Action hero movie, emphasis on the ACTION

Rating: 6/10 (17 November 2013)

In this movie, there is way more action than plot. It appears that the director/writer was focused on making the movie "exciting" first, then coming up with some plot devices to fit in with it. The "Aether" is particularly uninspired as a choice for the big bad. It's an excuse to skip writing any characterization for the antagonist; ("Hey, it's just an evil entity that's silent and just sort of.. there. Yay! Less work for us!").
(SPOILER) My biggest complaint with the movie (and this bugged the heck out of me) is the completely out-of-place spaceships and fighters (Think x-wings like Star Wars. Yes, really.) Asgard is supposed to be a realm out of myth. There is a reason everyone gets around using the bi-frost, isn't there? If everyone has spaceships, why were we told in the first Thor movie that the destruction of the bi-frost prevented transportation to other realms? And if these people have guns, why do all the characters on Asgard fight with swords/clubs/daggers? I'm trying to get over my annoyance about this ill-advised overlap with sci-fi. Not having any luck with that.
The movie is entertaining, though, in the same way that mindless summer blockbusters are. This would have fit right in with summer releases. Some nice in-jokes for Marvel fans.
Now for the actors:
Natalie Portman is pretty boring. She doesn't have much to do except swoon, really.
Chris Hemsworth does a good job; in my opinion there are limits to what you can do with Thor as he's written in these movies. A bad actor could make a disaster of it; a good actor can make it just fine. There's not much room for an actor to show off his craft.
Anthony Hopkins is never bad, but both he and Rene Russo are just sort of there to occupy roles that have to be filled. Very one-dimensional, but then again, that's not out of the ordinary for superhero movies in general.
The best part of the movie?? TOM HIDDLESTON. The dude wears Loki like a second skin now. He steals every scene he's in. The character of Loki would, in anyone else's hands, be as simple and one-dimensional as all the other characters in the movie. Instead, he brings subtlety to a role that could easily be reduced to scenery-chewing. He's a master at the grin that conveys, all at once, the mischief of a little boy, the evil of a true villain and a bit of the resentment of the orphaned and overlooked son. I found myself paying much more attention anytime he was on screen just because I find his portrayal to be bordering on the sublime.
6 out of 10 overall, because of the (gag) spaceships and the lack of any suspense for the audience.