Thor 4K Review

 

Thor
Screenplay by Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, and Don Payne

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Well, Thor: Love and Thunder is coming out in about a month so I figured it was a good time to go back and rewatch the previous trilogy of films on 4K. 

Thor and Loki are brothers but not equals. Thor is the chosen one to inherit his father's Odin (Hannibal Lecter) throne and rule over Asgard, the realm of the Norse gods. Problem is, Thor is a self absorbed asshole who only thinks about fighting and getting drunk. Not exactly good attributes for a king. He allows his bloodlust to get the better of him after an incursion of frost giants into Asgard which leads Thor to singlehandedly (with a few friends) start a war. As punishment Odin banishes him to earth minus his hammer and his powers! Luckily he is found by the always emaciated Natalie Portman, a scientist studying.....worm holes or something??

I cannot believe it has already been 11 years since this film came out! I don't think I had watched this movie all the way through since it came out on blu-ray shortly thereafter. I enjoyed the movie. Chris Hemsworth plays a lovable blockhead that in the end isn't so stupid that he can't learn a lesson about life and what wisdom truly is. This is Tom Hiddleston's first turn as Loki and he does a good job of a god torn between two identities and also love and jealousy of his big bro. Anthony Hopkins is an actor who acts as if he is the only person in the movie. He could have done this role minus anyone with just a green screen environment, so removed is he. Natalie Portman almost salivates over Hemsworth's ripped bod and acts more like a high school girl than a mature woman, all giggles and swoons. 

I am definitely not a fan of Kenneth Branagh's direction. He is a master of the circling shot and that is about it. He is a fine actor. But his direction is very, very overrated. He does serviceable work here even though this was his first big budget special effects movie. I don't really count Frankenstein since I do not remember any epic set pieces or CG in that film. Mostly practical effects. 

Next up is Thor: The Dark World, which I remember not liking that much, but again, Thor hype! And to experience it in 4K. All the extras like featurettes, commentary and deleted scenes are only included in blu-ray format in this set. It also comes with a digital code to redeem the movie on Movies Anywhere. 

My Grade: B+