THOR REVIEW: Variety Weighs In

THOR REVIEW: Variety Weighs In

The trade publication Variety has weighed in with its opinion of Thor, and final feeling is that the film falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of review.

By EdGross - Apr 18, 2011 03:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Thor
Source: Variety

The review, written by Richard Kuipers, sums things up at the outset with: "Neither the star pupil nor the dunce of the Marvel superhero-to-screen class, 'Thor' delivers the goods so long as butt is being kicked and family conflict is playing out in celestial dimensions, but is less thrilling during the Norse warrior god's rather brief banishment on Earth. With Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth impressive in the lead and helmer Kenneth Branagh investing the dramatic passages with a weighty yet never overbearing Shakespearean dimension, pic looks sure to reap big B.O. on the strength of its ready-made audience, but faces a tougher time attracting viewers for whom this type of fare is the exception rather than the rule.... While no fatal missteps are taken along Thor's path to redemption, pic has a slightly choppy feel, as if it's trying to squeeze an origin tale and at least part of its sequel into a single entity. Most of the material motors along just fine, though the editing occasionally seems a bit too hurried in moving from one dimension to the next. An extra reel of Earth-bound story might not have gone astray."

Follow the link for the full review.

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marvel72
marvel72 - 4/18/2011, 3:39 AM
this film is getting mixed reveiws,thats alright what one group of people will dislike a another will love.

can't wait to see it.
dbapz
dbapz - 4/18/2011, 3:42 AM
can't wait for this movie! i shall be my own judge!
ManofSteel23
ManofSteel23 - 4/18/2011, 3:57 AM
This film has got to many articles n shit,theres no mystery in this film at all,practicly seen it all on these articles
SageMode
SageMode - 4/18/2011, 4:16 AM
Its kinda annoying how's there's all these reviews on Thor and its not released in the US yet.
Being that Marvel Studios is based in the states, you'd think they'd release it here first. Smh
SmokinIndo
SmokinIndo - 4/18/2011, 4:27 AM
@marvel72

Mixed reviews? Hardly.

Of all the reviews we've seen, only one so far can be considered negative, or even mixed, and that was the PoS article written by ABC Radio Brisbane. I hate to sound biased, but that review was really bad. I actually thought a 5th grader wrote it. There was really no depth or analysis in his review. (It's very possible to write an in-depth review without spoiling too much of the film.) This review will go down as fresh on the tomato meter, as will all the other reviews we've seen. And also keep in mind that at least 100 more reviews are going to pour in closer to the release date.
ScRipt69
ScRipt69 - 4/18/2011, 4:33 AM
In England we have Empire Magazine, which I guess is world renowned, they gave it 4 out of 5, a good score, cant wait to see it
MarvelousMarty
MarvelousMarty - 4/18/2011, 4:36 AM
I'm seeing the Easter Monday Special Preview! Yeahhhhhh!
Stealthduck
Stealthduck - 4/18/2011, 4:49 AM

F@*k 'reviews'!
Opinions are like arseholes; everyone's got one.

Info about the film' I'll take. But who really cares about the views of people you have never met? Even if they work for a 'trusted publication'.

I will make my own decision, as will every one of us, regardless of prior comments.
SpideyDude
SpideyDude - 4/18/2011, 5:09 AM
@grif the film isnt out anywhere yet and it only comes out in the u.s one week later - there will be no good bootleg in that time and wont affect people going to see it in the cinema
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 4/18/2011, 5:09 AM


I haven't read one THOR film review...

Who cares what they think...

This, Green Lantern and Captain America are all going to be on that bar WATCHMEN and TDK are on!

Pure gold!


DREDD should be good too, unlike that other joke of a movie that I don't need to talk about lol! ; P
Lert
Lert - 4/18/2011, 5:20 AM
i figured!.. welp, thats why it comes out first..set the stage so-to-speak! ill be standing in lines at the Dollar theater for this one... Sorry Marvel!
SmokinIndo
SmokinIndo - 4/18/2011, 5:27 AM
I need to stop reading the reviews. Even though they're all great (sorry Lert), I already know what nitpicks to look out for. Although I had a feeling from the start that the relationship between Thor and Jane Foster was going to be a little weak.
WorldsGreatestdetective
WorldsGreatestdetective - 4/18/2011, 5:38 AM
I'm probably not going to see this movie regardless good or bad reviews. None of my friends are interested to see this movie and I much rather save money for later movies this summer.
BATMANx
BATMANx - 4/18/2011, 5:51 AM
Marvel should let the movie come out everywhere at the same time Thor was created in the states.. why cant we watch it like everyone first.. EPIC FAIL MARVEL
InFamouslyCool
InFamouslyCool - 4/18/2011, 6:03 AM
actually want to see this now. though i already know it wont be anywhere near as good as batman or ironman. little to no expectations is good. it's only $12.50 anyways.
Brashlight
Brashlight - 4/18/2011, 6:30 AM
From what I have read the reviews seem to be pretty mixed but not bad, which is usually a good thing with a movie like this.

Let’s face it critics today only go to movies to find what’s wrong with a movie; I rarely read a review on a comedy or action flick that is good. They typically focus on the bad so the fact that this movie is getting decent reviews gives me great promise!!!
KeithM
KeithM - 4/18/2011, 6:52 AM
86% so far on Rotten Tomatoes. Mixed? Hardly.

Just because they're not saying it's the BESTEST MOVIE EVAH doesn't mean they're not saying it's good. The majority are saying exactly that - that It Is Good. And that is good. :)
kirbyfan
kirbyfan - 4/18/2011, 7:01 AM
Get a grip, Thor is the best movie Marvel has made so far!
Brashlight
Brashlight - 4/18/2011, 7:05 AM
KeithM@ yeah Rotten Tomatoes is typically the place i go for reviews. they have a wide range of critics and it gives a good idea of what real people will think.

I just hate professional Critics. they are typically douche's when it comes to movies like this.
ironknight
ironknight - 4/18/2011, 8:28 AM
I'm trying to avoid all these reviews but I can't.....stop...clicking...
Geeksiah
Geeksiah - 4/18/2011, 8:38 AM
Rotten Tomatoes 88%
That's not mixed. That's good.
Mixed is 50%
ThreeBigTacos
ThreeBigTacos - 4/18/2011, 8:41 AM
Geeze DarkMatter your such a Marvelite :p Lol
CapFan79
CapFan79 - 4/18/2011, 8:42 AM
I'm actually glad to read that the Asgard scenes make up more than half the film!
HelaGood
HelaGood - 4/18/2011, 8:58 AM
this is very good news! at least its not getting thrashed like Suker Punch did.

and yes this will be a hard movie to feed average joe movie goer, but hey it sounds like its a pretty solid film regardless!
tehdude
tehdude - 4/18/2011, 9:21 AM
@ThreeBigTacos & DarkMatter- never been a fan of the term "Marvelite". "Earths mightiest fans" is more like it. Sounds so much cooler. :P

anyway, loving the reviews. Can't wait to see it and i hope Cap gets the same positive feedback when his movie comes out.
ThreeBigTacos
ThreeBigTacos - 4/18/2011, 9:48 AM
Tehdude: Earth's Mightiest Fans works!
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 4/18/2011, 10:07 AM
So it's sounding like a well put together yet straight-forward action movie. Who expected more? Thor has never had the deep stories of Batman or the X-men. I'm comparing this to the likes of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, hopefully it's better than the latter! It's probably not going to be the "revolution" that some have predicted though.
PoPcornDude
PoPcornDude - 4/18/2011, 10:24 AM
Thor is a summer blockbuster movie, not a shakespeare drama, so the complaint is that the movie is full of action ????
THAT IS GOOD !!!
at least won't be like superman returns or Jonah Hex, catwoman or even that 'The Departed' wanna be called tdk....
just an opinion.
for a comic book movie all I want is a good story and action, lots of it !
tehdude
tehdude - 4/18/2011, 10:37 AM
@ThreeBigTacos- pass it around and hopefully it'll catch on as the new term for us marvel fans. :P
Fogs
Fogs - 4/18/2011, 11:04 AM
@HelaGood - looks like the average joe movie goer (non-cbm fans) are enjoying it. It will do good. Ppl will relate to iron man (by themselves or told by others) and will watch it.
HelaGood
HelaGood - 4/18/2011, 11:13 AM
rotten tomatoes now has it at 89%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fullmetal
fullmetal - 4/18/2011, 11:34 AM
thats a good review in my opinion...@ gusto...you make that statement like just because some reviewers say it's not good or so-so that makes it a fact...don't you have your own mind? probably not....not many people do these days....F UCK ALL THOSE ACCUMULATIVE CRITIC SITES!!! just because metacritic or rotten tomatoes says its good you people act like it becomes fact...don't you people beleive in opinions?
fullmetal
fullmetal - 4/18/2011, 11:36 AM
you people are zombies...can't beleive ho many of you really refer to those sites...no wonder this country is falling apart..no one thinks for themselves...
Chewtoy
Chewtoy - 4/18/2011, 11:46 AM
Come now... people are stretching to think that's a bad review or even mediocre. They clearly enjoyed it, and yes it's marked down as a "fresh" review on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, they found some issues with it, but also said (spoiler free):

"scripters... have wisely penned an unhurried but engrossing half-hour setup of the lesser-known Marvel character and the three worlds he inhabits."

"Speckled with amusing fish-out-of-water humor"

"spectacularly rendered rumbles in other dimensions"

"Hopkins rises to the occasion with a restrained yet powerful portrayal"

"Hiddleston gives a finely tuned perf"

"Hemsworth holds his own in distinguished company and will serve the series well in any sequels and "The Avengers,"

"Branagh... brings a fan's enthusiasm and his skill as an actor's director to the table here... shooting emotionally charged sequences with elegant simplicity, ...succeeds in rendering his mythological characters deeply human."

"Assembled by A-list artisans in non-gimmicky 3D...Effects work is on the money, with the suspended, glowing Bifrost gateway from Asgard to other worlds an eye-catching highlight. All other technical credits are thoroughly pro."
bigshow2312
bigshow2312 - 4/18/2011, 12:34 PM
Caint wait




HelaGood
HelaGood - 4/18/2011, 12:40 PM
90% now!

and yeah while i dont look to the critics to give me validation on a movie, i do enjoy a movie more when the majority enjoys it!!!
skullboy
skullboy - 4/18/2011, 12:45 PM
Surprisingly, alot of people don't mind the whole Thor turning mortal thing on his debut film. Well as somebody already posted, I'll be my own judge.
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