Thor (The Movie) *Spoiler- contains character images*

[Anzik]

Friday night I got done teaching and came upstairs and saw I had a message from my brother who has been a diehard Thor fan since 1977. Ever since the news broke about this film being made I listened to him moan pessimistically about the final result. Given the representation of Thor in the Incredible Hulk series many years ago, and the direction the comic books have taken, those fears were well founded. I was relieved to hear how ecstatic he was with the final result and after taking the kids to see it yesterday I agreed completely.
I'm not a fan of the ultimates version of Marvel but I knew not to expect a truly classic version of Thor, and being fully aware of the fact that what works in a comic book doesn't necessarily work on film. I had watched the trailers but to be honest, the film was far greater than the trailers let on. Obviously the biggest issue in making a movie out of a comic book is that the comic book medium has years to develop a story and characters and a movie has minutes. I would argue that a comic book that reveals things too quickly is a failure, yet obviously, in a film it must be immediate. Given the enormous volume of story needed to convey to the audience in a short time, this film delivered superbly.
My largest concern was the casting, which I was very happy with. Hemsworth did the job above and beyond what I expected and the heartbreak on his face when

Spoiler

he tried to lift the hammer

was powerful. Hiddleston was perfect as the coy and scheming Loki, using deceit and misdirection to his advantage and wrapping his machinations in the logical, more reasoned approach. Hopkins did a great job as usual the only thing I would critique is that his voice doesn't exude the power bottled up inside Odin, but certainly not a deal breaker. I was disappointed with Portman. She had good chemistry with Hemsworth but she seemed to be walking through the job. Skarsgard, who at first seemed out of place, really took his role and beefed it up and really drew my attention in his scenes. I enjoyed Darcy and her ipod and CPR remarks.
Visually the entire film was spectacular and I think it conveyed very well the other worldliness of Asgard. My favorite part was the representation of just how powerful Thor is when he's not holding back. The battle with the frost giants really demonstrated how much he had been holding back, and again with the 'ice dog', and especially

Spoiler

on the bridge with Loki when he finally yells "ENOUGH!!"

. I loved the inclusion of Hawkeye, and I have really grown to enjoy Caulson.
The time frame does seem a bit rushed and in a perfect world there would be enough time and opportunity to stretch it out, but this is a comic book movie after all and not Shakespeare. I don't see myself going for a second viewing in a theater but I certainly can't wait to own the DVD.
Marvel has really grown into a force of how to properly represent their characters and I am eagerly, yet cautiously, awaiting Captain America, by personal all time favorite but if they do the job that Thor did I will be very happy.

 

[The Josh]

I can't agree with your friend at all. I think they've improved Thor especially in the last few years with the ultimates stuff. He's finally become interesting to read in the comics. I'm glad they went with the more modern/ultimates Thor.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Like Ultimate Cap but not Thor.
He came off as a hippie tree hugger who got pwn'd by Magneto at one point.
The reg. Thor has had a better pool of writers recently especially post civil war.
The movies look is of course based on reg. Thor but has lifted some of the Ultimates plot points.
Best run of Thor imo was Walt Simonsons Beta Ray/Surtur saga.
That first cover blew my fanboy mind.

If they can introduce War Machine into the movies they should try to pull off Beta Ray Thor in the sequel.

 

[Anzik]

Well considering Thor has endured in his own comic for decades and the movie version is based on classic Thor with elements of the Ultimates with regard to Asgard, I would say he has been interesting for a long time. The reason the classic characters have had such long appeal is because of how well they have been done. Time will tell if the ultimate versions will last as long or be as memorable.
Rex I really liked the Simonson run as well but my favorite has to be the Celestials arc.

 

[The Josh]

I guess for me it was the art just not being as pleasing to my eye as what's been done more recently.

 

[Anzik]

I think that has a lot to do with eras. I first started reading comics back in 76 and 77. The artistic style grew more and more detailed over the years. I remember when my dad bought me a bound copy of old Captain America stories when Jack Kirby drew them and I hated the art until I started to see the foundation that he laid for modern artists. Back when Keith Pollard penciled Thor, the art was much better than average.
These days with the glossier paper and the printing methods there's a lot that is visually more striking. Last month I was sorting through my comics and rereading some of those old issues and they are truly classic.

 

[The Josh]

I'm sure the era you were born in has a big part to do with how you look at the art. Makes sense to me anyways. No matter the era they all draw better than I do.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President of Production) also likes Beta Ray Bill and it looks as if they are at least thinking about the character.

”I love Beta Ray Bill!” said Feige in a recent interview, “Listen, Walt Simonson, those story lines … he’s in the movie. He has a cameo at the end of the movie. Walt does. His story lines are often what we go right to when we start to put together what the next movie is going to be. Could it be Beta Ray Bill? Maybe. It’s certainly one of the best stories. Certainly one of the best stories. Is it too soon introduce a guy … he came in years and years into the Thor run. Is it too soon to suggest that somebody else can lift the hammer? I don’t know. But we love him. We love him and his horse face.”

 

[The Josh]

I don't think you bring someone else into his universe that can lift the hammer. That can really screw things up if they do and honestly for me they can leave that character on the side of the road.

 

[FQRizzo]

I don't think you bring someone else into his universe that can lift the hammer. That can really screw things up if they do and honestly for me they can leave that character on the side of the road.

I'd love to see BRB in movie form...

 

[The Josh]

Doing something like him in the movie universe just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe as a bad guy he would work but not as another good guy. BRB always seemed like cheap rip off of the real Thor. Kind of like oh Thor is "dead" or lost for a while so lets do this.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Thor wasnt dead or lost when Bill was introduced.
He was added fire power for taking on Surtur and his demonic legions.
That should be the reason for introducing him, by making Surtur the bad guy.
It certainly would add scope as Bill had a compelling past and most of the action
would take place in space or in Asgard, which I think most people want to see more of anyway.
Let the rest of the Avengers screw around on earth in there own stories and keep Thor in the cosmos in his movies.

 

[The Josh]

Thor wasnt dead or lost when Bill was introduced.
He was added fire power for taking on Surtur and his demonic legions.
That should be the reason for introducing him, by making Surtur the bad guy.
It certainly would add scope as Bill had a compelling past and most of the action
would take place in space or in Asgard, which I think most people want to see more of anyway.
Let the rest of the Avengers screw around on earth in there own stories and keep Thor in the cosmos in his movies.

I know that isnt how he was introduced. I said thats how he should come about something as a cheap gimmick type thing. I'm sure Thor will blend between the two but I don't think the movies will work with him just staying in space.

 

[fosing]

I'd love to see BRB in movie form...

she's gonna fit in nicely.

 

[JosephCPR]

Poor Jessica

 

[jye4ever]

Thor 2, The Horse and Pony Show

 

[Anzik]

Introducing Beta Ray Bill would be dumb since he has exactly the same powers as Thor. It would be like having 2 guys in Iron Man armor.

 

[Anzik]

Seriously though it would be a little too crowded. I like Thor having the limelight

 

[toylion]

Introducing Beta Ray Bill would be dumb since he has exactly the same powers as Thor. It would be like having 2 guys in Iron Man armor.

So what is War Machine.

 

[Darkseed]

she's gonna fit in nicely.

No B-Ray.......I want Thor 2 to continue developing the characters from the first film. It needs no other characters....