Trailer Hitch
By BOP Staff
April 7, 2011
Thor
Edwin Davies: Pretty much as soon as I heard that Kenneth Branagh would be directing Thor, I've had misgivings about the project. I like Branagh. I think he was once a really terrific actor and even nowadays can still deliver great work when required - his work on the TV series Wallander recently was great - but as a director I find him very hit and miss, and there's really nothing in his past work to suggest that he could handle the spectacle and lightness of tone that a summer blockbuster requires. This trailer, more than anything else, has got me thinking that, against all odds, he might have managed it. The few jokes highlighted are solid, the action sequences look really impressive and, with the exception of a moment at the end when the CGI looks unusually cheap for a movie that cost so much, the film does have a genuine sense of spectacle and grandeur to it. There is still every chance that the man who brought you Henry V, Hamlet and that terrible remake of Sleuth might not be the right man to bring a comic book character to life, but this trailer has pretty guaranteed that I will see this opening weekend.
David Mumpower: Before discussing the trailer, I would offer one counter to Edwin's assertion that Kenneth Branagh has nothing in his film library that is summer blockbuster-ish in terms of offering "spectacle and lightness". One of my favorite movies is Dead Again, a Scott Frank script (he also wrote Out of Sight, Get Shorty, and The Interpreter), that has a perfect blend of acting and out of nowhere humor. When I heard the casting announcements for Thor, this was the project that kept sticking in my head as the best case scenario. With that film (and Henry V), he reinvented Derek Jacobi, a brilliant actor whose career had gone wrong. I mention that because Anthony Hopkins is in Thor and...well, you know. I acknowledge history will not repeat itself as this is a paycheck role for Hopkins. Still, Branagh has consistently amazed me with his ability to remind actors of what they love about their craft.
The Thor trailer itself is one I would describe as best case scenario. I worry that the premise is too weird for a lot of people in that Asgard isn't a topic of choice on the internet these days. I have felt for a while that Thor as a character will play very well in an ensemble cast in that he's a lot of fun. We are talking about an oversized crazy dude who is well intended and has an unquenchable thirst for ale kegs. That is a strong avenue for comic relief. Is it enough to anchor a movie? I've been dubious in the past. I may be turning around on the subject a bit, though.
The opening sequence where the God of Thunder talks smack then gets tasered is quite funny and his ability to throw down a plate of waffles is engaging. Plus, they cleverly target the female demographic by showing off abs that put that the teen wolf from Twilight to shame. When we finally get to the superhero stuff, the cylon with the ocular fireball is also attention grabbing. This comprises a full two minutes of the trailer where I only have one small quibble, which is that Loki looks ridiculous. Not coincidentally, he isn't shown much. The rest of the movie is quick cut into the final 30 seconds of the trailer and while I have some concerns about what I see, they don't matter from a marketing standpoint. Whomever cut this clip understood the appeal of the premise then (correctly) chose to highlight those aspects while downplaying the out there stuff that is likely to alienate people. Thor is still a tough sell in several ways, but I am upping my opening weekend expectations based on the quality of this ad.
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