Oh my god!! Everything I expected, and much more...

Rating: 10/10 (30 April 2011)

My title really sums up how I perceived this great movie. I just returned home from watching this tonight. And holy cow, Mr. Brannagh really delivered!! When Kenneth Brannagh was announced as Thor's director, I was really expecting something great from the one who directed various Shakespeare adaptations. I've only saw his remake of "Sleuth", and despite weak ratings from the critics I really liked that crime flick. I really loved how he handled the characters. Brannagh really knows how to set the stage for clever and suspenseful drama. Furthermore I adore him as an actor (my IMDb nickname says you that).
So as a longtime comic-book fan I was really excited getting to see a visually spectacular and dramatic comic-book adaptation by a skillful director. And boy my expectations were fulfilled. F...... hell, this rocked!! The (first two) X-men and Iron Man movies were always said to be the Marvel Masterpieces when it comes to movie adaptations. Personally I always thought these movies to be entertaining, but not much more. They didn't really deliver an epic feeling. They didn't introduce you to a fantastic world in all it's glorious beauty that wants you to explore it. "Thor" just delivers all that. To me "Thor" stands as the best Marvel comic-book-movie till now, by far...
First of all, the characters are really likable and portrayed in a realistic way. All character developments don't seem to be forced. The most interesting character is Loki. At the beginning I really felt sympathy for him. It is until a tragic revelation, where his character undergoes a change to a more evil side, but even then some of his behaviors seem to be understandable. The father-son conflict is portrayed brilliantly. Kenneth Brannagh at his best!!
This movie is visually outstanding and some scenes, like for example the prologue, deliver this "LotR" feeling that gives you the goosebumps. There are many memorable shots that are purely majestic. When Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three ride on the Bifröst it just shouts "pure awesomeness" into your face. Many scenes on Asgard are just spot on. The buildings on Asgard seem to be based on a hybrid of krypton and middle-earthen architecture. The visuals on this world show the advanced, noble and god-like status of the Asgardians. Asgard is depicted as a heavenly and unbelievably beautiful realm in the never-ending depths of the cold space. It provides a subject for speculations, if the Asgardians are indeed gods with magical powers, or if they are extraterrestrial beings with technology far beyond our understandings, but the movie doesn't really discusses this issue and leaves it to the audience to give an opinion in this matter.
What else can be said? The action was exciting. While the frost-giant-battle on Jotunheim was a bit visual overkill and at some parts almost cartoony, the fights on earth were harsh, gritty and bloody. Brannagh really handled the different worlds very well. On earth, humor was predominant, the scenes on Asgard stood out for Shakespearian drama, while Jotunheim delivered a creepy and threatening atmosphere. The CGI-Environments were all breathtaking. There were sequences (Bifröst, Asgard mainly) that really were out of this world. All in all, the visual effects were amazing and god-worthy. The score was magnificent, it perfectly captured the proudness and courage of the Asgardians.
I gave "Thor" a 10 out of 10. It surely is on of the best movies of it's kind. I stands up there with "The Dark Knight", "Star Trek", "Avatar" and "Inception". It's the perfect Blockbuster.