Okay. This video -- which is a wonderful five minutes long -- leaked last night and is being pulled all over the place, so watch it while you can. A few thoughts:
• It looks much better than I expected, and I never particularly thought it was going to be awful.
• I'm impressed that the movie is working directly with the post-credits teaser from Iron Man 2; i.e., Coulson found the hammer in the desert? It's still there in Thor.
• I'm also impressed that the movie goes out of its way to stress the whole science = magic thing we've been talking about. I think that justifies pretty much any design choice they happen to have.
• Helmets!
• I was about to scoff that Jane What's-her-name apparently found what she thought was a homeless man and let him stay in her house, and then the next shot was of Chris Hemworth with his shirt off, and I'm like, "Oh. Right. That makes sense."
• So is Thor just Thor in the movie? He knows he's Thor the whole time, and maybe Donald Blake is only a name Jane gives him while he's searching for his hammer? I think that's probably a good call, but then, I've never understood the whole Donald Blake/Thor thing; every time I've read a comic with Thor in it he's just been Thor. (Via Comics Alliance)
Comments
JohnathanEnder said:
DESTROYER!!!
Then again, given the current status of cool villains in comic book movies, my guess is that this thing is only going to be in the film for six minutes...
Posted 07/29/2010 at 09:25:35 AM
bortasaurus rex said:
This looks much much better than I was expecting it to be. I am officially pumped about Thor now.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 09:26:02 AM
sympathy4drdoom said:
not too bad...him being powerless explained why he was punching and kicking guards without killing them , that scene early in the preview was bothering me
Posted 07/29/2010 at 09:28:17 AM
Paul said:
Y'know, with each movie, I'm becoming a bigger fan of Agent Coulson. He's the Henchman 24 (Season 4 version of course) of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 09:34:43 AM
BeastOfGevaudan replied to Paul:
You mean two ton 21? Otherwise you're talking about a skull
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:30:27 AM
Red Joker replied to BeastOfGevaudan:
well... given that he is facing the destroyer here, he might as well be a skull now...
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:25:38 AM
Paul replied to BeastOfGevaudan:
I blame my lack of sleep. Yes, 21.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 04:30:33 PM
RunnerX13 said:
Nice, and the rubber armor does look like metal.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 09:59:32 AM
Craig said:
OMFG, i'm totally in! I was really really worried that this was going to be a train wreck. Yeah I know, it could still be one, but at least they've taken a mythical subject and made it seem plausible. I can't wait!
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:04:06 AM
Loren said:
I recently read the first collection of Thor stories by Walt Simonson, often considered the best Thor storyteller, and one of the first things he did was to get rid of Donald Blake. So dropping the doctor aspect has some pretty strong precedent behind it.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:04:22 AM
Carl said:
The hammer doesn't look very heavy when anyone is actually holding it. Granted, there aren't very many shots of anyone holding it in this trailer, so I hope it's just unfortunate footage ... It always annoys me when huge, supposedly heavy props (like guns) get tossed around like the plastic they probably are.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:19:06 AM
Well, to be fair, Thor is ludicrously strong, so probably his definition of "heavy" is different from yours or mine. :)
Also, what is the hammer's actual weight? I'm assuming it is magical, rather than a true reflection of its mass; that's why it can't be picked up by anyone other than Thor. Perhaps the weight changes, so for a regular person, it's way too heavy (and that weight increases even in the face of moving equipment, apparently; I doubt SHIELD would have given up picking up the hammer after three guys couldn't get move it), but for Thor, it's about as light as a pen.
Total speculation on my part, however.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:38:50 AM
Krischaos replied to EVula:
well not many people can weild the hammer, cap has because he's worthy and hulk almost did through brute strengt alone, just like in the film sometimes thor isnt worthy and cant lift it even with his magic belt
Posted 07/29/2010 at 02:51:25 PM
Anonymous said:
Is no one going to mention the fact that they mentioned Tony?
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:27:39 AM
ClarkKentsLoveChild said:
AWESOME!!! Much better than I expected since seeing the ET interview where Natilie Portman keeps underdressing him with her eyes. It will fit right along with Iron Man and hopfully Captain America will keep the ball rolling into AVENGERS, which be the geekgasm of the summer.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:31:52 AM
knifeintheeye replied to ClarkKentsLoveChild:
I saw that Portman interview and I thought she was amazing. I couldn't stop laughing when she described him as so big and practically came in her panties. The sincere look on his face when he explained he wanted that effect on viewers since he worked so hard on achieving his build, was wonderful.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:36:16 AM
Zortt1 said:
Join in with me folks!
"Across the rainbow bridge to Asgard,
Where the mighty heavens roar!
You'll gaze in awe and wonder,
the god of thunder!
The Mighty Thor!"
Every time I see anything with the Thor movie in it I belt that out.
People in my store looked at me weird, but then wanted to see the footage. Everyone in my antique store approves. :)
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:04:00 AM
EVula said:
Really excited at how they're handling all of that. Also, I too am becoming a great fan of Agent Coulson. The bit at the end made me a lot more confident that the Marvel Studios movies are going to work coherently as separate movies with entertaining supporting characters threading them together.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:07:37 AM
DoctorSmashy said:
By Odin's Beard, this looks fricking GREAT! I couldn't be happier that all these new Marvel movies are in the same continuity and world - it makes it so much more like a comic book. It's great that Coulson is sort of the link between all these movies, he's a good character. I can't wait to see the Captain America footage, and eventually The Avengers. Both this Thor and RDJ's Iron Man seem like they will go great together when they finally appear onscreen together. Maybe Iron Man (or even Cap!) will make a little cameo at the end of this movie....
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:08:20 AM
Juice said:
This footage sold me even more on this movie. I was already behind it but now I'm even more pumped for it. It looks great and the only bad thing is that we have to wait until next summer to see it. Now I want to see the Cap footage.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:21:21 AM
SacredHeretic said:
This made my day. I like almost everyone else have been extremely worried that the Thor movie was going to be a pile of Hollywood shit. This footage has taken that worry and replaced it with a warm fuzzy feeling.
Also, I'm going to start a new batch of mead just for this film!
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:24:27 AM
Izandra said:
Wow. Not a Thor fan normally, but this looks GOOD. Totally excited!
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:34:52 AM
RobP said:
Definitely looks better than I ever thought it had any right to be. That's gotta be the Branagh Factor. And I definitely appreciate the noticeable lack of "thees" and "thous."
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:55:44 AM
longbowhunter said:
I keep hearing things out of the THOR set about ACTING and the ACTORS and how the DIRECTOR directed the actors...you know,the kind of shit you SHOULD be hearing about a good movie. Too often the performances get pushed aside by the special effects...I think hiring Branagh to direct was a smart move. Say what you will about the prequels,but Natalie Portman is a damn fine actress and any movie starring her AND Sir Anthony Hopkins cannot be bad.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 12:20:36 PM
Ian70 said:
Lookin' good! Not up on Thor's hsitory. Still, from what I know both of the character and the Marvel Universe, it's nice to see they're staying faithful to its roots. One of the things that has irked me about comic book movie adaptations in the last several years had been the filmmakers' apparent reluctance to embrace the more outlandish aspects of the comic book universe (i.e., the X-Men movies never using the Sentinels, or Galactus being a big cloud rather than a guy in purple armor). With both "The Incredible Hulk" and "Iron Man 2," it looks like they've finally turned that corner and they're no longer afraid that the audience won't buy into them and they can be as outrageous as they want to be. This trailer is a very good sign of that.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 12:26:02 PM
Rocco said:
This movie looks perfect. Which leads me to believe it will do horrible at the box office. The general public really doesn't "get" the joint universe concept. Hopefully that will change..
Posted 07/29/2010 at 12:30:27 PM
Jaymus Yawsley replied to Rocco:
Yeah, at the end of Iron Man 2 a bunch of people said "what is that?" and I shouted that it was Thor's hammer. One girl said "what does that have to do with Iron Man?"
This does look amazing. I was on board the second they announced Branagh was directing it, and it looks like he's doing it justice. I was a bit taken aback when Chris Hemsworth was cast (I've only seen him in Star Trek, and while he was fine, he was a little too "'sup, bro?"-ish for my liking), it seems that he's going to be fantastic.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 01:54:23 PM
dave replied to Rocco:
I disagree. People understand the joint universe concept, although many think that DC and Marvel characters inhabit the same world.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 07:10:36 PM
Mikey said:
Uhm, yeah. Totally badass. Whoever came up with the idea to work all the Marvel movies together deserves my unending praise. I love Agent Coulson. I love that all the moves are tied. I love the fact that they're not too far out there like Spiderman and the first Hulk. After watching this, I may go buy some Marvel stock, cause I bet it hits the roof when Avengers comes out.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 12:44:58 PM
Roswellianism said:
.....I came.
I don't even like Thor all that much and I still came.
Makes me eager to see "Cap." Hopefully, Johnston's "Cap" will be in the same vein as his "Rocketeer" film...
Posted 07/29/2010 at 12:57:35 PM
ZeroCorpse said:
It looks good, but I'm a little bummed that we don't get to see him fly with Mjolnir. Part of what makes him Thor is that he can defy gravity and control weather. Without that, he's just a strong dude with a hammer.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 01:41:40 PM
Portion of Foxes said:
now im pumped
i thought this was gonna be god awful thus the avengers movie will tank but it looks like it might hold its own
Posted 07/29/2010 at 01:54:48 PM
willie said:
Does anyone else think heimdall looks like goldar from power rangers??
Posted 07/29/2010 at 02:32:10 PM
Bazooka Joe said:
[15-second primal scream]
I need a cigarette, and I don't even smoke.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 03:08:06 PM
willie said:
Does anyone else think heimdall looks like goldar from power rangers??
Posted 07/29/2010 at 03:14:26 PM
lou-bert vs. q-bert said:
I'm going to assume that the Destroyer is unfinished FX. If not, it looks as bad as SyFy original movie FX.
And it looks like I don't have to see the movie now. everything is pretty much given away here.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 04:40:44 PM
PiercingMetal Ken said:
I admit I was a little fearful of this myself but it sure looks promising. I wonder who else we shall "meet" for the Asgard scenes. Do you think we shall get Balder or even Hela. Even if we don't, I know I will be on line for this one on opening day.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 05:50:58 PM
The Man With Two Brains said:
Rob, the whole Donald Blake/Thor thing is SIMPLE:
*Thor was a dick.
*Odin wanted to teach Thor humility, so he made him into a man named Donald Blake who didn't remember being a God.
*Blake found his hammer which disguised itself as a cane while he was human but turned him back into his true self when he struck it against the ground.
*Eventually Odin felt that Thor had learned his lesson and returned his full Godly memories to him.
*For a while Thor continued to masquerade as Donald Blake to fit into human society.
*Eventually he got sick of doing that and has since been Thor 24/7.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 05:51:18 PM
WamBam26 said:
I'm going to freeze myself until this movie comes out because I CAN'T WAIT!
Posted 07/29/2010 at 06:15:55 PM
Jimmy Boots said:
It seems to me that it will combine the Ultimate and 616 universe, with elements of people thinking Thor is just crazy or something. It looks awesome as Hell though.
Posted 07/29/2010 at 07:19:41 PM
MRMtheotherone said:
Is it just me, or was this just the long version of the trailer and too polished to be a 'leak'? I think they 'leaked' it and then pulled it to make people hungry to see it. I don't think they need a publicity stunt, it really looks awesome!
Posted 07/29/2010 at 08:26:15 PM
Odkin said:
It made more sense in the comic that when Odin banished Thor and gave him false human memories as "Don Blake", that he also made him frail and lame. Going through life as a superfit male model is probably not the quickest path to him learning "humility".
Posted 07/29/2010 at 09:50:26 PM
rickicker said:
i missed it! FUCK!! X(
but hey, rob's review convinced me! looks like the marvel movieverse is looking better and better compared to their rivals, m i rite?
Posted 07/29/2010 at 10:47:30 PM
CoyoteBSensible said:
Pajiba still has a copy up and running for now...
http://www.pajiba.com/trailers/to-fight-the-horde-sing-and-cry-valhalla-i-am-coming-thor-trailer.php
Posted 07/29/2010 at 11:05:40 PM
Shadowtag said:
My only complaint was Hogun didn't look grim enough. But hey, one thing out of dozens isn't enough to turn me off of this thing.
Posted 07/30/2010 at 02:18:43 AM
Chucky said:
I said it when I first saw Odin's throne, and I'll say it again. This thing looks like the Masters of the Universe movie for the new generation!!!
AWESOMENESS!!!
Posted 07/30/2010 at 06:16:01 AM
Straelbora said:
When I hear Brannaugh was attached to the project, I crossed my fingers. I wasn't disappointed. It looks pretty good.
Posted 07/30/2010 at 08:56:19 AM
Rml said:
That was simply awesome!!! I was afraid, but not anymore. I'm SO on board!!!
Posted 07/30/2010 at 10:01:05 AM
Superjoe said:
Rob you don't seem as excited as I am. My question is...
WHY?!?!?!
THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!
Posted 07/30/2010 at 02:51:37 PM

