This One Delivers

Rating: Null/10 (15 May 2011)

I'll admit I hadn't seen many comic book adaptations prior to this, but Thor may very well have hooked me on the genre. Director Kenneth Branagh places greatest emphasis on maintaining a quick pace, by stringing together a series of quality action scenes. Unlike some other action films, this one avoids such a blinding speed where all other key components (character development, plot, scripting...) are left by the wayside, gasping for air. Thor is a film that focuses on character and plot, and develops these through the action scenes.
The character development in Thor is fairly light, which is to be expected from an action film, but all main characters are developed through the main and sub plots. Academy award winners Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman have smaller roles yet provide the acting substance which nicely balances the film. Also, two lesser known actors, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, both easily hold their own as the protagonist and antagonist, respectively.
Thor was an impressive watch, the visual effects were slick, Thor's home-world of Asgard was thoroughly polished and real-looking, and the fact that it had plots occurring in completely different environments (Earth and Asgard), was just plain cool, and added to the scale. Overall, the absolute best thing about Thor is that it combines quick and intense action scenes, with both plot and character development. The team behind the screenplay deserve credit for this, because it elevates Thor easily beyond your standard actioner.