Valhalla’s fury

Now that Joss Whedon’s The Avengers is official, it’s about time we met some of the new Marvel superheroes. First up is Thor, the Norse God of Thunder who wields his trademark hammer to fight evil. Unlike the many superheroes we’ve seen who originate from Earth, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is from a wholly different world, and has a lot of background information that needs to be explained. Fortunately director, Kenneth Branagh, is not afraid to jump straight in here, and show the magnificently designed universe of Asgard. We see Thor’s father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) the ruler of Asgard, his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and some lavish gold-painted set that truly raises the bar on what is now possible with modern day computer graphics.

Thor is an arrogant but talented warrior who enjoys nothing more than charging into battle. For years the people of Asgard have been in conflict with the Frozen Giants and after a long period of war their leader Laufey (Colm Feore) called an uneasy truce with Odin. As is common for any film plot that involves two gifted siblings, Thor’s problems stem from his jealous brother. Manipulated into betraying his father’s orders by the cunning Loki who is an expert when it comes to twisting words, Thor’s reckless behaviour threatens to destroy the unstable peace between the two races, and for this he is banished to Earth.

Scenes leading up to Thor’s exile is comprehensively compact with some smooth voiceover work from Hopkins, and the first half-hour or so has an admirably focused tone that throws in some great action. The choreography is excellent, demonstrating just how a single hammer can be used for all sorts of creative fantasy fighting skills. Side-kicks worth rooting for also appear, although their developments are kept to a bare minimum (we’ll just have to settle for being told that they have been Thor’s friends for years and are utterly loyal to him). The Warriors Three (Ray Stevenson, Joshua Dallas, Tadanobu Asano) and Sif (Jaimie Alexander) form one heck of a team, taking on an army of Frost Giants just because Thor asks them to.

It’s on Earth where events take a shift in tone. Thor meets Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) a smart astrophysicist and her companions Erik (Stellan Skarsgård) and Darcy (Kat Dennings) who provide some priceless comic relief that was lacking in the more serious first section of the film. Thor obviously has trouble finding his way around the new planet and his overtly confident attitude declaring to everyone that he is the great son of Odin (as if that is supposed to mean anything to the citizens of New Mexico) works well to loosen the reins a little and give our protagonist a breather from all the heavy action. Hemsworth emerges as a steady lead actor, managing to breeze through the action whilst also handling the comedy well.

Problems arise as we constantly go backwards and forwards between Earth and Asgard. It’s an indisputable fact that Asgard is much better to look at, and is filled with far more interesting characters and events. Hopkins has many memorable scenes as he speaks his lines with conviction, a standout scene involving a heated argument between Odin and Loki, with the son questioning his true origins. It takes time for Hiddleston’s character to build but when it does, the actor’s portrayal of insecurity, vulnerability and instability combine to produce one complex villain. Even Rene Russo, playing the wife of Odin, is given the chance to pick up a sword and take a swing at a Frost Giant. Things down on Earth seem a lot more tepid than that: Thor’s journey for redemption is not clearly mapped out, and despite the actors’ chemistry, the romance between Foster and Thor is underdeveloped.

But as a way of introducing a superhero we have never met before, Branagh has a respectable stab at the material. He involves all the right characters, sets the film up in the most gorgeous landscapes, and has found the right leading man for a challenging part. At the end of the credits, a caption reading “Thor will return in The Avengers” pops up. And we can’t wait to see Hemsworth standing alongside of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner in May 2012.