More Than a (Bifrost) Bridge Filler

Rating: 7/10 (8 August 2016)

I have to admit I have a soft spot for this movie. Thor brings children's bed-time stories to life with an excellent cast and fun set of characters. The flaws in the plot, of which there are several, mitigate themselves with a delightfully refreshing overall story about the growth of the main character, Thor.
If there is anything wrong with Thor, it is with the setup. In particular, Odin (Anthony Hopkins) does not come across as a particularly wise king, when it is obviously clear that Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is way too immature. Another sign of how weak Odin is comes in the form of pretty much every character in Asgard disobeying him for any reason. I point this out because I don't think it was director Kenneth Branagh's idea to depict the all-powerful Odin as so feeble.
I also am a bit confused about some of the magical principles of the film. For instance, the story line of Odin and his power (or lack thereof) has a bit too much deus ex machina in it. That said, I enjoyed Loki and Heimdall (Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba, both in the running to play the next James Bond ironically). Loki in particular develops into a stronger character as the film progresses.
Finally, Natalie Portman pulls off the enamored scientist role pretty well and she and Hemsworth show quite the sexual tension. Thor gets 3 out of 4 hammers.