"Thor"

By Matt Duncan
Coastal View News

Thor, son of Odin, god of thunder, can do anything—he is invincible. Or so he thinks. In fact, Thor’s weaknesses run deep. And, unfortunately, the tragic flaws associated with Thor extend to his self-titled movie. For, much like Thor’s destructive power, “Thor” is somewhat fun to watch, but it is also messy, brutish and unfulfilling.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is heir to the throne of the realm of Asgard. Thor is courageous, honest, and noble. But it’s unclear whether he is fit to lead. For Thor is also arrogant and rash. He is prone to overstating the offenses of others, and he is quick to resolve disputes with the crash of his mighty hammer. Hence, while Thor’s father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) is resigned to turning his kingdom over to Thor, he feels uneasy about giving so much power to his reckless son.

Odin’s uneasiness is soon justified when Thor undermines the tenuous peace between Asgard and its former enemy. Thor brings unnecessary war to his people, and this infuriates and saddens Odin. So, with much sorrow, Odin banishes Thor from Asgard and forces his son to live the life of an earthbound mortal.

At first Thor does not fully understand his plight. Upon landing on earth he meets a group of scientists led by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and he seems to think that his powers remain intact. So Thor approaches Foster and her group with the same swagger that made him an outcast. But Thor quickly comes to realize that he is no longer invincible. He cannot take on the whole world by himself. He is no more than a burly (and slightly odd) human.

So Thor needs Foster’s help. Foster is intrigued, charmed, but also frightened by Thor. Luckily, her attraction and scientific curiosity ultimately win the day. Foster manages to help, study, and also fall in love with Thor over the course of a day or two. Thor’s powers may have worn off, but his godly allure certainly hasn’t.

Thor works with Foster to understand and overcome the mortal challenges that he faces. Together they learn that Thor’s enemies are not who he thought they were—there is a much more formidable foe lying in wait. Thor tries to regain his old powers in order to subdue this new enemy, but he is further humbled in the process. With more on the line than ever, Thor must overcome his physical weakness, and also his ego and pride, in order to once again save the day.

I don’t know if “Thor” is any good. I must have already forgotten. I guess that makes “Thor” forgettable. In its favor, this movie is chock full of action. It’s fun. And in certain ways it breathes new life into the superhero genre. For Thor is a new kind of superhero. His beaming smile and crushing hammer are especially charming. This movie’s cast is also one of its strengths. Chris Hemsworth is perfectly suited to play Thor, and Natalie Portman is, of course, fantastic.

However, “Thor” has plenty of flaws. For instance, the plot is overcrowded. That is not to say that the movie is particularly complex or confusing. It’s just that too much ground is covered in too little time. There are too many conflicts that need to be resolved and too many threads that need to be developed. Unfortunately, none of the conflicts get a chance to fully play out, and none of the threads are developed convincingly. The external quasi-conflicts between Thor and his detractors are straightforward and mundane—maybe even downright boring. Thor’s internal quasi-conflict over his own pride and recklessness is resolved too quickly. We don’t see the process of change; rather, we see lightning quick reform (maybe this suits the god of thunder). And finally, the quasi-love story between Thor and Foster is unconvincing. This is especially odd and unfortunate because Portman is such a good actress, and Hemsworth … well, he plays a god.

So I don’t know if “Thor” is any good, but at least it has its moments, and at least it is entertaining. That makes it better than many (if not most) superhero movies.