Thor (2011)
Country: US
Technical: col/2.39:1 115m
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Colm Feore, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo
Synopsis:
In the realm of Asgard, Odin prepares to hand kingship over to his son, Thor, who proves his unreadiness by provoking old foes to war. While he is banished to Earth his brother Loki works out his own schemes of vengeance and domination.
Review:
Quite how this unattractive VFX feast came to cost $150 million is anyone's business, though by now the worldwide gains to be had from even the humblest Marvel entry would nudge halfway to ten figures. More mystifying still is how Branagh came to be involved. As a piece of drama it is an uneasy mishmash of Norse mythology and science fiction (as the script namechecks on more than one occasion), with no surprises for anyone who knows their brother stories (cf. Jacob and Esau); as light entertainment it scores more points when earthbound, becoming more ponderous on Asgard, pace a Hopkins performance of Shakespearean proportions. As a piece of the Marvel jigsaw puzzle, it namechecks S.H.I.E.L.D. and features a cameo from Hawkeye and (in a post-credit) Fury.
Country: US
Technical: col/2.39:1 115m
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Colm Feore, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo
Synopsis:
In the realm of Asgard, Odin prepares to hand kingship over to his son, Thor, who proves his unreadiness by provoking old foes to war. While he is banished to Earth his brother Loki works out his own schemes of vengeance and domination.
Review:
Quite how this unattractive VFX feast came to cost $150 million is anyone's business, though by now the worldwide gains to be had from even the humblest Marvel entry would nudge halfway to ten figures. More mystifying still is how Branagh came to be involved. As a piece of drama it is an uneasy mishmash of Norse mythology and science fiction (as the script namechecks on more than one occasion), with no surprises for anyone who knows their brother stories (cf. Jacob and Esau); as light entertainment it scores more points when earthbound, becoming more ponderous on Asgard, pace a Hopkins performance of Shakespearean proportions. As a piece of the Marvel jigsaw puzzle, it namechecks S.H.I.E.L.D. and features a cameo from Hawkeye and (in a post-credit) Fury.
Country: US
Technical: col/2.39:1 115m
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Colm Feore, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo
Synopsis:
In the realm of Asgard, Odin prepares to hand kingship over to his son, Thor, who proves his unreadiness by provoking old foes to war. While he is banished to Earth his brother Loki works out his own schemes of vengeance and domination.
Review:
Quite how this unattractive VFX feast came to cost $150 million is anyone's business, though by now the worldwide gains to be had from even the humblest Marvel entry would nudge halfway to ten figures. More mystifying still is how Branagh came to be involved. As a piece of drama it is an uneasy mishmash of Norse mythology and science fiction (as the script namechecks on more than one occasion), with no surprises for anyone who knows their brother stories (cf. Jacob and Esau); as light entertainment it scores more points when earthbound, becoming more ponderous on Asgard, pace a Hopkins performance of Shakespearean proportions. As a piece of the Marvel jigsaw puzzle, it namechecks S.H.I.E.L.D. and features a cameo from Hawkeye and (in a post-credit) Fury.