Bore, I mean, Thor had the potential to be one of the highlights of the MCU. I mean, magic gods, mythology, family feuds, and the integration of the larger MCU? Those are all key ingredients for an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Instead, the strength of this film was low-key.
I mean that quite literally. Loki.
But I don’t want to completely trash this film, it’s not nearly as underdeveloped as its sequel. Instead, let’s start out with its positives:
This film aesthetically looked beautiful, and absolutely holds up to the CGI of the future of the MCU. Kenneth Branagh, Director, clearly showed his vision for Asgard and the Nine Realms, and succeeded in translating these locations from the comic book page and onto the big screen. Fortunately, his eye for location also applied to the costumes and the action sequences; Thor’s lightning and utilization of Mjolnir utilized Branagh’s camerawork, resulting in the complete immersion of the audience. Sequences of Thor twirling Mjolnir to create a tornado, or throwing Mjolnir through hordes of Frost Giants were closely followed by a camera, resulting in sequences where the camera follows the exact movements of Thor’s trusty hammer. The action was, pun intended, electrifying.
Branagh’s utilization of Thor’s family dynamic was also excellently written. Anthony Hopkin’s Odin, Rene Russo’s Frigga, and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor shine throughout the film, and instead of appearing as an Olympic group of gods– they are shown as a broken family, which is a welcome addition to the MCU. You truly feel the pain that these characters experience while Thor is banished, and themes of child favoritism, bias, and neglect are brilliantly implemented. Which brings us to the highlight of this film: the low-key Loki. Ha, see what I did there?
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is brilliant and is easily one of the best portrayals of a comic book character within the MCU. Loki is loving, compassionate, and yet, deeply flawed. He is vengeful, sadistic, and feels deeply, deeply unloved by his father– and I can’t blame him. Hiddleston’s acting effortlessly illustrates that even gods are vulnerable to the most human of emotions. His feelings of neglect and self-hatred fuel his motivations toward destroying Jotenheim– all he wants is to prove his worth to his father, and murder the people who abandoned him as an infant. Tom Hiddleston transforms Loki from a sadistic, untrustworthy villain, to a flawed, sympathetic sibling and son. Not only is Hiddleston the strength of this film– he is a key pillar towards the success of the MCU.
Unfortunately, the film drops like Mjolnir otherwise.
The human characters are underdeveloped and clearly utilized for comedic effect. Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster is merely a literary device to help create the “fish out of water” dynamic with Thor that has been done so many times before. As a result, Thor and Jane’s relationship, while heartwarming, is completely void of chemistry and underdeveloped. Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin all had similar relationships to Thor and Jane– and better developed, resulting in a missed opportunity for the film. Thank goodness she’s being utilized as Lady Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, as Portman was clearly wasted in this film.
The story is also completely unoriginal and uninspired, and the audience can easily realize that this film was only created for the integration of Thor in The Avengers. We’ve seen stories with the evil, envious brother before. We’ve seen the bratty protagonist who eventually has to mature and become a better person– literally in the same MCU Phase as well (cough*Iron Man*cough). Without the future team-up of The Avengers, there is very little reason to watch this film, as the characterization of Thor was unremarkable. The concept of the God of Thunder being a superhero is golden– but with the cardboard personality and story of the film, it comes off as forgettable.
However, the one scene that stands out in the entire MCU’s slate of films was the intense argument between Loki and Odin. When Loki discovers that his father adopted him for the mere purpose of being a political ambassador, the audience can easily see that Loki’s psyche has snapped- being unloved for so long, Loki finally becomes “the monster who parents scare children with at night.” The tears in Hiddleston’s eyes, combined with the enraged facial expression, shows that while Thor had many missed opportunities, Loki was not one of them.
This movie isn’t bad. But with the amount of underdeveloped characters, romance, and unoriginal story makes it, quite honestly, thor-ing.
