Another Marvel gem - THOR a thunderous hit

Rating: Null/10 (6 May 2011)

Yes - it is worthy
After seeing the other Marvel entries, I agreed with many that THOR would be the most difficult to adapt to the big screen and I was hopeful when I heard Kenneth Branagh would be directing, having enjoyed his Shakespeare films in the past and the possibility of lending his classic twist to a popular tale, and now after seeing this film, I am pleased to offer my congrats to Branagh and Marvel for bringing one of my favorite super hero characters to life.
I was anxious and ready for the grand scope of special effects that would carry me across the rainbow bridge to Asgard and to see the Mighty Thor and his warrior companions in action, but I was very pleasantly surprised with the depth of the characters and the impressive performances from the cast.
Aside from Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, the main players are relatively unknown and yet it is these performances that impressed me most. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston may not be big names now but after this film that could quickly change. Hemsworth and Hiddleston are worth the price of admission alone, the classic sibling rivalry between Thor and Loki is made obvious but not overdone; especially in dialogue but rather skillfully played through body language and facial gestures (always been a firm believer that sometimes the best dialogue is NO dialogue) The action scenes are fantastic but again not overdone - only enough is offered to where you want to see them again.
*SPOILER ALERT - One of the scenes that particularly stood out was - after being cast out of Asgard and banished to Earth, Thor fights off a squad of highly trained G-Men to claim his weapon but when he realizes that he can no longer lift his enchanted hammer he is devastated and the scene hits you full force - Hemsworth nails the scene perfectly and Branagh slam dunks this part of the story most of all, adding a great deal of depth to the lead character - Thor's face reveals the squandered opportunity to prove himself as rightful heir to the Asgardian throne and at the same time a son's inevitable desire for his father's blessing now being forever denied him. I was surprised to see this element so well done in a film of this sort. THOR is good entertainment with a good ensemble of characters and wonderfully brought to life with a good cast.
I look forward to Thor's return.