Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Thor’

Written by Scott Edwards

‘A WISE KING NEVER SEEKS OUT WAR, BUT HE MUST BE READY FOR IT.’ 
- ODIn

Trying to prove your worth to your parents can be one of the hardest things a child has to do. Wanting them to know how much you respect what they have given to you in the form of your own accomplishments can be the greatest way to achieve this. But for some parents, this may not be enough, as they are happy with your success in life, but they want to know that you are the person that they know you can be. This can be as simple as living by your own moral values or as difficult as having to obtain a position of power. Either way, you should only be true to yourself and your own values and if that is enough for you, it should be enough for everyone else around you.

Being the most powerful asset of the Asgardian army, Thor is ready to receive his just rewards. As he is about to be given the throne, something more devious arises in Asgard, a threat that has been unseen for many years. The Frost Giants are back and want to reclaim their Casket of Ancient Winters, which was taken from their planet many moons ago. Even though they are not able to succeed in this task, it raises concern for everyone on Asgard and Thor will not let the crime go without justice being served.

Traveling to Jotunheim with his prized fighters, Thor is ready to kill all of the Frost Giants, but being out numbered, someone unexpected comes to his aid. With his father trying to keep peace between the realms, Odin sends Thor away as punishment, but gives him a chance to redeem himself. Being sent to New Mexico, he is discovered by an aspiring astrophysicist, Jane Foster, and her crew. Although they cannot believe the story that is being told to them from the powerless Thor about being from another planet, their research shows them otherwise. 

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​Wanting to get the full story from the God-like stranger, there is something else happening around the small town, something has fallen from the sky that cannot be moved by a mortal man. Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, has followed him to Earth, with the promise that one who is worthy of it will be able to control the power of Thor. But something has to change in Thor’s life before he will be able to weld the power once more as he finds out after beating up several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Knowing that he is alone on this planet and his only friends do not seem to believe what or who he really is, Thor is forced to put his life on the line to defend the innocent.

With Thor away from his home planet of Asgard, there is something else afoot. Thor’s brother Loki has found out his true origins and now understands that he will never gain the full respect of his father. Being of another race, Loki rushes to conclusions and the stress he puts on Odin puts the old king into a coma. With his brother away, Loki takes to the throne and starts making up his own plan of how to rule his kingdom. Even though he was behind the first attack on the armory that kept his brother from taking power, Loki is now wanting to eliminate all of the competition for his rightful spot atop the throne. With several moving parts to his plan, Loki is able to get a destroyer sent to Earth to kill his brother and sets his sights on destroying the planet of his ailing father's greatest foe. With no one on Asgard to stop him, everything can go off without a hitch, but what Loki does not know is that there is a way to change one’s way of thinking and redeem one’s self.

I will admit that I did not see Thor before The Avengers came out, and I kind of regret it. It was never on my list of must-see movies until I found out what the Marvel Universe was capable of. This was the first movie that dealt with something that none of the movies even looked at and that was a father's love and respect. I know that Tony Stark was trying to live up to his father’s expectations, but since Howard was not alive when the movie came out, it could never happen. Odin is very much alive and wants to provide the Nine Realms with the ruler they deserve and wants to make sure that Thor is up for the task. Even though Thor goes against what his father and king has wished, he is still given the opportunity to redeem himself. To me, this movie focuses on gaining a father's love and finding out it is not all about what you can do when the situation arises, but what you will do. Loki shows everyone that what he will do is jump at the opportunity, no matter what the consequences are and make sure he is never held accountable, while Thor has a change in heart and even without his powers, continues to try to help those in need. It is kind of sappy for a hard-core warrior to lay down his hammer and not get anything in return, but it is about his heart and how it bleeds for those who need help the most and even for Natalie Portman, and I see where he is coming from on that one.  

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