is capable of. The look of Asgard itself is an amazing sight as Branagh has created a beautiful shining world and a memorable Rainbow Road.

The casting in the movie was done superbly and I honestly wouldn't have recast anyone. From the looks to the portrayal, the cast did an amazing job. Both Anthony Hopkins, Odin, and Idris Elba, Heimdall, gave a noble performance that had your respect instantly. Tom Hiddleston as Loki will have you rooting for the villian without your realizing it and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster gives a respectable performance for what the character is; a human counterpart/love interest. Chris Helmsworth as the title character Thor gives an outstanding performance and delivers the emotional journey that Thor undergoes perfectly. I'd also like to make a special note that the "Warriors Three alongside Lady Sif" were a great onscreen team! Another notable aspect of the film was the special effects and costuming. Kudos to these departments for doing a great job. At no point are you saying to yourself that something was too fake looking and the costumes seemed to be ripped from Asgard itself.  

The last two points that I would like to touch on have become staples of recent Marvel films. The first being Easter egss. There are an incredible amount of Easter eggs in this movie. The Easter eggs range from things that you really need to look for and be a fan to catch to things that they just blatantly throw out there for all fans to understand. I wont say what these Easter eggs are (as this is a spoiler free review) but they range from full character cameos to different names said randomly in conversation to different Thor references made.  The second staple is the clip after the credits. Make sure you stay! The clip is well worth sitting through the credits and brings forward another big Easter egg.

Overall, Thor is a very enjoyable experience that will deliver both action packed fight scenes and strong characters.  I highly recommend seeing this movie as it is currently the movie to beat this year.