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chattyTopic: Comic Book Movies
TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3407: Okay... Tina and I are back from watching the 'Thor' film on the Big Screen at a local theater during an afternoon matinee run. Afterwards, we had to do some quick shopping for the weekend, (FCBD is tomorrow!), and have a quick bite eat here at home before finishing this blog. I had templated all the above info & pics in the above section, with a revision using a different photo above with Tina & myself instead of a previously selected photo... So... "What's My Take On The Film?" you ask?! Well, since I've already given you the 'basics' of what this film should have been based on, (the comic book feature that started in Journey Into Mystery #83 that started in 1962), and what problems the screenplay for this film ran into... I'll jump right in without any further ado! First, I can't help but say this... The film was FAR BETTER than what I expecting it to be! Seriously! As this film was not my personal #1 choice to 'must see' of the four films previously mentioned: Thor, Green Lantern, Captain America, and X-Men. That's because the trailers I had seen previously showed a lot of what was happening in Asgard, and I knew that would be a lot of CGI. Which usually means not a lot of character development. And that I would probably hear from my wife, Tina, who has never read a 'Journey Into Mystery' comic book, or even a 'Thor' comic! But I'll let her tell you her 'Point of View from a mainstream movie goer' in her own blog post! Now it's time for the SPOILER ALERT! DON'T READ BELOW THIS ROW, UNTIL YOU SEE THE RED FONT FOR 'END OF SPOILER ALTERT' UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE INFORMED OF THE FILM BEFORE GOING - 'NUFF SAID! Okay... here's 'My Take' on the storyline, cast, direction, etc., etc., as much as I have time for...! STORYLINE - I went in thinking okay... So Jane Foster is a scientist, not a nurse... So where's Donald Blake? The answer was quite evident that someone knew enough to include that name in the film. THANK YOU for that! The story kept up with moving the film along... And the cutting back and forth between Midgard (Earth) and the other Realms was done quite well! Very good post-production values! STAN LEE CAMEO - Yes, Stan (The Man) Lee got his cameo, and a line! And early on, so we didn't have to keep waiting for it! WARRIORS THREE - Loved Fandral & Volstagg characterizations and looks... But I missed Hogun's horned helmet... just didn't seem the same for me. SIF - Pretty much the same Sif that was in the early years... kind of just there for the most part, as it was Jane Foster's turn in the 'spotlight' in this film. FACEBOOK - Good plug for Facebook... where everything I do now is uploaded to, including this blog! S.H.I.E.L.D. - Better usage of the agency, although the rank & file of the S.HI.E.L.D. agents seemed to be too easily beaten by a non-powerful Thor... SUPPORTING CHARACTER DARCY LEWIS - Played by Kat Dennings, brought the younger mainstream movie-goers into the film, especially if they were dragged to this film by their comics loving boyfriend! SUPPORTING CHARACTER CLINT BARTON - Yes, THAT Clint Barton... Looking good for a minor role in this film. I dug the inclusion of the character for this film! SUPPORTING CHARACTER HEIMDALL - Idris Elba really brought this role into the spotlight. I enjoyed what the actor did in this film. MAIN CHARACTER JANE FOSTER - Perfect casting by Natalie Portman. Take away the fact that she didn't play a nurse, as the role originally was back in 1962... I thought she was excellent! MAIN CHARACTER THOR - I have to admit, this guy can act, both as 'Thor' and as a 'mortal' on Earth. Excellent portrayal by Chris Hemsworth. MAIN CHARACTER ODIN - I believed I really was watching 'Odin'. Great casting of Anthony Hopkins in this role! MAIN CHARACTER LOKI - Tom Hiddleston played this role just right. Not over the top, and not underplayed either. SHOUT OUTS TO OTHER NON-MARVEL CHARACTES - Loved it when certain individuals (Warriors Three & Sif), in this film were called 'Xena', 'Jackie Chan', '____' and 'Robin Hood'! Some great funny moments in this film repeatedly! GREAT MOMENTS - Yeah, it brought a tear to my eye, when early on, a now-powerful Thor couldn't lift the hammer... That was great! TRUE TO THE COMICS? - Yeah, not everything was true to the original comics, but I enjoyed the explanations given for Bifrost, Heimdall's powers, etc. CREDIT TO WHERE CREDIT WAS DUE? - Yes, at the end of the film, during the rolling of the credits, the three who had the most in the early creation of the Thor character in Journey Into Mystery were credited, Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby. (Would have been nice to see some of the inkers like Joe Sinnott & Dick Ayers mentioned also but...). CONTINUED... - Yes, 'Thor' will return... In the Avengers Film in 2012, as shown at the end of the film scenes... So will there be a sequel to Thor...? THE CODA - The Final Scene At the End of the Credits - No, I'm not telling what it was here... You gotta sit through it too, LOL! END OF SPOILER WARNING! END OF SPOILER WARNING! That's it for 'My Take' on this Thor film! I was very pleased with this film on the Big Screen. It was definitely worth my 'investment' of 2 hours plus $$ to see it there in my local theater. Would I see it in 3D? I don't know... So what's my 'comic book rating' for this Thor film? Well... Quite honestly, up until the final scene, which went on too long IMO, I was giving this film a Near Mint, believe it or not! However, it just had to have one more CGI fight scene, like in the 1st Iron Man film, which knocked it down a notch for me. To a NEAR MINT MINUS (NM-) 9.2 out of a 10.0 possible comic book grading scale. For comic book fans of the original Journey Into Mystery, and then the multiple Thor comics... I would have to say... Go See It! For mainstream movie goers... I believe that you could catch on pretty quick what the producers / director / cast members are presenting on the Big Screen. If CGI is your 'thing' then you'll be pleased. If you don't like 'CGI' then there is probably a little too much of it at the end. But still a good storyline for those that don't know anything about the 'Thor' in the comics! That's it for tonight's blog from me as... It's definitely a busy weekend for Tina and me... What with the new Marvel Film, 'Thor' that came out today, (Friday), Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) occuring on Saturday, and then Mother's Day on Sunday! Whew! After attending the Wizard World Anaheim Comic Con last weekend, and the Long Beach Comic Con Expo the weekend before that... I'm having way too much fun! But I'm 'hanging loose' as Stan (The Man) Lee used to ask us ol' Marvelmaniacs to do... LOL!
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