The opening act takes place out in a space. It's a story of war and peace between two alien peoples in which audiences won't have much stake. Further, the main characters are drawn broadly, hardly interesting. Thankfully, though, filmmakers preface that preface with a much more engaging scientific-ish, “Close Encounters,” phenomenal moment out in the deserts of New Mexico. This choice gives us faith that Thor has much more to offer than thinly scored space battles.
The film delivers on that promise with thunder. Thor on Earth becomes instantly endearing. What seemed like a narrow, sober film blossoms into a rich picture of landscape contrast, strong family drama, and an unexpected, yet sharp, and very welcome sense of humor.
Kudos to Portman and Skarsgard. Their solid performances fill out the odd pairing of human band and comic book team. “I don't know if you're the God of Thunder or not. But you ought to be.”
Great pace, amazing visuals, solid 3-D, imaginative design, and a visceral sense of drama. It even had me choked up a bit at times. I could almost feel the wind lift me out of my seat. The fantastic ending credit graphics (space objects in IMAX 3-D) are, by themselves, almost worth the admission price. If you've always wanted to see the aurora, this film will give you a glimpse.
-- Books by Ross Anthony, Author/Illustrator --
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