Thunderously entertaining and heartwarming.

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2011)

The big bad boy of Asgard swings a mighty force of reckoning in cinema with the release of Thor, based on the Marvel comic character of the same name. With so many great performances from the Hemsworth, Portman, Hiddleston, and of course, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Thor is thundering with acting and suspense.
I can't tell you how much I like this film. There are so many parallels to religious and even familiar territory that's covered in another well-known Superhero flick such as Superman. The beginning of the film is somewhat similar to that of Superman. But whilst the Man of Steel is an alien, Thor, on the other hand, is the son of an Norse god. That's where the similarities end for Thor is set in a mystical and real world with it's own characters and dangers that Thor comes into conflict and contact with.
I can't say that I'm familiar with Norse mythology. I'm quite certain that this film takes several liberties from it's mythical background on which it's based. But that alone should not deter anyone from seeing this film and Thor is a worthy addition to an already stellar lineup of films based on Marvel's comic properties; namely that of Spider-Man, X-Men, and Iron Man on which Thor is rightly on par with.
Speaking of Norse mythology, I can't quite understand why some are in uproar of the casting of Idris Elba as Heimdall. Even though I'm not familiar with the comic, or Norse mythology, I do know that Heimdall is a Norse god who is white. In my mind, Idris Elba does a wonderful job in his portrayal of one of Thor's most trusted allies. Similarly, this dates back to Daredevil(another film based on the Marvel character) when Michael Clark Duncan was chosen to play the Kingpin, whose background was that of Anglo-European descent. I have no qualms over who portrays these characters as long as they deliver the goods, but overall, Elba did a great job and in that regard, Heimdall is a force to be reckoned with.
Natalie Portman has been quite busy this year; what with her recent outstanding performance in Black Swan, she adds another dimension of charm and love as Thor's love interest. Essentially the "Lois Lane" of Thor, she is the only human companion our fabled hero has. As hard as it was for Thor to adjust to the daily conumdrums of our world, she's there to help him alleviate some of the muck he has to wade through. I couldn't think of anyone else for the role other than Portman. She's simply great. But it is Tom Hiddleston who really steals the show as Loki, the bad boy of Asgard. Like Heath Ledger's Joker, Hiddleston will no doubt be talked about among comic fans and moviegoers alike with his sinister personality and brash arrogance towards Thor and their conflicts with each other are just....thundering.
With all this added up, Thor is simply one of the best comic-book movies of this year. They(Marvel) took another obscure superhero and turned him into a force to be reckoned with at the box-office. See it on Imax to get the full effect of this smash hit. No doubt you will leave the theater with a thunderous smile on your face.