The superhero movie “The Mighty Thor” appeared in 2011, before the “Avengers” movie was released in 2012. It was the first film in which Thor, who later became known as the “Big Three” and is a very popular character in Japan along with “Iron Man” and “Captain America,” made his first appearance and attracted a lot of attention. Perhaps because the concept of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was almost established, the film has a strong sense of unity as an MCU work. Still, it is also a cookie that retains a unique style for an American comic book film.

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The first live-action film of a hero based on Norse mythology.

The movie Thor has a somewhat interesting background for an American comic book film. It is based on Norse mythology, and of course, the original comics are based on Norse mythology.

What surprised me when I saw this film was that it has a closer relationship to Norse mythology than I had expected. Thor’s father, Odin, and his brother, Loki, are modeled directly after the god of the same name in Norse mythology. Laufey has been re-set from the Titan of the same name; Heimdall is also modeled on the god of the same name, Sif on the goddess Siv, and Frigga on Frigg. Thus, Asgard’s characters are rooted in actual Norse mythology. Although the stories are not used verbatim, various subplots of Norse mythology are skillfully inserted and utilized in the settings, and many of the originals can be immediately thought of by those familiar with Norse mythology. There are several American comics based on mythology, but I didn’t expect it to be this gutsy, which was surprising.

Each character

• Odin: Lord god and god of knowledge, war, and poetry. He lost one eye to gain knowledge from the fountain of wisdom at the base of Yggdrasil.
• Thor: A thunder god and mighty warrior with a hammer named Mjolnir.
• Loki: Trickster god, mischievous but also a troublemaker for the gods.
• Baldur: God of light, symbol of purity and beauty.
• Heimdall: patron of the Bifrost, a god of keen sight and hearing.

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Unexpected director and cast for an American comic book movie.

The Movie Thor was a challenging film in terms of directing and casting, not only because the MCU itself is a difficult project but also because when I looked into the details of the film, I was surprised to learn that Kenneth Branagh was the director.

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Kenneth Branagh is well-known as an actor; his previous films have been classics. I had no idea what kind of movie it would be because I could not connect Branagh’s career and image, in which he has directed his favorite Shakespearean works, classic British classics such as Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and “The Magic Flute,” with an American comic book movie.

Also starring is Chris Hemsworth, an almost unknown actor at the time of the film’s release in 2011, and Tom Hiddleston, a British Shakespearean stage actor, as his brother, Loki. The heroine is played by Natalie Portman, Oscar-winning actress and star of Star Wars episodes 1 ~ 3 as Padme. It is a cast that you would not expect to see in the main cast of an American comic book movie. It was a very bold decision.

When I saw the film, I was convinced by the director and the casting. It dealt with elements such as the Norse mythology connection, the prodigal son theme consistently dealt with in various classical works, and the brother troubled by his origins. Still, I felt that the name alone might make it a little difficult to watch the film.

Thor’s adventures in the MCU begin here.

The movie Thor is the starting point for the coming adventures of our God of Thunder, Thor.

The Thor series has been an essential point in the MCU’s Infinity Saga. Loki was the main villain in the Avengers films, and the Infinity Stone first appeared in The Mighty Thor. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers were the two central figures in the Infinity Saga. While Thor also plays a significant role, his position is more subtle.

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Maybe it’s because all the directors of the “Mighty Thor” trilogy are different. Or it could be because Hemsworth has indicated that he intends to continue playing Thor for a long time. Either way, for better or worse, Thor’s story is characterized by an endpoint that is never in sight. However, the starting point of Thor’s adventure is this film, and this film, including the casting and setting, has laid the groundwork for it.

1. Thor: Directed by Kenneth Branagh
2. Thor: The Dark World, directed by Alan Taylor
3. Thor: Ragnarok: Directed by Taika Waititi

The Movie Thor was not a well-known character at the time of his release, and the interesting combination of a mythology-based American comic book did not make him very familiar. The character was catapulted from there to become one of the world’s most popular characters. To trace his origins, the movie “The Mighty Thor” is a must-see. Not only for Thor fans but also for those who started with the “Avengers” series, it is a film that should be seen as a review.