Tag Archive: Thor


THE AVENGERS – A VICTORY FOR EXCESS

Filed under: Gender, Movies — 1 Comment
May 15, 2012

THE AVENGERS directed by Joss Whedon (USA, 2011)

I remember when I first saw James Cameron’s Terminator 2:Judgement Day  in 1991 I came out of the cinema thinking that there’s no way this can be topped for audacious effects and technical innovation. Obviously, I was wrong,  as a spate of movies since, not least Cameron’s Titanic and Avator have pushed the boundaries still further.

This is not to say movies have got better but they are certainly met audience’s insatiable demand for spectacles.

Joss Whedon’s The Avengers can be added to this lIst and after this two-hour  experience I felt like I’d been pummelled by Thor’s hammer or been roughed up by Hulk (and I didn’t even see it in 3D!).

As Oscar Wilde once wisely observed, “nothing succeeds like excess” and having a squad of superheroes is a bit like having a soccer team full of Messi clones.

The end result  is overwhelming but effective as they manage to save the planet once again.

It’s fun, fast and quite absurd but pushes all the buttons as a pure entertainment package albeit one that could be enjoyed with the brain on standby. Continue reading →

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BY THE HAMMER OF THOR

Filed under: Movies — 2 Comments
October 11, 2011

THOR – THE MOVIE directed by Kenneth Branagh

"Me, Thor. You, Jane"

Thor is a pretty silly movie but the fact that is was directed by ex-luvvie Kenneth Branagh intrigued me as it obviously did Natalie Portman since she accepted the role of  astrophysicist Jane Foster  without even seeing the script.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is an arrogant hot-headed hunk who must learn some humility before he can inherit the  crown of Asgard or win the heart of the comely damsel.

In the process he has to contend with a scheming half brother and a demanding father, Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins.  He must also learn to wield the mighty hammer Mjolnir in a more appropriate manner if he is to conquer the frost giants.

As far as superhero implements go, the hammer is about as far from a concealed weapon as you can get and a hard object to handle without looking like a contender in an athletics event. Poor Thor does his best on the basis that a good superhero never blames his tools.

The family feud and power play have certain comic book Shakespearean aspects which Hopkins in particular exploits to the full. This might also account for why Branagh decided to direct the movie (that and a hefty financial incentive!)

The most watchable scenes feature  Natalie Portman who, like George Eliot’s Miss Brooke in Middelmarch, demonstrates she has “the kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress”.  Despite her relatively drab wardrobe, she manages to look terrific; all the more irritating to see her swooning over Thor’s pumped up body (check out his workout tips). You’d hope she’d be be more discerning than this.

The best scenes of the movie are when the once mighty Thor is cast down to Earth hammer-less. The contrast  between Asgard and small New Mexico town is played out with some good deadpan humour.

It all ends with Thor gazing longingly down to Earth dreaming of Jane and wondering if he’s done enough to merit a sequel.

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