Thor

Kenneth Branagh has never been more than a Shakespeare aficionado who has directed some truly remarkable interpretations of the Bard's works, but he is trying something a little different. He takes the plunge into full-on Hollywood Blockbuster territory at the helm of Marvel's latest superhero flick, Thor.

Thor is the god of thunder, son of Odin, who is set to inherit the throne of Asgard, which is the protecting kingdome of the nine realms (still with me?). Thor however, is a warrior through and through, and is bent on getting revenge on the evil frost giants, a race of tall ice monsters who wronged his people once upon a time. Thor manages to get himself banished from the kingdom after making some rash decisions, and his conniving brother, Loki (god of mischief) takes control.

Meanwhile, on Earth, unbelievably hot physicist Jane Foster, played by Portman, stumbles upon some cosmic disturbances in New Mexico, only to run right into Thor. Romance ensues, battle to bring peace to Asgard, and the fight for humanity prevail.

The story itself isn't anything special, and the effects aren't anything we haven't seen before. However, this film has a certain fun feel to it that has been missing from the past couple of Marvel flicks. Reminiscent of the first Iron Man, this reminds us all why we go to movies in the summertime. To be entertained.

Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman headline with Anthony Hopkins rising from the Hollywood dead to play the greatest of all Norse gods. Hemsworth is exactly what you would expect Thor to look like, with the long blonde hair, scruffy beard, and chiseled physique. His acting is quite natural, and the dialogue is so sharp, that it almost looks too easy (for everyone). Hopkins owns the screen as Odin, but Hemsworth is captivating in every way. He was born to play this part, and flexes he chops as much as his muscles throughout the saga.

I saw this in 3D IMAX, and I have to say, since Avatar, there have been attempts at cinematic magic, but they have for the most part failed (animated films excluded). The 3D camerawork in Thor seems much more natural, and less forced or gimmicky. Most of the time, I actually forgot that the film was in 3D, which is a testament to Branagh's vision.

To keep the Marvel storyline and connections alive, there is a subtle and unannounced introduction of the newest Avenger, Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner. If you blink, you almost don't even notice, but he has been confirmed as a part of the much anticipated ensemble culmination, the Avengers. If past Marvel films have been any indicator, we can look forward to Hawkeye being the next hero singled out for his own film franchise.

I continue to be impressed by the network of stories and characters being developed in this superhero universe. They have taken each one individually and meticulously crafted a pure entertainment ride, although each has a fresh and unique feel. I am looking forward to Captain America as the next release, although the X-Men films are also spawning origins stories in a parallel, disconnected universe, and there will likely be many of them over the course of the next few years as well.

I would put my money on Marvel, they will be a Hollywood studio titan within 10 years. With endless material and characters to develop, the American audience just isn't getting tired of the genre anytime soon (Spiderman reboot, Superman reboot, The Dark Knight Rises).

With today's computer technology, anything is possible with a camera and a green screen. Look to these films to be the pioneers of the next generation of film. Seamless integration of live and CGI work, and fast, frenetic action with traditional themes.

I enjoyed this film more than I thought, and can't imagine anyone but Hemsworth wielding the hammer Mjollnir. Good start to the summer season. Looking forward to the others. 8/10.