Thursday 6 October 2011

ONE TO WATCH: THOR (DVD)


"Sarah Anderson would not be amused. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is back to his arrogant best, banished to Earth from his homeworld of Asgard, fighting to reclaim his lost powers, not working as a mechanic, and a plastic helmet isn't going to cheer him up, either. The God of Thunder must ride out the storm and learn what it takes to become a true hero. It's not a bad way to get the ladies, after all...

And what a lady. Portman adds a new dimension here, helped by a strong support cast that turn this camp oddity into one of the most entertaining comic book adaptations in a long old time. The action is spectacular, the visuals are gorgeous, the script is tight, and there's plenty of humour. Sadly, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's sibling, is a bit of a damp squib, as is Branagh's "incredible war machine" The Destroyer, who does anything but, although the Frost Giants are wonderfully sinister and pack the most menace.

The whole package is a welcome surprise. I thought Branagh was an odd choice and probably wasn't the only one, but it's nice to be rooting for someone who doesn't exactly suffer from a confidence problem (Thor not Branagh), even if his journey sees him soften up a touch - probably not enough to let Anderson off that five dollars, though. Faithful to the comics (despite underdeveloped sidekicks), Thor is a welcome addition to Marvel's catalogue - it almost reignites my fire for the forthcoming Avengers epic - the perfect excuse to avoid a night on the town."                                                    DW

  

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