Thor Review (with absolutely no Stop, Hammertime! jokes)

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 2011)

So I FINALLY went to see Thor on Friday (a week after the release, I know, what a sacrilege). 3d, IMax, 5:30 showing of Thor..$15.50. Wait, seriously? Is it really that much to show a movie? Oh, well So, I sit down, put the stupid 3d glasses on, and waited for the movie to start. With all of that stacked against it, it was the greatest Marvel movie I have ever seen, the previous best being the original Iron Man (notice I said "Marvel" not "Comic Book" – The Dark Knight will always and forever hold that title).
It starts with Narrator Anthony Hannibal Lector Hopkins telling a story about him being the King of Asgard, and battling the Frost Giants, and him defeating King Laufey, and eating his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti, blah blah. This opening is a story being told to Kid Thor, and Kid Loki. Right away, you can tell Thor is the "favorite son", and Loki holds a lot of resentment for his older brother.
Cut to grown-up Thor, arrogant and cocky during his coronation. This was kind of odd for me, since the only Thor I have experience with is the current Thor, which is the godly, prim and proper variety, akin to classic Superman. The current comic book Thor would storm Jotenheim if it was the right thing to do, but not because he was butt-hurt about the ceremony interruptions.
However, I loved this version. Of course the prince of Asgard would be a spoiled brat, with no real-world experience, and no sense of diplomacy. He grew up with romanticized stories of his father defeating the Frost Giants, and he wanted to live up to that story, even on his first day as king. And already, we see Loki's manipulative tactics, urging Thor to defy their father, and take the fight to King Laufey. One amazing action scene later (did he FLY through the back of that things HEAD!?!?!), and Thor is banished, sent to Earth.
They spend about 5 minutes on the "fish-out-of-water" part of the story, which is great, because it would have been horrible for much longer. He quickly becomes the man on a mission to reclaim Mjolnir, and his rightful place as king (by the way, Kat Dennings saying Meow-Meow, was hilarious every time).
When he breaks into the SHIELD area, where Mjolnir fell from the sky, is a fantastic scene. Non-Powered-Thor, fighting highly trained guards, was amazing. Then, Agent Coulson calls in the sniper, who passes on a machine gun, and a sniper rifle, for a compound bow.. HOLY S#!T, IT'S HAWKEYE!!! Jeremy Renner was on screen for about 20 seconds, and he was a perfect Clint Barton. He doesn't even fire and arrow, he doesn't even need to, it was perfect.
It's the small things like including Clint in the movie, what makes this movie much more fun for people like me. From the Dr Donald Blake name-tag on his shirt, to the Journey Into Adventure billboard, to what might have been the Eye of Agamotto in the Armory. Granted, I'm the only one in the theater who laughed at the name-tag thing, but it was so satisfying.
The thing about these kinds of movies is, no matter how many there are, I am always worried about casting. Okay, Robert Downey Jr. might as well legally change his name to Tony Stark, because they are forever one in the same. When I even heard that Loki was going to be in this, I was nervous. Loki is manipulative, cunning, and brilliant. Loki will go through his own flesh and blood to get what he wants. Loki was a woman for like 2 years in the comics. Tom Hiddleston was creepy, deceitful, and subtle in the role, and it was awesome. After Thor (which, come on, Chris Hemsworth is Thor, just like RDJ is Stark), Loki is the most important character to get right in this movie, and man, did they get him right.
He lies to both sides (the people in Asgard, and Thor, on Earth), as a means to an end, which is to become King. He convinces Thor that his banishment is for the good of Asgard, and that Odin is dead. He double- and triple-crosses like sic different people throughout, to the point where I had no idea whose side he really was on, and what he ultimately wished to gain from it all.
All in all, the movie wasn't the big dumb smash-em-up, Hulk-esque movie I was expecting, but it was way more. It turned into a movie about family strife, resentment, betrayal, deceit, and revenge. And honestly, this movie was better for it. Hulk smashes, and smashes well. Let him.
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