Wasted Potential

Rating: Null/10 (3 September 2011)

Pop Quiz: What do Hugh Jackman, Sam Worthington and Chris Hemsworth have in common? Aside from their Australian origins, these are the front men currently preferred in mega Hollywood action movies. While Jackman and Worthington have gone on to vindicate their casting power, I still feel Hemsworth has a lot of work to do as an actor, not only in playing a leading role, but also convincing the audience that he is the right person for that role. As the titled character, I seriously doubt Hemsworth has justified his role. But I don't blame him entirely. There are various areas where this film had potential but fails to deliver.
From my perspective, I am still trying to figure out what all the hype is about, both pre and post release. Yes, box office returns indicate that this film is not a flop. Secondly, comparing to 2010's "Clash of the Titans" (Sam Worthington), this film appears to be on par in terms of box office performance. But then again, should one be fooled into watching a movie just because it seems to have done well in cinemas? For this reviewer, the main failure starts with the non-engaging plot. Having defeated the Frost Giants from conquering the Nine Realms, including Earth, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) prepares to bestow the crown of Asgard to his eldest son, Thor. During his ascension to the throne, Asgard is attacked by Frost Giants in an attempt to retrieve the source of their power, the Casket of Ancient Winters. Although they easily overpower the Frost Giants, Thor, his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and their childhood warrior friends travel to the Frost Giant's lair to defeat their leader Laufey (Colm Feore). On returning to Asgard, Thor faces the wrath of his father and King for his arrogance and insubordination, and is exhaled to Earth. As a mortal on Earth, Thor is found by an astrophysics team led by Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her assistant Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings). Together, they arrive at a closely guarded facility where a shadow organization holds the source of Thor's power, his war hammer. Meanwhile, Asgard is under siege as Odin is pronounced dead even as Loki proclaims himself king after revealing a deep, dark secret.
For a comic book adaption, "Thor" fails to build and maintain the unique atmosphere found within the Marvel universe. On the other hand, the plot is also void of even a remote sensation of the epics found in Norse mythologies. This here is my main disappointment, as I cant seem to find enough homage to either Marvel or ancient mythologies Thor is based on. Instead, director Kenneth Branagh focuses a lot on action and CGI induced visual effects, suffocating scattered remnants of the film's original ideologies. Another disappointment is the plastic looking costumes that looks like something made for a Halloween party. Props also have a very amateur feel to it, strongly suggesting that miniatures were used. Most big budget films do use miniatures, but the trick is in not making it so obvious to the viewer. Coming from a person who has successfully adapted quite a few Shakespearean plays, Branagh has made a mess of what could have easily been an epic film.
So considering all the should, would and could haves, I can't blame Hemsworth for not trying. But at the end of it all, he is just not convincing as an ancient God. Worse, his exile to Earth fails to evoke awe amongst mortal humans and is the dullest part of the movie. Again, this probably has to do with the script, but his supposed love interest with Portman's character has absolutely no on-screen chemistry. Portman on the other hand is a waste of talent in this movie and along with Skarsgård, are both underused. It a shame really, considering Portman won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2010's "Black Swan".
Spilt milk and all, what's done is done. As Thor, Hemsworth has one chance at redemption and that will be when he teams up with a plethora of superheroes (and Hollywood A-listers) in the highly anticipated 2012 release of "The Avengers". Now THIS sounds more like it. Go marvel! Go Marvel!