Thor (2011)

I will admit I had pretty low expectations going into 'Thor'. Just another big blockbuster movie with no real substance, right? Wrong! I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I found myself enjoying it. I had no idea who Thor was going into the movie, but it does a very good job of explaining the genesis and doesn't make you feel alienated for not already knowing who Thor is. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a powerful warrior prince from another universe or realm of Asgard. When a group of ancient enemies make a surprise attack on the day he was set to become the new king, an angry Thor decides the best way to protect his people is to attack back. He disobeys his father Odin's (Anthony Hopkins) orders and makes a counter attack. Disappointed in his son's arrogance and vanity, Odin banishes him and his hammer down to earth. 'Thor' has two main storylines- the sibling rivalry between Thor and Loki for father's approval (Tom Hiddleston) and the romantic spark between Thor and a beautiful mortal (Natalie Portman). I think Hemsworth may have been inspired by the way Natalie Portman transformed her body for her role in the 'Black Swan' because he definitely got in shape for this one. This thought was confirmed by the girl sitting behind me whispering 'Yeah he is' to her friend in response to Hemsworth telling Portman that 'I am bad'.

Overall, I thought that 'Thor' was a perfect mixture of action and engaging storyline that is hard to find in many of the blockbuster movies today. I highly recommend it for everyone. I just hope this is a sign of good things to come for the summer movie season.

IMDB-7.6/10

Metascore- 58/100

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 78%, Audience- 84%

Yong's Rating- 4/5 Stars