A Very Pleasant Surprise; Applause-Worthy

Rating: 7/10 (10 May 2011)

This summer is shaping to be a big one for action blockbusters and sequels (with more expected this year than any preceding). We got Fast Five recently (with the sixth installment already underway), Pirates of the Caribbean's fourth outing is a couple weeks away, while July will be giving us more than just Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Transformers 3. Thankfully, we're getting some films that are at least trying to give us a tale not told in a while on-screen as well. And one of them just happens to be what is, in this writer's humble opinion, the biggest theatrical surprise since Iron Man in 2008.
Seeing the trailers for Thor, I expected it to be a mediocre at-best film not far from what G.I. Joe apparently turned out to be. But then the reviews came in and, combined with urging from personal acquaintances, I succumbed to what had long-since caught others. Being almost completely unfamiliar with the tale(s) of Thor, I wasn't sure if the film would be able to truly catch and maintain my interest. Thankfully, we're given a pleasing introduction within the first act that sets the stage well without creating overexposure. Essentially, after years of battles and quests, Oden nearly bestows one of his two sons, Thor, as his proper successor. But after a thought-past threat ultimately shows what Thor is truly like, Oden banishes him to our world without his true strength (since Earth is the ideal place for the outcast).
Thor (as a film) doesn't have any problem deciding what kind of film it wants to be: this is an action blockbuster with traits of an epic. The first act has some impressive visuals and an excellent action sequence that the final act actually has trouble matching. Despite the genre being clear-cut and not requiring much (if any) of an attention span, Thor thankfully manages to avoid falling into the rut that too many action releases have. By this I'm of course referring to a lack of compelling characters and, more so, an even lesser tale to tell.
Most of the characters we're introduced to are nicely developed and are quite likable, with one in particular being more dimensional than audiences might anticipate. The cast here is notable, with Portman, Hopkins and Skarsgård all being among my personal favorite performers. Yet it's the relatively unfamiliar lead title character who steals the show (and thankfully so). With the exception of a small role in 2009's Star Trek, Chris Hemsworth was unknown to me until now. But he fits into the role of Thor perfectly, going through his personality with almost as much strength as his build. He's sure to become one to find in future action films.
Thor is a very enjoyable film with just enough action and laughs to make it one that most anyone can enjoy with an open mind. While the script might show cracks here and there, namely with regards to a few lines, most of what we have here is quality material. Here's hoping that Thor proves to be a precursor to other fun summer films to take us away from our daily hardships (which is what most films should do).