Thor (3D)

I highly recommend seeing Thor in 3D.  It was well worth it.

The beginning felt a slight bit rushed, but after they played the catch-up game for the non-comic book kids that know nothing about Thor, the movie settled in to a very nice flow.  Everything made sense.  I know only a little about the comic, but what I do know is that the movie stuck very well to the Norse deities.

Odin (played by Anthony Hopkins) was very well done as was Thor himself (played by Chris Hemsworth).  I'm not much for big-muscled, super cut, pecs-bigger-than-by-boobs type guys but Mr. Hemsworth was pleasing to look upon without a shirt.

Loki, Thor's brother, was portrayed quite well by Tom Hiddleston.  I would say he could have been a bit more on the chaotic side, but it was still a great act nonetheless.

Thor's best buds were Hogun (played by Tadanobu Asano), Volstagg (played by Ray Steveson), Sif (played by Jaimie Alexander), and Fandral (played by Josh Dallas).  These names all are part of the Norse pantheon, worshiped by vikings many centuries ago.  I really enjoyed that they stuck true to Norse cannon.  Frigg is also in the movie, played by Rene Russo.

Top notch performances.  Excellent special effects and nothing felt overdone or trite.  They definitely relied on the intelligence of the audience to connect the dots with a few things.

This movie is part of a set of marvel movies that is gearing up for an Avengers movie (which is already filming).  Iconic comic book characters Iron Man, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Captain America, Thor, Loki, Hawkeye, Incredible Hulk, and possibly more are going to be filling this movie.  I'm not sure how this will be handled since a lot of big actors are going to be vying for screen time.

I will see it simply because my old-man crush, Robert Downey, Jr., is in it.  (Okay, he's not THAT old but he's old enough to be my dad, albeit a young dad).

All that aside, Thor was excellent.  Precise, to the point, no bullshit.  Good action.  Good story.  Oh and Natalie Portman is hot.  I'm just glad she can act now *cough* unlike Star Wars I, II, and III *cough*.