The Movie
No one has done more to make Shakespearean pomp and circumstance palatable to the masses than Kenneth Branagh, but could he wrangle the explosive action of comic book superhero Thor? I needn't have doubted, as the cinematic custodian of Hamlet, Henry V, As You Like It and more has crafted here a brisk, reverential and complex entertainment that thrills in every way.
Just short of being named his father Odin's successor as king of Asgard, the realm eternal of the Norse gods, brash Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is interrupted by the sudden return of their old enemies, the frost giants. Spurred on by his mischievous brother Loki, the hotheaded hammer-bearer defies his father's order and retaliates, pushing the two races to the brink of a devastating war.
As punishment for his arrogance, Thor is stripped of his power, separated from his mystical weapon and banished to Earth. There, in the company of an astrophysicist (Oscar-winner Natalie Portman), he learns some much-needed lessons, while treachery at home threatens to destroy all that Odin has fought for.
You should definitely pay heed to Joe Lozito's review of Thor, although I for one think this movie deserves Thor stars.
The Picture
The 2.4:1 Thor was, somewhat surprisingly, captured on 35mm film, and 3D conversion was performed in post-production. The extensive digital special effects however were allegedly produced with 3D in mind, and this is where we see the most dramatic visuals, although their extreme nature serves to undercut the illusion and sometimes remind us that we are indeed watching computer-generated images. Although sometimes barely noticeable, the 3D is tastefully executed throughout. The darkening of home theater 3D is only mildly problematic.
The movie itself looks quite clean with the faintest kiss of video noise, film grain and edge enhancement. The warm colors of the New Mexico desert are beautifully maintained.
The Sound
Oh my.
I went into the big-budget, big-screen adaptation of The God of Thunder expecting--nay, demanding--that the bass be some of the most potent that I've ever felt, and this DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track exceeded even those lofty hopes. Everything, and not just Thor's hammer, is big and powerful here, successfully conveying the might of gods.
And it's not just the low-end, but directionality, as when an entire town is destroyed by an energy-spewing magic robot, as well as crisp trebles in the scraping of metal weapons and the tinkle of oodles of breaking glass. Surrounds meanwhile are active not just with broad action beats but subtle wind and echo. Thor stars! Ha, that never gets old.
The Extras
There are no extras whatsoever on Disc One (3D), while Disc Two (the movie again on 2D Blu-ray) starts out with a commentary by director Branagh and goes on to add a fun little "Marvel One-Shot" short film, which puts the already-released bonus scene from The Incredible Hulk into a new context. There are also eleven deleted scenes totaling 24-and-a-half minutes, with optional director commentary.
The seven assorted featurettes range from about two to 20 minutes, from a general "making of" to a conversation that ropes in co-creator Stan Lee and modern, working scribe J. Michael Straczynski. The three-minute "Road to The Avengers" is more of a tease than anything else, chaired largely by director/demigod Joss Whedon. All of these video extras are in HD, and all but the deleted scenes also pack Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio.
Disc Three is a hybrid DVD containing the movie in standard definition plus a Digital Copy for iTunes or Windows Media.
Final Thoughts
Thor is one of those near-perfect Blu-rays that masterfully presents a terrific movie with some of the best audio and video of the year. It absolutely rocked my world.
Product Details
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