Disclaimer: Going to watch this in 3D because I really want to watch it in IMAX, but there ain't a 2D IMAX version here.
Alan Tyler did a fantastic job in bringing Thor: TDW to the big screen. This was a brilliant, taut comic-movie that was well-paced, exciting, had a great balance of brevity and seriousness, and a good ensemble. Better than the first Thor instalment, and way, way better than the farce that was
Iron Man 3. Chris Hemsworth is as much Thor as Robert Downey Jr
was (yes, was...back in
Iron Man 1) Tony Stark. Although, I guess after
Rush, Hemsworth had a bit of trouble getting back to Thor's buffness. (Maria Hill's line in SHIELD kept coming to mind: "You have not been near his arms."). Oh, and SHIELD was mentioned many a times, which I'm sure the series would then refer to the movie too. In case anybody was wondering, there is a rather plausible reason for the absence of the rest of the Avengers this Thor outing. Back to Hemsworth, he had definitely grown more comfortable in his role, and without the fish-out-of-the-water scenario, one can see that Hemsworth is a very decent actor (if in doubt, go watch
Rush). Unfortunately, the biggest fault of the movie is the
still total lack of chemistry between Natalie Portman and Hemsworth. She is, without a doubt, a very good actress, but, nonetheless, chemistry is difficult to act out. Besides, she was essentially a plot device to advance the narrative until the Final Act. Tom Hiddleston again steals the show. His Loki gets most of the best lines and moments...oh man, that scene with him and Thor in the hallway, had me laughing so hard! He has gotten that mischievous, God of Trickery look down pat. But Hiddleston needs to stop flogging his own brilliance/role otherwise he might end up getting typecast. Although he is a brilliant actor, but don't push too hard. Christopher Eccleston, though not easily recognisable, was rather terrifying. As were his Dark Elves, they would make a good Halloween costume. Kat Dennings, again, brought the comedic moments, but this time she was paired with Jonathan Howard to bring the laughs. Speaking of laughs, this movie had a good balance of wit and comedy against the drama and tension, and none of it was farcical unlike
IM3. And some of the quips were so Whedonian that I would not be surprised if Mr Joss Whedon himself had written those scenes. Nonetheless, the screenplay by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (the latter two wrote, and will be writing,
Captain America 1 & 2) was tight and well paced. There were not many glaring plot holes or leaps of logic that interfered with the enjoyment of the movie (unlike
IM3). Prologue established the direction, First Act set up the conflict, Second Act threw in the wrench, and the Third Act was the climax. Alan Tyler did a great job directing this period/dystopic future/modern day era mesh-up. His action scenes were clear and easy to follow; this is what directing
Games of Thrones get you. He has a sense of grandeur and complexity, and many scenes does call to mind similarity to moments in
GOT. That being said, he did the smaller moments very well too, bringing us a sense of the characters' feelings. Brian Tyler did a much better job here with the music/score than the unmemorable one he did for
IM3 (I sense a trend...). This time round the music was supportive and aided the action sequences, but did not overwhelm the drama nor the moment with aural melodramatics. IMAX and 3D may not be necessary here, and I think the 3D may have dimmed down a few moments, but it was a rather well done 3D-effects; not obtrusive or in your face, and it does rather nicely bring you into the scene. Stay to the end of the first credits for a HUGE Easter Egg that tied in with
The Avengers', surely to be re-introduced in the next Captain America, brought to the fore in
Guardians of the Galaxy, hinted at in the next Avenegers, before reaching the inevitable movie event of the decade in
Avengers 3!! But also to stay all the way to the ultimate end for a sweet little epilogue.
Alan Tyler did a fantastic job in bringing Thor: TDW to the big screen. This was a brilliant, taut comic-movie that was well-paced, exciting, had a great balance of brevity and seriousness, and a good ensemble. Better than the first Thor instalment, and way, way better than the farce that was Iron Man 3. Chris Hemsworth is as much Thor as Robert Downey Jr was (yes, was...back in Iron Man 1) Tony Stark. Although, I guess after Rush, Hemsworth had a bit of trouble getting back to Thor's buffness. (Maria Hill's line in SHIELD kept coming to mind: "You have not been near his arms."). Oh, and SHIELD was mentioned many a times, which I'm sure the series would then refer to the movie too. In case anybody was wondering, there is a rather plausible reason for the absence of the rest of the Avengers this Thor outing. Back to Hemsworth, he had definitely grown more comfortable in his role, and without the fish-out-of-the-water scenario, one can see that Hemsworth is a very decent actor (if in doubt, go watch Rush). Unfortunately, the biggest fault of the movie is the still total lack of chemistry between Natalie Portman and Hemsworth. She is, without a doubt, a very good actress, but, nonetheless, chemistry is difficult to act out. Besides, she was essentially a plot device to advance the narrative until the Final Act. Tom Hiddleston again steals the show. His Loki gets most of the best lines and moments...oh man, that scene with him and Thor in the hallway, had me laughing so hard! He has gotten that mischievous, God of Trickery look down pat. But Hiddleston needs to stop flogging his own brilliance/role otherwise he might end up getting typecast. Although he is a brilliant actor, but don't push too hard. Christopher Eccleston, though not easily recognisable, was rather terrifying. As were his Dark Elves, they would make a good Halloween costume. Kat Dennings, again, brought the comedic moments, but this time she was paired with Jonathan Howard to bring the laughs. Speaking of laughs, this movie had a good balance of wit and comedy against the drama and tension, and none of it was farcical unlike IM3. And some of the quips were so Whedonian that I would not be surprised if Mr Joss Whedon himself had written those scenes. Nonetheless, the screenplay by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (the latter two wrote, and will be writing, Captain America 1 & 2) was tight and well paced. There were not many glaring plot holes or leaps of logic that interfered with the enjoyment of the movie (unlike IM3). Prologue established the direction, First Act set up the conflict, Second Act threw in the wrench, and the Third Act was the climax. Alan Tyler did a great job directing this period/dystopic future/modern day era mesh-up. His action scenes were clear and easy to follow; this is what directing Games of Thrones get you. He has a sense of grandeur and complexity, and many scenes does call to mind similarity to moments in GOT. That being said, he did the smaller moments very well too, bringing us a sense of the characters' feelings. Brian Tyler did a much better job here with the music/score than the unmemorable one he did for IM3 (I sense a trend...). This time round the music was supportive and aided the action sequences, but did not overwhelm the drama nor the moment with aural melodramatics. IMAX and 3D may not be necessary here, and I think the 3D may have dimmed down a few moments, but it was a rather well done 3D-effects; not obtrusive or in your face, and it does rather nicely bring you into the scene. Stay to the end of the first credits for a HUGE Easter Egg that tied in with The Avengers', surely to be re-introduced in the next Captain America, brought to the fore in Guardians of the Galaxy, hinted at in the next Avenegers, before reaching the inevitable movie event of the decade in Avengers 3!! But also to stay all the way to the ultimate end for a sweet little epilogue.
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