I’ve reviewed my first superhero movie of the season for Moving Pictures.
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| After the cancellation of the beloved Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno “Incredible Hulk” series (1978–1982), the pair reunited for three made-for-TV movies beginning with 1988′s “The Incredible Hulk Returns,” which featured the first live-action vision of Thor. Clad in drab brown and gray Vikings garb, Eric Allan Kramer delivered an uninspiring, distinctly ungodlike portrayal. That remained the lone live-action version — several animated stories exist — until the energetic, comic book-fueled feature film “Thor” envisioned by director Kenneth Branagh and actor Chris Hemsworth invaded the cineplex. |
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| Branagh relies on his extensive Shakespearean experience for the bombastic “Thor,” a tale with no little scenes nor many quiet moments. The actors project their lines as though appearing at the Globe before a throng of theatergoers. As befitting a story of Norse mythology, the gods’ bodies and faces ripple to near perfection, especially the handsome Hemsworth. (When early in the film he appears sans shirt, the female — and many male — gasps of appreciation were audible throughout the cinema.) |
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| The effects, especially of the Bifröst Bridge (the means the Asgardians use to travel between worlds), and the surprisingly few combat sequences dazzle. The 3-D, while not bad, grants no obvious benefit and feels tacked on. |
Over at Moving Pictures, I also discuss the writing and acting of Thor.