Into the MCU: "Thor" (2011)

Centuries before we had comics, we had mythology- stories that created the super human stereotypes that are used by many comic book characters today.

So it was only natural that the gods and goddesses of old would wind up being translated into the modern medium. The Norse god Thor was one such god. And not only that, he then got translated into movie form as part of the MCU's 2011 "Thor"...

Arrogant, cocky, and headstrong, Thor breaks a treaty between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants. As punishment, he is banished to Midgard- a planet inhabited by primitive creatures with potential for greatness... humans. Soon after his arrival, Thor becomes embroiled in a conspiracy to assassinate his father, the king Odin...

I must confess that I was never a fan of Thor in the comics- though I do enjoy the old Norse stories about him. I wasn't expecting a lot when I sat down to watch "Thor", but wound up enjoying it.

The story is simple, but well written, and very character driven- rather than action driven. The threads of the different plots are woven together nicely, and compliment each other well. I found this to be a great storyline to begin the development of Thor as a character within the MCU.

The characters are remarkably likable and enjoyable. They are unique and interesting- inviting you to get to know them better and relate to them. I especially enjoyed the interplay of Thor and Loki's relationship to each other. Definitely the brightest spot in the film. The plotline between Jane and Thor was fairly standard for the genre- though Jane was still interesting.

Of the three leads, I have to confess that the weakest was Natalie Portman. She was good- but she didn't have a lot to work with in regards to her role. I found my mind drifting a bit during her scenes- possibly because her acting wasn't as larger than life like Hemsworth and Hiddleston. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston steal the movie in every scene. They perfectly balanced the haminess, humour, seriousness, and fun that has come to define a MCU movie. They were a joy to watch.

While it's not the best of the Thor movies, it was a good first instalment, and was a great starting point for Thor's development throughout the MCU. I'm giving it a "Good".

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