The first well done summer blockbuster is here, and not only is it enthralling, but it's in 3D as well. Thor, based off the Marvel comic with the same name, kicks off a slew of summer movies, including a few other ones involving superheroes, and it definitely starts off the summer with a bang.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth, "A Perfect Getaway") has defied his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins, "The Rite"), the king of Asgard, and has invaded enemy territory without his permission. His punishment is that he is stripped of his powers and sent to Earth, where he - literally - runs in to Jane (Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"), a scientist, and her motley group that is helping her track storm systems. Thor must find a way back to Asgard before his evil brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston, "Archipelago"), who has been made king, completely destroys their planet, and when some of his Asgard friends manage to sneak down to Earth, they are able to assist him in doing so.
Chris Hemsworth is fantastic as the title character, and Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston are great as his father and brother as well. Kat Dennings ("Shorts") plays an intern of Portman's character who provides some comic relief, and Rene Russo ("Yours, Mine, and Ours") plays his mother. Not only is the story of Thor interesting, but the battles that make up a good portion of the movie are as well, and combined they make for a great movie experience.
Yes, see this film. Both Hemsworth and Hiddleston will be back on the big screen in The Avengers, out in 2012, and if you see Thor, make sure to stay after the credits are completely done for an extra scene that addresses this. Hemsworth definitely provides some eye candy - both Portman and Dennings' characters are enamored with his physique - and Anthony Hopkins is almost unrecognizable as the king of Asgard, who later falls into a coma of sorts (which is why the "evil brother," Loki, becomes king). I hope that the rest of the comic book movies this summer measure up to Thor, but they definitely have some competition from this superhero film.
Thor is out in theaters today, May 6th.
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Liz Parker is a 2009 graduate of the University of Michigan. She currently works as an Assistant Medical Editor for a pathology website. Visit her at her movie blog Yes/No Films
