If ever there was a perfect match of actor and director, Chris Hemsworth and Kenneth Branagh in “Thor” was it … or so I thought.
Taika Waititi (“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”) sits in the director’s chair after the rather disappointing 2013 sequel “Thor: The Dark World,” attempting to bring the series back to life. But while Waititi’s unique wit and personality are evident, an overwhelming amount of CGI bogs down what could have been the next “Deadpool” of superhero films.
Hemsworth returns to carrying the entire galaxy’s future on his strong, chiseled shoulders. The opening scene shows him in a caged basket chatting with a “friend” made of bones on the other side, recounting his past endeavors and how he finds himself in his current predicament. His matter-of-fact tone accompanied by perfectly-timed stunts provides exactly the punch needed. He then spins around slowly in a circle, dangling on a chain, trying to talk with the evil character before him. Apparently, Thor likes to maintain eye contact while talking and has to wait for a complete rotation before continuing his dialogue. This jarringly hilarious situation knocks the intimidating pace out of his opponent, giving the audience time to laugh and him to prepare to fight.