you've forgotten the thaddle, thilly (1)
As promised, I trundled off to see Thor on Wednesday evening, which in the event was a bad idea. Not because it was a bad movie, but because Wednesday evening before a public holiday was unholy busy (I thought it would be safe with Thor being near the end of its run, but nuh-uh), and I have a well-defined bite-people response to crowds. It's also a godawful way to watch a movie - the theatre was filled with chatting, sweet-paper rustling, cellphone beeping, and lame laughter when Agent Coulson asked if Thor's training was in South Africa. It was also a fairly small cinema, which mitigated against the big-screen immersion experience I wanted quite apart from the crowd disruptions. It's a bad sign when you know perfectly well there's a Joss-directed Nick Fury easter egg after the credits, and you can't bear to stay in the cinema long enough to see it.
Still, while I couldn't quite give myself to the film in the way I think blockbuster popcorn fantasy, particularly superhero fantasy, requires, it was a lovely movie. A bit odd, to come out with the prevailing impression that Thor, and particularly Thor, was sweet. It's an extremely character-driven film; Thor himself is a sort of naive, simple jock character who's all about the buddy experience with Sif and the Warriors Three (and I do love a good ensemble superhero battle, possibly as a result of ineluctable D&D imprinting); his character arc and development are inevitable but rather endearing, and the moment of self-sacrifice surprisingly poignant and real.
I was impressed with Chris Hemsworth in the role - he's amazingly likeable, quite apart from being quite amazingly ripped. (The scene with him in jeans and no shirt produced a sort of gasping, self-fanning impression of "...shoulders... (faint)" which is nicely echoed by Jane Foster and which suggests the concept of "godlike physique" has been properly embodied). Hemsworth had a good chemistry going with Portman, it was a believable attraction, and rather pleasing to see female astrophysicists doing their maverick, dedicated thing. Fumbling, goofy, doomed, mortal/immortal geek/jock romances ftw. Also, hooray for Kenneth Branagh, and his beautifully British tendency to cast really good actors. Odin and Loki were also excellent, and I am absolutely behind the concept of Idris Elba as Heimdall.
I loved the film visually - Asgard itself, while occasionally overwhelmingly gilt, has some moments of true magic, and the flat, dramatic wastes of New Mexico are an interesting counterpoint. Also, all the flashy special effects bits with Thor and the hammer made my simple, pervy-superhero-fondling heart very, very happy. Plus, bonus deep space panoramas. The visual designers clearly have a love affair with the Hubble telescope, as do all right-thinking people. The heavy astrophysics/Einstein-Rosen bridge stuff is also surprisingly effective in grafting the whole unwieldy mythological Norse edifice onto a contemporary science-fictional setting. Really, Iron Man shouldn't exist in the same universe as Thor, but the film's lightness of touch, and general refusal to explain gods-as-aliens beyond a certain point, actually made it work.
So, yes. I liked this film. Another one for the DVD collection, which is less of a testament than it may sound as currently the DVD collection has acquired a Katamari-Damacy-like momentum and is attracting practically anything to its giant, accreting mass with little actual care for quality. This one, however, I'll watch again. Leaving aside my characteristically helpless "yay superheroes!" response, I like these people.
(1) I gloss the subject line because it's going to be absolutely incomprehensible otherwise. My late father used to recite the little piece of doggerel it came from quite often, in an absolutely characteristic index to his sense of humour. The rest of it goes: Thor the thunder god rode out,/mounted upon a filly,/"I'm Thor!" he cried./The horse replied... &etc.
Still, while I couldn't quite give myself to the film in the way I think blockbuster popcorn fantasy, particularly superhero fantasy, requires, it was a lovely movie. A bit odd, to come out with the prevailing impression that Thor, and particularly Thor, was sweet. It's an extremely character-driven film; Thor himself is a sort of naive, simple jock character who's all about the buddy experience with Sif and the Warriors Three (and I do love a good ensemble superhero battle, possibly as a result of ineluctable D&D imprinting); his character arc and development are inevitable but rather endearing, and the moment of self-sacrifice surprisingly poignant and real.
I was impressed with Chris Hemsworth in the role - he's amazingly likeable, quite apart from being quite amazingly ripped. (The scene with him in jeans and no shirt produced a sort of gasping, self-fanning impression of "...shoulders... (faint)" which is nicely echoed by Jane Foster and which suggests the concept of "godlike physique" has been properly embodied). Hemsworth had a good chemistry going with Portman, it was a believable attraction, and rather pleasing to see female astrophysicists doing their maverick, dedicated thing. Fumbling, goofy, doomed, mortal/immortal geek/jock romances ftw. Also, hooray for Kenneth Branagh, and his beautifully British tendency to cast really good actors. Odin and Loki were also excellent, and I am absolutely behind the concept of Idris Elba as Heimdall.
I loved the film visually - Asgard itself, while occasionally overwhelmingly gilt, has some moments of true magic, and the flat, dramatic wastes of New Mexico are an interesting counterpoint. Also, all the flashy special effects bits with Thor and the hammer made my simple, pervy-superhero-fondling heart very, very happy. Plus, bonus deep space panoramas. The visual designers clearly have a love affair with the Hubble telescope, as do all right-thinking people. The heavy astrophysics/Einstein-Rosen bridge stuff is also surprisingly effective in grafting the whole unwieldy mythological Norse edifice onto a contemporary science-fictional setting. Really, Iron Man shouldn't exist in the same universe as Thor, but the film's lightness of touch, and general refusal to explain gods-as-aliens beyond a certain point, actually made it work.
So, yes. I liked this film. Another one for the DVD collection, which is less of a testament than it may sound as currently the DVD collection has acquired a Katamari-Damacy-like momentum and is attracting practically anything to its giant, accreting mass with little actual care for quality. This one, however, I'll watch again. Leaving aside my characteristically helpless "yay superheroes!" response, I like these people.
(1) I gloss the subject line because it's going to be absolutely incomprehensible otherwise. My late father used to recite the little piece of doggerel it came from quite often, in an absolutely characteristic index to his sense of humour. The rest of it goes: Thor the thunder god rode out,/mounted upon a filly,/"I'm Thor!" he cried./The horse replied... &etc.