Showing posts with label Thor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thor. Show all posts
Review: "Thor: Ragnarok"
Why would a god take himself seriously?
Thor has been around for thousands of years. He's battled legions of monsters, aliens and super-villains and he's come out of it with bruises and scratches, but really no worse for wear. If not impossible to kill, he's near to it.
So, when the Thunder God finds himself in a scrap, he's light-hearted about it, and that's the overall tone of "Thor: Ragnarok." While titled after the Norse apocalypse, a foreseen time when all gods will die, this movie is a near-farce, and a very funny one. Though violent and full of action, the quips fly faster than the punches. After all, figures Thor, is his number's up, he's had a good ride and he might as well exit laughing.
Some fans may think it's too much, that the film is too silly and verges on parody and misses the gravity of the Thor comic books, but I think Marvel and director Taika David Waititi took the right approach. Adding in the humor allows the film to go completely over the top. Things are moving too fast, and the lines are too funny, for you to pause, reflect and realize how ridiculous it all is.
This is the first Thor film set almost entirely away from Earth, or Midgard, as Thor and his pals call our little blue marble. Thor is also apart from his prior love interest, Jane Foster.
When Jane, or another normally powered mortal is present, there's a real risk or harm and death, and Thor must be protective. Here, he can let the other characters fend for themselves. While there are battles and some Asgardians do get injured and, I guess, die, there's little sense of real peril without any regular humans around. It's another reason why the comedic approach works so well.
Chris Hemsworth, as we've seen in the previous Marvel movies and in his funny performance in the recent "Ghost Busters" film, is gifted with a nice comic touch in addition to his super-heroic physique and good looks. It's a blast watching Thor interact with Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Valkyrie (played by the engaging Tess Thompson) and pretty much everyone else in the film.
While still not entirely convincing the CGI Hulk here has personality and the sense in which he and Thor argue over who is the strongest Avenger are a lot of fun. Even more so, however, are the scenes in which the Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner, and we see Hemsworth goofing with Mark Ruffalo, who's shell-shocked to find himself on a weird alien world and, later, in Asgard itself.
Cate Blanchett, who is nigh unrecognizable in her huge Jack Kirby-styled headdress (crown? whatever), has fun in her role as Thor's bad big sister, Hela, slinking around and purring her nasty lines like a noveau Julie Newmar. And Tom Hiddleston is back again as Thor's other troublesome sibling, Loki.
And, even if they don't cotton to the humorous tone, Marvelmaniacs should still find a few things to love here. Along with Hela's headgear, there are lots of visual touches that come director from the Kirby and Walt Simonson Thor comics, along with numerous "in" reference to past storylines, such as Thor recounting the time when Loki turned him into a frog.
Other Easter eggs include cameos by Matt Damon, Hemsworth's brother Luke, and Sam Neill, along with, natch, Stan Lee in perhaps his best and funniest appearance in a Marvel film yet.
Lots of fun. I'm going again this weekend.
Walt Simonson returns to pencil Thor for upcoming Legacy issue
Legendary comics creator Walt Simonson has provided a cover and interior art for Marvel's Mighty Thor #700, which sees the character returned to his roots. The issue is out Oct. 28.
Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Axel Alonso shared this cover preview on Twitter:
Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Axel Alonso shared this cover preview on Twitter:
New character posters for "Thor: Ragnarok"
"Thor: Ragnarok" is out Nov. 3.
The cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Tom Hiddleston as Loki; Cate Blanchett as Hela; Idris Elba as Heimdall; Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie; Karl Urban as Skurge; Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin.
The cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Tom Hiddleston as Loki; Cate Blanchett as Hela; Idris Elba as Heimdall; Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie; Karl Urban as Skurge; Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin.
Review: Thor - The Dark World
The previous Thor film was my favorite of the Marvel Comics films to date. There was a lot of heart and humor to it. And Chris Hemsworth's approach to playing the Thunder God works so well: He's brash, yet thoughtful; funny, yet menacing.
He's a guy with the power and family connections (his father, Odin, is the top Norse god) to have anything he'd like. Yet, he falls in love with a mere mortal and can't help continually, and wrongly, providing his evil brother, Loki, with the benefit of the doubt.
All Marvel superheroes have a weakness. Thor's is that he's a nice guy.
As I said, Hemsworth makes Thor fun to watch. You're constantly awaiting to see how he'll respond to different situations. Will he smack someone with his hammer, or will his more human side win out? Thor is constantly debating whether he should act as a dispassionate god, or as a caring human being.
Unlike the first film, which was set mainly right here on planet Earth, the "Dark World" takes place primarily in the godly city of Asgard. That means a whole lot of CGI (although the resulting blend of fantasy and sci-fi is pretty impressive) and a lot more focus on Thor's family.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is the cranky Odin. Renee Russo plays Thor's sympathetic, yet tough, mom Frigga and Tom Hiddleston is back as the devious Loki. Jaime Alexander also has a bigger part this time out, as Sif, the Asgardian Amazon who's in love with Thor.
The first film's amusing Earth-bound supporting cast is back, too, with Kat Dennings providing comic relief as best pal to Thor's love interest Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, who also has a much bigger role in this film. This is the best performance I've seen by Portman, who is lively and funny in the film. Oftentimes, she comes across on screen as stilted and remote. Maybe it's because she's given more to do than just stand around and make goo-goo eyes at Thor, although she does that a fair amount here, too.
I'd forgotten that former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston was in the film and I didn't recognize him under all the makeup as the villain of the piece, Malekith. He's suitably menacing, but the whole plot of his scheme to tap a source of immense cosmic power and essentially wipe out everything in existence is pretty much beside the point.
This film is about Thor, sometimes humorously, sometimes poignantly, dealing with his family and deciding his ultimate path in life. And, for that reason, even though the main character is a god, it's a very human film.
I enjoyed it more than the third "Iron Man" film, which made me think that Marvel had lost its footing after "The Avengers." "The Dark World" demonstrates that a solo hero can still sustain his own franchise. I'd certainly see a third Thor film and the new Captain America flick looks promising, too.
Watch out for a fun cameo about mid-way through and stay until the very, very end of the credits.
He's a guy with the power and family connections (his father, Odin, is the top Norse god) to have anything he'd like. Yet, he falls in love with a mere mortal and can't help continually, and wrongly, providing his evil brother, Loki, with the benefit of the doubt.
All Marvel superheroes have a weakness. Thor's is that he's a nice guy.
As I said, Hemsworth makes Thor fun to watch. You're constantly awaiting to see how he'll respond to different situations. Will he smack someone with his hammer, or will his more human side win out? Thor is constantly debating whether he should act as a dispassionate god, or as a caring human being.
Unlike the first film, which was set mainly right here on planet Earth, the "Dark World" takes place primarily in the godly city of Asgard. That means a whole lot of CGI (although the resulting blend of fantasy and sci-fi is pretty impressive) and a lot more focus on Thor's family.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is the cranky Odin. Renee Russo plays Thor's sympathetic, yet tough, mom Frigga and Tom Hiddleston is back as the devious Loki. Jaime Alexander also has a bigger part this time out, as Sif, the Asgardian Amazon who's in love with Thor.
The first film's amusing Earth-bound supporting cast is back, too, with Kat Dennings providing comic relief as best pal to Thor's love interest Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, who also has a much bigger role in this film. This is the best performance I've seen by Portman, who is lively and funny in the film. Oftentimes, she comes across on screen as stilted and remote. Maybe it's because she's given more to do than just stand around and make goo-goo eyes at Thor, although she does that a fair amount here, too.
I'd forgotten that former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston was in the film and I didn't recognize him under all the makeup as the villain of the piece, Malekith. He's suitably menacing, but the whole plot of his scheme to tap a source of immense cosmic power and essentially wipe out everything in existence is pretty much beside the point.
This film is about Thor, sometimes humorously, sometimes poignantly, dealing with his family and deciding his ultimate path in life. And, for that reason, even though the main character is a god, it's a very human film.
I enjoyed it more than the third "Iron Man" film, which made me think that Marvel had lost its footing after "The Avengers." "The Dark World" demonstrates that a solo hero can still sustain his own franchise. I'd certainly see a third Thor film and the new Captain America flick looks promising, too.
Watch out for a fun cameo about mid-way through and stay until the very, very end of the credits.
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