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As superheroes go, Thor never really appealed to me. After all, I reasoned, where was the suspense or meaningful challenge? Thor's powers weren't given by a bite from a radioactive spider or some genetic mutation; he was, I understood, a deity. I envisioned that "Hulk smash!" would be met with a resounding "Yeah, but I'm a god". "I am the destroyer of-" "I'm a god." "Puny human! I will-" "Actually, I'm a god." "My super glider can-" "God." "I control the element of-" "You're really not getting this, are you?" How, then, could any movie featuring supernatural omnipotence ever be compelling? Thankfully, those fears were unfounded: Kenneth Branagh, a bizarrely intriguing choice to direct a superhero film, has once again accomplished something great.
Thor begins with a lightning storm in the New Mexico desert. An improbably attractive astrophysicist (Natalie Portman) is researching this strange atmospheric phenomenon, and decides it's a great idea to drive straight into the electrically charged tornado. She then hits an improbably muscular homeless man with her car, who was staggering around in the eye of the storm. The very leading question of 'Where did he come from?' is promptly raised. Cue an extended flashback to the events which led Thor (Chris Hemsworth - last seen as James T. Kirk's kamikaze dad) to earth. Many centuries ago, the Frost Giant race threatened the universe, and threatened to plunge earth into a new ice age (geography, along with history and physics, takes a battering here). Thankfully, the cosmic forces of good, led by Odin (Anthony Hopkins) the Norse 'god' and king of Asgard, fought a long and bitter war to push them back to their home world, which now lies in ruins.
Some years later, Odin's son Thor is about to be named his successor, much to the obvious chagrin of his brother Loki. After an attempt is made to recover the Frost Giant macguffin, Thor breaks his father's decree by visiting and pulverizing the Giants, and is sent by his disgusted father to earth, along with his trusty hammer Mjolnir, now protected by a spell so only the truly worthy can lift it. Thor is promptly institutionalized, but swiftly manages to escape and is once again run over by Jane, the improbably attractive astrophysicist, who suspects there's a larger game afoot when her all her research is confiscated by the government agency known as SHIELD, represented by the now familiar Agent Coulson (the very underrated Clark Gregg), who have also built a research fortress around the immovable Mjolnir to prevent slack-jawed yokels gawping at it. Meanwhile, back in Asgard, Thor's cadre of super friends (which bizarrely includes a samurai) move out to stop the machinations of Loki, now intent on usurping the cosmic throne and committing Frost Giant genocide, and to help reunite Thor with Mjolnir and regain his godly powers.
On paper, all this sounds a bit silly. It's a good thing, then, that Branagh is very much aware of the dangers of a superhero film taking itself too seriously. Batman could pull off gritty realism, but Thor wouldn't stand a chance in that game - so, instead of seriousness, the film opts for clever humour, very impressive space travel sequences, and good old fashioned action. Although Branagh obviously channels Shakespearean motifs of royal family intrigue and mysticism, jokes about characters looking like Xena and Robin Hood stop it becoming too self-indulgent. The film has undeniable flaws, however, mostly centring around character development. Natalie Portman is given nothing to do apart from being an easily won love interest, and Stellan Skarsgard arrives as the archetypical Scandinavian in a ham-fisted attempt to convey Thor's cultural legitimacy. Despite these faults, the film is saved by its humour, undeniable visual brilliance, and Chris Hemsworth's instant likeability and laddish charisma as Thor, in what could have easily been a cartoon character.
Thor, then, is an enjoyable boy's movie that suffers from the limitations of its genre - a lack of developed female characters, and lines like "Dammit, you're an astrophysicist, and a damn good one!" which only reinforce the silliness. On balance, though, it's a clear cut above the average superhero film, and is hugely enjoyable. So make your ancestors proud and go see it!
See Thor at City Screen, York. Check out the cinema's website for times and further details.
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