"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."
These words, straight from the Marvel comic book, are spoken by Odin, Thor's father and the King of Asgard, towards the beginning of the recent film Thor. Thor, the young, rash, and hot-headed god of thunder, has been cast out of Asgard as punishment for directly defying his father's commands. Stripped of his godlike powers, Thor lands on Earth in the middle of the New Mexico desert, where he must live as a human until he learns to become worthy of his power--and his mighty hammer Mjolnir--once again. If you haven't seen Thor yet, then you'll be in for an epic adventure and coming-of-age tale as Thor gradually discovers the value of humility, self-sacrifice, and love, and rises up to become the hero that both Asgard and Earth need him to be.
Thor is a movie that can be appreciated by casual viewers and avid comics fans alike. It provides plenty of stunning visuals and grandiose action scenes to keep the audience entertained, as well as a good story full of multi-layered characters who change and develop throughout the film. Comics fans will recognize many familiar characters in addition to Thor (Chris Hemsworth) himself: Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's duplicituous brother; Odin (Anthony Hopkins), his father and Frigga (Rene Russo), Odin's wife; Sif (Jaimie Alexander), the Asgardian warrior maiden; Heimdall (Idris Elba), the bridge keeper of Asgard; the Warriors Three, Hogun (Tadanobu Asano), Fandral (Joshua Dallas), and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson); the villainous Laufey (Colm Feore) and his kingdom of frost giants; the Destroyer, an enchanted Asgardian suit of armor; and of course Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), the mortal Earth woman with whom Thor falls in love. There is even some reference to Dr. Don Blake, who was the human alter ego of Thor in the comics. Perhaps the only Thor comics character strangely absent from this list is Thor's longtime friend and ally Balder the Brave, who makes no appearance in this film. Even so, the colorful cast of characters who are present provide enough mighty feats and unexpected twists and turns to keep viewers plenty entertained.
Comics fans will also be aware that, as Thor was a founding member of the Avengers in the comics, the Thor movie is part of a series of films leading up to The Avengers, scheduled for release next May. This film features the super-secret government organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. and a brief after-credits cameo from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s leader, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), both of which have previously appeared in the Iron Man films. For those with a careful eye and ear, Thor also provides the first glimpse of another member of the Avengers, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and of the Cosmic Cube, a powerful weapon which has been used by various supervillains in the comics, and which also appears in this summer's Captain America: The First Avenger. Most likely the Cube will play some part in the plot of The Avengers as well. Though Thor is an enjoyable film for anyone watching, little recognizable cameos and clues such as these make it even more rewarding for comics fans who are always eagerly anticipating the next movie.
In addition to being a fun action movie, Thor also contains underlying spiritual themes for those who are looking for them. Though Thor and the other Asgardians have often been seen as pagan deities, the Marvel comics and the film tend to treat them differently. The comics have described the Asgardians simply as aliens who are so advanced that their technology is indistinguishable from magic, even to themselves. The movie echoes this sentiment when Thor tells Jane that he comes from a place where science and magic are the same thing. Thor and the other Asgardians in this film do not necessarily consider themselves gods; rather, the universe in which they exist tries to blend science and the supernatural together. In this day and age of intellectualism and faithlessness, Jane's fellow scientists are initially skeptical that Thor could actually be supernatural. However, Jane's encounters with Thor stretch the limits of her belief, and at one point she finds herself arguing that the existence of the supernatural isn't such a foolish idea and doesn't necessarily have to contradict intellectualism. She is later proven correct when Thor's full godlike powers return to him on display for all to see. Thor is a film which advocates a reasonable belief in the supernatural and in things or beings which we cannot see or fully explain.
Thor's gradual development into a hero can also be viewed in a moral and even spiritual light. In the beginning of the film he is punished for his arrogance and disobedience, but through his time on Earth, he gradually learns to humble himself and to love and care more for others. It is not until Thor is willing to give his life to save others that he becomes worthy of his powers and his mighty hammer once again. Though the comparisons may be limited, Thor can even be seen as an imperfect Christ figure. Yes, he is flawed and initially selfish, unlike the true Christ. But he is also the son of an almighty father from up in the heavens, and he is also sent to Earth as a human stripped of his divinity. Thor is willing to lay down his life for others just like Jesus laid down his life for the world. Thor's journey to becoming a hero is an exciting adventure that teaches humility, selflessness, and love along the way.
So if you're looking for a good summer movie that combines action, adventure, fantasy, romance, and timeless moral and spiritual values, then Thor is the movie for you. Watch it, enjoy it, and learn from Thor's struggles and his personal journey. Then learn to exemplify love and selflessness in your own life as well, so that you too may become worthy of the power of a god--the one true God.
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