I'll be honest. Way back in 2011, when I heard there was a Thor movie coming out, I didn't expect to like it very much. Thor has always been kind of a dweeb in the (admittedly few) comic books I've read, and how could it possibly be interesting to watch a being who's essentially a thunder god crush some enemies? Wouldn't that be the shortest movie ever?
After I saw it, I was pleasantly surprised. Granted, part of that was no doubt thanks to director Kenneth Branagh's ability to frame a scene beautifully:
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| Nice aesthetics, Branagh. |
And Chris Hemsworth's surprisingly nuanced performance of what could've been a simple meathead role:
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| Just look at all that nuance. |
And the production design's attention to presenting a world of suitably epic scale:
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| Really epic, am I right? |
Okay, okay, I'm kidding. Um, mostly.
My apprehensions about its treatment of female characters aside, I was really excited to see Thor 2 because although Branagh is no longer at the helm, new director Alan Taylor has directed some of my very favorite episodes of Mad Men, including "The Hall of the Mountain King." He has a polished, sharp sense of visual style, and even though Mad Men isn't exactly full of gods throwing hammers (although MOUNTAIN KING, you guys) Taylor has also directed a fair number of excellent Game of Thrones episodes, which are much more in line with the Thor feel.
Taylor doesn't disappoint. The action feels suitably epic and is visually as stunning as in the first film -- perhaps even a little more so. An aerial chase scene through Asgard is particularly beautiful, although as with all things surrounding that realm, it feels a little unreal in the best way possible. The film's climax, which I will not give away here, makes use of the multiple realms of Yggdrasil to provide both disorienting action and a touch of humor. Although it runs a full two hours, the film is well-paced (better so than the first Thor, which did drag in places) and I didn't even check my watch once. Mostly because my watch is actually a cellphone because I kill batteries and I don't check my phone in theatres because that's rude, but just go with it as a metonym for my not being bored, okay?
There's actually a fair bit of humor here, which is appreciated; one of the problems I have with Man of Steel and Nolan's Batman trilogy is their persistently dour take on the world. That wouldn't work in a movie world where Earth is literally part of a big universe-tree helmed by attractive blonde people, and fortunately, the people behind the Thor franchise seem to understand this. The tone that Joss Whedon set in The Avengers continues here, with some very large-scale action and Epic Statements accompanied by slapstick moments and visual laughs. At one point in the film it almost becomes a buddy-cop flick starring Thor and Loki conspiring together, and this is my favorite sequence of the entire movie.
The chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston is actually much more sparkling than that between Hemsworth and Natalie Portman (again, much like the first film). Of the two men, Tom Hiddleston is the superior actor, and his expressions are wonderfully nuanced to convey glee and outrage simultaneously. Watching him is delightful. Hemsworth and Hiddleston play off each other well, though; Thor is the embodiment of blonde earnestness and Loki always, visibly, has 20 schemes going in his head at once. Their scenes together, although not frequent enough for my tastes (like Loki, satisfaction isn't in my nature, I guess), are supremely enjoyable.
Of course, we're supposed to care about the Romance between Thor and Jane because this is a Love Story etc. etc. There are a few cute moments between Thor and Jane, but in general I'm still unconvinced about the two of them together. However, the filmmakers have done a great deal better this time around with Jane Foster's character. In the first film she really didn't do much other than run Thor over a few times and talk romantically over a rooftop fire. She had basically nothing to do with the film's central story or its climax.
I was worried after seeing the trailer that this would be yet another plot where the female character is a maiden-in-distress and serves only to catalyze the hero into action. It is and it isn't. A crucial part of the plot involves Jane in distress. However, Jane is also an important part of the film's save-the-world climax, and as much more than mere inspiration to the hero. Yet she's no superwoman; she needs the help of her friends and colleagues and her space-boyfriend. Too often being a "Strong Woman" in the movies means trusting no one and needing no one; having no empathy and just Punching all the Things. In Thor 2 Jane plays a critical role in saving the world, with the help of Darcy and the (batshit and often-pantsless) Erik Selvig, and her actions are perfectly in line with her character and her skill set as an astrophysicist.
Even Rene Russo's Queen Frigga is given a little badassery. We still don't have a Wonder Woman or a Black Widow movie adaptation yet, and we probably won't for awhile, but this type of flick is visibly getting closer to having fully realized female characters who are smart and capable, as well as occasionally a little in trouble with Epic Evils. Buffy would be proud.
I liked a lot about Thor, much more than I expected to. My only major beef with the film was that they underused Natalie Portman's abilities and her character, Dr. Jane Foster. Fortunately, this time around that issue is addressed!
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| This was the gif you were looking for, admit it. |
Taylor doesn't disappoint. The action feels suitably epic and is visually as stunning as in the first film -- perhaps even a little more so. An aerial chase scene through Asgard is particularly beautiful, although as with all things surrounding that realm, it feels a little unreal in the best way possible. The film's climax, which I will not give away here, makes use of the multiple realms of Yggdrasil to provide both disorienting action and a touch of humor. Although it runs a full two hours, the film is well-paced (better so than the first Thor, which did drag in places) and I didn't even check my watch once. Mostly because my watch is actually a cellphone because I kill batteries and I don't check my phone in theatres because that's rude, but just go with it as a metonym for my not being bored, okay?
There's actually a fair bit of humor here, which is appreciated; one of the problems I have with Man of Steel and Nolan's Batman trilogy is their persistently dour take on the world. That wouldn't work in a movie world where Earth is literally part of a big universe-tree helmed by attractive blonde people, and fortunately, the people behind the Thor franchise seem to understand this. The tone that Joss Whedon set in The Avengers continues here, with some very large-scale action and Epic Statements accompanied by slapstick moments and visual laughs. At one point in the film it almost becomes a buddy-cop flick starring Thor and Loki conspiring together, and this is my favorite sequence of the entire movie.
The chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston is actually much more sparkling than that between Hemsworth and Natalie Portman (again, much like the first film). Of the two men, Tom Hiddleston is the superior actor, and his expressions are wonderfully nuanced to convey glee and outrage simultaneously. Watching him is delightful. Hemsworth and Hiddleston play off each other well, though; Thor is the embodiment of blonde earnestness and Loki always, visibly, has 20 schemes going in his head at once. Their scenes together, although not frequent enough for my tastes (like Loki, satisfaction isn't in my nature, I guess), are supremely enjoyable.
Of course, we're supposed to care about the Romance between Thor and Jane because this is a Love Story etc. etc. There are a few cute moments between Thor and Jane, but in general I'm still unconvinced about the two of them together. However, the filmmakers have done a great deal better this time around with Jane Foster's character. In the first film she really didn't do much other than run Thor over a few times and talk romantically over a rooftop fire. She had basically nothing to do with the film's central story or its climax.
I was worried after seeing the trailer that this would be yet another plot where the female character is a maiden-in-distress and serves only to catalyze the hero into action. It is and it isn't. A crucial part of the plot involves Jane in distress. However, Jane is also an important part of the film's save-the-world climax, and as much more than mere inspiration to the hero. Yet she's no superwoman; she needs the help of her friends and colleagues and her space-boyfriend. Too often being a "Strong Woman" in the movies means trusting no one and needing no one; having no empathy and just Punching all the Things. In Thor 2 Jane plays a critical role in saving the world, with the help of Darcy and the (batshit and often-pantsless) Erik Selvig, and her actions are perfectly in line with her character and her skill set as an astrophysicist.
Even Rene Russo's Queen Frigga is given a little badassery. We still don't have a Wonder Woman or a Black Widow movie adaptation yet, and we probably won't for awhile, but this type of flick is visibly getting closer to having fully realized female characters who are smart and capable, as well as occasionally a little in trouble with Epic Evils. Buffy would be proud.
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