An Avenger's by-product - Rushed and unworthy to be a stand alone film.

Rating: 5/10 (4 November 2013)

Everyone who will read the reviews for this film will know of Thor, either through Nordic writings or from the Avengers Assembled film. For this reason a review almost two years on from its release seems pointless. However, with the second title about to hit the cinemas I look to the original and find both positives but also a major flaw that makes this film a shadow in the light of the other Marval films being released.
The overall production of the film is solid, most audiences will be entertained by this high action film with a touch of humor. The casting of this film is also excellent with every actor selected to fit perfectly with our expectations of the characters. Chris Hemsworth's dominating 6"3 really does help create a god like height to Thor when stood next to the petite Natalie Portman. Apart from these stand out features, the rest of the film's qualities are fairly average. Cinematography, special effects and acting are what you would expect from a high budget film.
With these average qualities we cannot ignore the large white elephant that is the films largest flaw; the film feels rushed. This might be Paramount's insistence to provide a background film for the key Avengers for the blockbuster but it means this critically effects the film's speed. Thor is extensively covered but other characters and other sub- story lines are lacking the attention needed. The relationship that grows between Thor and Jane seems to happen over night, whilst the exile of Thor seems to be less than 48hrs.
Whilst this may be expected, in order to keep to the main plot line, this rushed feel also infects Thor's underlying storyline. With his powers taken from him and left in exile he is to only regain his powers once he has changed his ways and deemed worthy. We see this, rather comically, in his ability to serve breakfast to humans or bring a drunk man home safely. His sacrifice for the safety of the humans, towards the end of the film, is the only real change we see from the hot headed Thor at the start of the film, bringing to question the worthiness of the last fifty minutes of apparently pointless character creation and storyline for this one off action of pure selflessness.
I cannot say i did not enjoy this film, good action sequences and the odd laugh makes this a good super hero film, but good it can only be when in comparison to Iron Man and even Captain America. Sadly I will not be smashing down my copy of Thor 1 and ask for more as it fails to be a stand alone film. When viewed in preparation for the Avengers then this is more than required but by its self it is a predictable story of man who overcomes a character flaw with a romance slapped on the side of it. Needless to say this film will grow dust on my shelf as i will sadly not be watching it again. I can only hope that it's sequel is given the attention it desperately requires now that the Avenger's is out of the way.