Movie Review: Thor

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth).

THOR (2011)
Directed By: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Colm Feore and Anthony Hopkins

Thor is the god of thunder and, for those uninitiated (like myself) in the adventures of this lesser-known Marvel comics hero, this Norse deity apparently has a huge cult following. Wielding a powerful hammer called Mjlonir (which, oddly enough, resembles a giant meat tenderizer), Thor, as a character, is a balanced mix of hot-headed temper, arrogance and brooding charm, which are all "must have" qualities when it comes to Marvel action heroes.

Thor takes the age-old tale of sibling rivalry and ups the ante. Thor (Aussie newcomer, Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) live in a kingdom in the sky called Asgard, where they have been raised by their father, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and mother, Frigga (Rene Russo, who has apparently returned to acting after a long absence). The relationship between the seemingly close brothers begins to fray when Odin proclaims Thor as his heir. When the coronation ceremony is interrupted by the Frost Giants, led by the red-eyed Laufey (Colm Feore, buried beneath layers of make-up), Thor goes against his father's wishes and leads his band of loyal friends in avenging the attack. Odin is outraged at Thor's rash actions and banishes his son from Asgard. Thor is ultimately reduced to nothing -- his power gone, his beloved hammer, Mjlonir, missing -- and is left to fend for himself on Earth, a planet he is unfamiliar with. He accidentally meets up with a group of skywatching scientists: cosmologist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Swedish scientist Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) and their student intern, Darcy (Kat Dennings). They struggle to come to terms with what Thor is, while trying to help him return to Asgard and prevent Loki from taking over the throne.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Jane (Natalie Portman).

Despite the fact that there are six screenwriters credited (usually a bad sign), Thor is, surprisingly, a structured, cohesive narrative -- a rarity for films of this genre. With a running time of less than two hours, it manages to give you all the background information you need on Thor and his supernatural family, while spending just the right amount of time on Earth as he gets to know his new human companions. If there is one complaint, it'd be the lack of more interaction between Thor and his brother, Loki, before the former is banished to Earth. It would have made their eventual fall-out all the more poignant.

Under the steady and assured direction of Shakespearean vet Kenneth Branagh, Thor has a great international cast to rely on -- from Australia, England, United States, Sweden and Canada.

As Thor, Hemsworth has the same roguish charm as Harrison Ford or, more recently, Chris Pine in Star Trek (2009). With great comic timing and the ability to cry on cue, Hemsworth proves he's more than just a pretty face. Thor has given him a promising start to a career in Hollywood. The rest of the cast rallies around him, each giving a performance that is more than a comic book adaptation usually deserves. As the trio of scientists, Portman, Skarsgard and Dennings are all talented actors who make the most of their supporting (and underwritten) roles. Their camaraderie and chemistry with one another makes up for their odd little trio. Hopkins is perfect as King Odin -- a measured mix of menace and fatherly affection. Hiddleston is excellent as the scheming and mischievous Loki, a reluctant villain made to turn to the dark side by unfortunate life circumstances and devastating revelations about his past.

Thor is that rare summer blockbuster that is genuinely enjoyable both for its entertaining story and solid cast -- it brings to mind the recent Star Trek reboot. If Thor is any indication, this years crop of summer films are off to a promising start.

FINAL GRADE: B+

My Own Oscar Picks

Every year I do my own personal Oscar picks, just for fun. One of those "I would love to be in charge of the Oscars" type of things.

There are a few films I wanted to see before tomorrow's Academy Awards but wasn't able to get to them on time; therefore I can't include Javier Bardem for Biutiful or Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole even though I have a feeling I would have loved both performances and would have included them in my list.

BEST PICTURE
127 Hours
Barney's Version
Black Swan
The King's Speech
Toy Story 3
*My Pick: The King's Speech

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
Danny Boyle - 127 Hours
David Fincher - The Social Network
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
David O. Russell - The Fighter
*My Pick: Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours
Paul Giamatti - Barney's Version
Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine
*My Pick: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)

BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Julianne Moore - The Kids Are All Right
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
*My Pick: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale - The Fighter
Matt Damon - True Grit
Andrew Garfield - Never Let Me Go
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech
*My Pick: Christian Bale (The Fighter)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Elle Fanning - Somewhere
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Rosamund Pike - Barney's Version
*My Pick: Amy Adams (The Fighter)

Black Swan (2010)

Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder

Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

We've seen films that have been focused on a protagonist's descent into madness before. But it's never been done quite like director Darren Aronofsky's film, Black Swan.

This was one of the few films I was excited about this year -- from the moment I first saw the trailer, I couldn't wait to see how the two duelling halves of a ballet dancer's mind would pan out under Aronofsky's direction. There's always this reluctance when I'm really excited about a film -- I always wonder if it will live up to the hype and the greatness of its trailer. Thankfully, Black Swan lives up to its rave critical reviews.

This is a very difficult movie to review without giving everything away. For a lack of a better word, the film is completely demented. It's bizarre, twisted, over-the-top and, at times, downright campy. That being said, I loved every minute of it. It's a breath of fresh air amidst the sequels, prequels and romcoms that usually fill the cinema's around this time of year.

What it all comes down to, though, is the performance by Natalie Portman. Without her, Black Swan would have lost a large portion of what makes it work so well. As young dancer, Nina, Portman is so convincing in her role that you literally feel you are witnessing an actual nervous breakdown. Nina works though her gruelling auditions in an attempt to convince both herself and her director, Thomas (Vincent Cassel), that she can convincingly portray both the ethereal and graceful white swan, Odette, and Odette's dark, sexual and possessive counterpart, Odile, the black swan, in the company's upcoming production of Swan Lake.

I've always found Portman to be a little hit or miss, as an actress. It's hard to believe the same woman who struggled through the Star Wars prequels is now the lead contender for Best Actress in this years Oscar race. Her delicate, innocent and almost childlike portrayal of Nina is heartbreaking as she awkwardly struggles to find her darker, sexualized self. Portman effectively portrays both the light and dark within Nina and, most surprisingly, does a lot of her own ballet dancing in the film. I have nothing but the utmost respect for actors who immerse themselves in research for their roles and it's clear that Portman spent a lot of time preparing for her greatest role yet.

Nina lives in a world of pink pyjamas and teddy bears (her mother, played by Barbara Hershey, still tucks her in at night) in an attempt to move past her dark past of bulimia and a scratching disorder. But with the mounting pressures of the upcoming Swan Lake production and the vicious taunting by Thomas, backup dancer Lily (Mila Kunis) and former ballet queen, Beth (Winona Ryder), results in Nina's violent, sexual and dark hallucinations. Her dark swan is struggling to break through it's pure white exterior.

The Toronto Star movie critic, Peter Howell, made a good point when he said that Aronofsky tends to take one intense main performance (as he did most recently with The Wrestler) and "frames it within an unyielding study of an obsessive pursuit."

The supporting cast holds up well considering the focus is almost entirely on Portman. I only wish we got to learn more about Cassel's Thomas in terms of his motivations and treatment of Nina.

Overall, this exciting and odd little film has not only one of the strongest female performances of the year but it's also visually beautiful and the dancing is incredible.

FINAL GRADE: A