Wednesday 11 January 2012

Alnight Thor

I have recently watched several animated, fantasy and family orientated film because they were shown in 3D. As I have recent stated in relation to sport and cultural events 3D brings added to value to an event but only if the event itself proves entertaining, of interest, possible exciting, possible wondrous or unique and at a minimum is enjoyable.

I have attempted to list the films in some kind of order although in truth there was only one which had merit; in fact the film had merit recognised at the time before it was reissued in 3D form.

The least enjoyable was Almighty Thor very loosely based on Norse mythology. It is difficult to believe that even children will find this story of interest and more likely to be outraged with disappointment if they had seen the earlier enterprise based on the Marvel Comic hero Thor. The story is of an evil underworld God who seeks to conquer everyone and everything by taking control of the Hammer of Invincibility. When Thor’s father and brother are killed in an attempt to stop the baddie from his designs, the younger brother sets on a quest to seek revenge. He is brave but lacks skill and an appreciation of the task as well as knowledge to overcome the enemy. Fortunately he encounters a Valkyrie who has the ability and patience to prevent the young warrior from not one but a succession stupid and disastrous attempts to engage the villain.

Combined they elude the clutches of the villain by use of movement portals one of which take them from the Nordic past into present day America. The most ludicrous aspect of this device, presumably on grounds that the use of derelict industrial sites was less expensive than creating mythological scenes, is that the three characters do not bat an eyelid about the nature of contemporary reality compared to their previously normal experience. The villain tests Thor at one point by offering him the prospect of bringing his father and brother back to life.

There are several repetitive aspects mainly of combat between Thor and the villain. There is one creative sequence where Thor approaches the mystical Tree of Life and a second when he finds himself in a molten lava flowing concept of Hell. He succeeds in obtaining the hammer which defeats the Underworld God who is forced to return to his natural Kingdom thus saving the rest of humanity and all creatures great and small from their worst nightmares.

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