5: thor

“You’re big. I’ve fought bigger.” 

— Thor

Main takeaways:

• Aly: I thought this movie was pretty good. While it’s no Thor Ragnarok, of course, it’s a good intro into the Thor series. I like the balance of Jane and Thor, the human vs the god, which made the story feel more grounded. The humor of Jane’s assistant made everything seem lighter, amongst the dark topics embedded throughout the movie. While it made me mad that Loki was annoying the whole time, it obviously made the plot the way that it was. My main takeaway from the movie is probably that this storyline gets better over time. I liked Ragnarok way more, but in order to establish this storyline, we had to watch this movie. It was also nice to get to know the other characters, like the gatekeeper and Odin. Overall, this movie was pretty good, but far from the best Marvel movie I’ve ever seen.
• Ally: I love Thor. This movie is not the best Marvel movie; it’s not even the best Thor movie. But it has the best villain of all in Loki, who is an absolute king. Also, Natalie Portman is a goddess and I love the character of Jane. On top of that, Bill from Mamma Mia is in this movie, which automatically makes it a winner. Obviously, Chris Hemsworth as Thor is one of the best casting decisions in the history of Hollywood. It’s becoming clear to me that I just love the cast of Thor, but I also appreciate the plot. Thor has a strong arc in this movie, going from being a headstrong, immature child to a man worthy of his own hammer. There’s plenty of humor in this movie, which is always a positive. Loki is one of the best characters in the Marvel franchise and his story as a villain is compelling. This movie is important as a whole in the MCU because aside from introducing Thor, there’s involvement from SHIELD and an appearance by the one and only Phil Coulson.

Favorite scene:

• Aly: My favorite scene would have to have been when Thor keeps dropping all of his plates on the coffee shop floor. While it’s a relatively stupid scene, it’s a good example of how Thor is used to a different culture on Earth vs Asgard It’s also cute how Thor feels badly since he was disrespecting the way they live life here. It made me really like Thor since he’s working hard to become good for Jane. Yay Thor for being a good person 🙂
• Ally: When Thor is on Earth, stripped of his powers, ready to take on the Destroyer single-handed, that’s the most beautiful moment of the movie. This really wraps up his arc nicely and shows his growth as a character, because he’s willing to fight what is essentially an impossible battle in order to protect Jane and Earth. His sacrifice is rewarded by his hammer, proving he is truly worthy. Also, Jane finally gets to see him in his element, and for the first time, he looks like the God of Thunder rather than a homeless man.

Favorite / least favorite character:

• Aly: My favorite character was Jane (FOR SURE!!). She was so nice to Thor the whole time, and she really seemed to care for him.  I hope that in the future, she stays in the Thor franchise. My least favorite character has to be Hawkeye because he’s a stupid butthead. He was only in this movie for like one minute, and he’s also just so annoying. Ruined the movie.
• Ally: Jane Foster is my favorite character, but that’s probably because I love Natalie Portman. Loki also gets a nod from me, because he is both a villain and a hero in my heart. He does some despicable things in this movie, but he really just wants to be accepted by Odin, which is cause enough to send an indestructible automaton to kill your only brother, I suppose. My least favorite character is Hawkeye, who is only in this movie for about a minute, but I hate him with so much passion that I cannot let it slide.

Ranking (out of 10):

• Aly: 8.5/10. This was a pretty good film, but in comparison to Ragnarok, it just isn’t up to par. I think a lot of things could have been improved, like the overall storyline and resolution with Jane, but I think it was a good start to a franchise I know will turn out to be great.
• Ally:8/10. This movie is a little boring and there’s not a ton of action – and the action scenes that were in this movie were extremely LOUD for some reason – but it has good exposition and is crucial in the whole of the MCU because it shows Thor’s origin story. With this movie, we’re finally ready to gather the entire crew and have an ensemble film. Avengers here we come!