MCU in Review: Thor

Thor's hammer, Mjolnir - Cliparts Zone

Thor is the next installment in the MCU, and the first to explore another world. While the film is good, like Iron Man 2, it falls just short of the bar set by the first Iron Man. There are no major issues with scripting, casting, or filming. It just hits a few lag areas that can't really be corrected. 

Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) - Cinema Blend

Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, is the oldest son of Odin Borson and the heir to the throne of Asgard. Like Tony Stark, he is arrogant and full of himself. When frost giants from Jotunheim crash his coronation, he becomes angered and gathers his friends to attack their kingdom. For this, Odin banishes him to Earth and strips him of his powers and his weapon, Mjolnir. In order to have them back, Thor must prove his worth and show he has grown and changed. During his stay on Earth, he befriends a couple of scientists who are studying in the area. Hemsworth does a good job in telling the transformation. He is believable and, in the end, very personable. While Thor is his father's favorite, it's his brother who steals the show.

Loki Odinson (Tom Hiddleston) - GoldDerby

Loki's life is forever changed during the battle on Jotunheim when a frost giant grabs him and, instead of a frost burn, his arm turns blue, revealing that he is not a son of Odin as he was told. Thor's brother is ever the opportunist and takes advantage of his brother's absence. He confronts his father about the truth of his birth and it is revealed that Odin took him from Jotunheim for political reasons. During this, Odin falls into a special coma called the OdinSleep and Loki, being the only male heir to the throne, assumes the role of king and denies Thor's return. He goes so far as to visit Thor on Earth to tell him that their father had died and that their mother, Frigga, has no wish to ever see Thor again. 

Tom Hiddleston's Loki is considered one of Marvel's best developed antagonists and it's easy to see why. The audience gets a front row seat to his fall from grace. His actions are a direct result to finding out his truth and why he cannot seem to earn his father's approval, which he desperately wants. He is seen growing up in Thor's shadow and he knows this. This makes Loki easy to relate to and sympathize with. The emotion and anguish that Hiddleston shows in connecting to his character that has scored him multitudes of fans. 

Laufey (Colm Feore) - Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki

While he is the villain of the movie, Colm Feore's Laufey, king of Jotunheim, is a minor character at best. He is easily tricked by and then murdered by the son he abandoned years ago. He honestly doesn't make a mark on the film and is easily forgotten.

Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) - Lyles Movie Files

The scientists that Thor befriends, Dr. Eric Selvig, Dr. Jane Foster, and intern Darcy Lewis, are pretty much in the film to facilitate Thor's transformation and not much else. While we do get a scientific view on how the Bifrost works(it is believed to be a Rosen Bridge), there is not really much else the trio is around for other then the romantic plot between Thor and Dr. Foster. And this is a shame. Portman's and Denning's characters could have been much better utilized. Instead, they are left two dimensional and not as strong of an influence as they should be.

The film does a good job serving as an introduction to Thor and Loki and all that they are connected to. The brothers' relationship and how it ebbs and flows feels natural, which shows the skill of their actors. 

The movie also begins the work of expanding the affected area of the universe by introducing us to Asgard, which exists seperate of Earth. Another first is also seen at the end. The first 'will return' tag which helps the end credit scene give the first payoff of the franchise: The Avengers. 

For all of the work on this film, it is worth the watch. Even if it is just short of the Iron Man bar.