Is Thor the best Marvel Studios movie so far?

[Marvel]

I actually think Thor borders on being Branagh's film more than Marvel. Unlike TIH, IM2 or even IM1, it doesn't feel like it is really part of a franchise marketing machine other than the after-credits scene and a throwaway reference to Stark. Otherwise you could just call SHIELD the FBI and it stands apart form the rest of the MCU.

If people are being honest and not getting caught up in the names or the hype you can say the exact same thing about Iron Man 2 for the most part. Call SHIELD the FBI and give Fury's role to another character and it's still a quality stand alone film that compliments the original. The Black Widow is simply a government operative. Coulson plays the same role but with a slight wink to Thor and the fans. Everything not involved in the final Avengers Initiative scene stands well on its own. Not that the films have to stand alone but that's been a rather dumb critique of IM2 from day one.

I think if Spidey 2 just came out, it's be unanimously above and beyond highly ranked on this list, same with Xmen2. and so on.
Those weeks after X2 were insane on these boards...

The point, do you people think Thor will stand the test of time? Let alone the way Spidey 2 has?

Did it bring enough memorability and or spectacle and or whatever it takes to be considered one of the greatest 20 years later a la burtons batman to some? Or is this a result of it having been released literally 6 days ago and being a solid film?

To prove this point/theory, I can't wait to visit this very thread by the end of summer. and Then again by next december.

Yes, Thor will indeed stand up well over time. I honestly expect the spectacle to get nominated for awards next year the way Iron Man and Spider-Man 2 did. It certainly is one of the best and memorable origin films of all-time. Richard Roeper said as much in his review and I don't think too many people accuse him of being a hyper fanboy caught in the moment. Comparing Thor to other origin films, it stands right with Iron Man as an instant classic. (Ahead of X-Men and Batman Begins to be sure) Maybe the fair thing to do would be to compare Thor 2 to X2 or SM2 in the future? Still, I have a pretty good sense of history and the impact of a film and Thor will register for years to come.

 

[Heretic]

The reason why people complain about all the Avengers tie-in distraction in Iron man 2 is not because they are Avengers distractions...it's because they are distractions. If you change all of their names into non-Avengers tie-ins, the movie is still cluttered with too many characters and hints of what is to come in another movie.

 

[BigThor]

If you're comparing it to something like 2001: A Space Odyssey or Apocalypse Now, I'd agree it is not very complex or deep. But compared to most summer blockbusters and every single superhero movie....yeah, it is. And it is clearly bordering on that subjective term, "art." It deals with social decay, justice versus order and philosophically contemplates truth vs. the state, the level one is willing to sacrifice their ideals for order and the "War on Terror's" abuse of human rights.



I know this is all subjective, but it's really not. Neither film (though I've only seen Thor once) holds a ton of rewatch value. However, SM2's strength is it is entirely wrapped around Peter Parker's journey of self-discovery and soul searching. The entire film has an epic feel to it solely based on how much Raimi and Maguire can get the audience to invest in this character. Despite being comedic and slapstick at times (not to mention about a guy in blue and red tights who altruistically fights crime with superpowers), it is grounded in a level of character believability that actually makes dramatic elements involving.--i.e. the love story feels like a crucial part of the narrative and not a variable in a formula, Doc Ock's character arc feels, Harry loses his soul to the darkside in a series of great scenes, etc.. It is just a meatier film that goes a good 20+ minutes without an action sequence or a ton of comic relief from an MTV character dropping words like "Facebook," "Youtube," and "iPod" every 5 minutes to look hip and current.

The greatest way I can phrase this, when you first watched SM2, what was the feeling you got when he finally got his powers back and went back into action? When he stopped the runaway train in a Christ-like pose? When Doc Ock committed suicide so Peter could live? When Peter got the finally girl at the end? Now, were you really upset that Thor and Jane were not together at the end? Did you really care that Loki tried to kill himself? Do you care if you see any of the non-Asgard characters again in a sequel? That is why SM2 is better.

Nope, that is why Spider-Man 2 is better to YOU, I actually cared about Thor and Jane being seperated at the end as well as the non Asgardians characters.

I even cared MUCH more about Loki supposedly "killing himself" than Dock Ock because to me he was more relatable and a better villain. That's just my opinion and no amount of mutil-paragraphed comments on a message board is gonna change that.

 

[kedrell]

(Regarding the films)I'd take Thor & Jane's instant infatuation over Peter & MJ's teen melodrama(that's what it is, don't insult my intelligence by telling me it's ACTUAL drama). Is it the deepest, most meaningful romance in superhero film history? no, but it isn't irritating either. And seeing Portman practically drooling with lust ain't bad to watch either. Dunst on her best day really couldn't get my engine revved like that.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well they were playing teenagers .

Thor is far from the best. But it's a really good solid effort that surpassed many of the disappointments and lemons as of late. It's definitely not going into Hulk, FF, Daredevil, and Ghost Rider territory and that's really good.

Thor is now an established franchise and I couldn't be happier. To me it validates the direction that Marvel started in 2006 and I'm glad we are finally seeing all those years of efforts take fruit.

 

[kedrell]

Well they were playing teenagers .

Which is one of the reasons why I've never been able to get into the romance aspect of Spider-man and since that's such a HUGE aspect of his mythos, it's limited his appeal over-all to me as a result.Whenever I did read Spider-man, it was for his other problems(work, school, villains, etc.).

 

[DACrowe]

Nope, that is why Spider-Man 2 is better to YOU, I actually cared about Thor and Jane being seperated at the end as well as the non Asgardians characters.

I even cared MUCH more about Loki supposedly "killing himself" than Dock Ock because to me he was more relatable and a better villain. That's just my opinion and no amount of mutil-paragraphed comments on a message board is gonna change that.

Perhaps. But I recall when people said Superman Returns, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Incredible Hulk and even Iron Man 2 were better (usually for the same "too much teen melodrama" reason). Yet, in a few years time, people will still be comparing all new superhero films to The Dark Knight, Iron Man and Spider-Man 2. The fact that people still argue if they're the best or why they're overrated years later is a credit to their staying power and influence on the genre. I doubt Thor will be held with the same reverence in two years time, much less seven.

 

[DACrowe]

Well they were playing teenagers .

Thor is far from the best. But it's a really good solid effort that surpassed many of the disappointments and lemons as of late. It's definitely not going into Hulk, FF, Daredevil, and Ghost Rider territory and that's really good.

Thor is now an established franchise and I couldn't be happier. To me it validates the direction that Marvel started in 2006 and I'm glad we are finally seeing all those years of efforts take fruit.

This I agree with. Thor is a good movie and fun entertainment that has successfully turned a little-known comic property into a solid franchise. It validates Marvel's business model as viable and that Iron Man was just not a fluke (though it is still by far their most successful and important franchise). I just see people around here having to praise this film by putting the genre standard-bearers (TDK and SM2) down. This is ironic because if these films were so overrated and inferior, then why do they crop up in every single forum about a new film as golden standards to be compared with? The fact that even if so many people claim to not care and/or hate them now, it is a credit to their staying power and influence that these people feel a need to criticize them to prop up their new favorite....which usually fades after the DVD hits a few months later.

 

[Vartha]

For YEARS we long time Thor fans knew Thor was a hidden treasure, that in part not getting it's due because of the Shakespeare or Thorspeak, Everyone should THANK JMS for his reworking of that, to get everyone reading the books and stories.

 

[rowleyslims]

Which is one of the reasons why I've never been able to get into the romance aspect of Spider-man and since that's such a HUGE aspect of his mythos, it's limited his appeal over-all to me as a result.Whenever I did read Spider-man, it was for his other problems(work, school, villains, etc.).

imo.
gotta take into consideration Raimi kinda effed things up. in the comics:
1. mary jane didn't show up into peters life until after high school.
2. peter had gone through the whole accidentally killing teen love, gwen, and then met mj and had to deal with the whole protect the people he loved by always having to hurt them.
the love interests peter has throughout his story are definitely a HUGE aspect of his mythos. that being said, i defiantly found the romance between hem/portman better than toby/dunst. but thats only because toby and dunst just fell short. movie didn't reach expectations set by comics, not by miles.

and i actually preferred, in thor, that the movie ended with them separated. i found it strengthened the story rather than hurting it. gave you wanting more...t:

 

[DACrowe]

At risk of sounding like a Raimi fanboy (which I really am not)....

imo.
gotta take into consideration Raimi kinda effed things up. in the comics:
1. mary jane didn't show up into peters life until after high school.

So, he also didn't meet Gwen until college. Should he have been dating Betty, a woman who is supposed to be almost ten years older than him? NOt so sure that would play well on screen.

2. peter had gone through the whole accidentally killing teen love, gwen, and then met mj and had to deal with the whole protect the people he loved by always having to hurt them.

...Eh, that's not how it happened in the comics. Like, at all.

and i actually preferred, in thor, that the movie ended with them separated. i found it strengthened the story rather than hurting it. gave you wanting more...t:

You mean like the end of Spider-Man 1? Or perhaps you meant Batman Begins? Actually, Iron Man did that in a less dramatic fashion as well.

 

[Jager X]

In my opinion, Thor is the best Marvel Studios film to date. While the scale of action may not be the best, it is the overall emotional impact that shot this film to the top to me. This was a pure comic book film that can only be surpassed by Green Lantern in terms of embracing its cosmic and fantastical roots. I became invested in the characters by way of the intense and nuanced performances brought forth by the actors.

Hemsworth really brought it home with Thor. His overall arc flowed very naturally to me. Others may disagree, but I loved his development and how Branagh achieve it in a timely manner was ace. The scene in the holding cell was THE turning point for Thor as a character and a man - brilliant.

Hopkins and Hiddleson made me so attached to them that I began experiencing emotions for their characters that I never did for any other comic film. When Odin crumbles to his knees while begging for his Loki's acceptance and forgiveness was heartwrenching. It also added depth to Loki since he could have easily left Odin in the dark and hallow chamber to die. Instead, he put aside his anger to tend to his dying father.

These are just some of the moments in the film that I feel set the movie apart from its predecessors. Thor was obviously a CB movie that pushed the envelope in emotion. The action came second to the fragile and intimate nature of the familial relationships that brought about said action. This is why I view Thor as the best Marvel studios film so far.

 

[Lantern Venom]

Thor is a close 3rd to Blade 2 and Spidey 2. I think it was better than Iron Man/both Hulks/X-men (good flicks) and far superior to Elektra/Daredevil/FF (only decent).

 

[BigThor]

Perhaps. But I recall when people said Superman Returns, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Incredible Hulk and even Iron Man 2 were better (usually for the same "too much teen melodrama" reason). Yet, in a few years time, people will still be comparing all new superhero films to The Dark Knight, Iron Man and Spider-Man 2. The fact that people still argue if they're the best or why they're overrated years later is a credit to their staying power and influence on the genre. I doubt Thor will be held with the same reverence in two years time, much less seven.

This may be true, but I don't base my opinions off of how "highly regarded" or "universally acclaimed" a film is so this doesn't apply to me.

I couldn't careless if most people think it's not as good as films like Iron Man and Spider-Man 2 because it is in MY opinion.

 

[Lantern Venom]

This may be true, but I don't base my opinions off of how "highly regarded" or "universally acclaimed" a film is so this doesn't apply to me.

I couldn't careless if most people think it's not as good as films like Iron Man and Spider-Man 2 because it is in MY opinion.

I have similar feelings about those flicks. I liked Thor better than Iron Man, in part, because Thor's mythos is much more appealing to me than Iron Man's.

 

[Bubonic]

It's too early for me to answer, I can't trust myself to give an unbiased opinion because this is so fresh in my mind.

For all the ways this movie could have easily have gone wrong and didn't, I commend it.

Is it fair to say that Thor was the most challenging character to tackle? I remember a couple of years ago people swore up and down that Thor just wouldn't have mass appeal, it wouldn't work, it be a joke regardless of the approach, and here we are now and it has been at the top of the box office for almost 3 weeks.

 

[monnie]

Yes i thought thor was awesome i have seen it 5 times now and i'm going for a 6th this weekend i have never seen any superhero movie as much as thor.

 

[ALP]

From Marvel Studios, Iron Man is my favorite followed by Thor. But Spider-Man 2 is my overall favorite of any Marvel film.

 

[Rock Sexton]

From Marvel Studios, Iron Man is my favorite followed by Thor. But Spider-Man 2 is my overall favorite of any Marvel film.

I never understood the love affair with Spiderman .... Tobey McGuire bored the ever-living heck out of me.

 

[The Batman]

Man, you say people need to stop being contrarian and yet you go against majority saying that movies like TDK or SM2 weren't that good. Do people need to change according to anyone's personal standards? Or they just need to accept negative opinions and/or opinions that differ from their own?

This.

"TDK/SM2/X2 isnt as good as people think" posts make me Yawn. They reek of said poster trying to look different...especially when they refer to people as "Cults" just because they think they're the best comic movies.

 

[HighFivingMF]

You happen to like things other people do? Hah. Hope you packed enough food for the whole bandwagon.

 

[DACrowe]

I never understood the love affair with Spiderman .... Tobey McGuire bored the ever-living heck out of me.

Pathos and being relatable. A lot of people (not just comic fans) can relate to the character of Peter Parker as an everyman and identify with him. While I prefer RDJ as Stark, Bale as Batman, Jackman as Wolverine, etc. TM and Sam Raimi put more effort into making Peter Parker an empathetic and noble character that audiences connect better to him than a Norse god or smug weapons dealer who grows a conscious at 40. Maguire and Raimi brought a passion to the protagonist that I think let those movies hit a spark. Nolan's movies hit the spark because of the scope and sense that, in TDK's case, you were watching a crime drama epic that happened to have superheroes and villains in it (plus Ledger's performance). Iron Man caught that spark because Downey is so charming.

I don't know if Thor had that point of entry given the subject matter. I honestly believe that this is why both Hulk films failed. There is no point of entry for the audience because the protagonist for half the movie is a CGI green monster tearing things up. Once Bana/Norton are off the screen the audience quits caring about them and neither transcended the genre in a way Nolan did (though Lee tried a little too hard). That is why I'm not worried about The Avengers. If there is one person who knows how to make characters audiences care about, it's Joss Whedon.

My two cents on that subject.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Iron Man is still the best for me, but Thor is a close second. I think Thor probably would have taken the top spot if it wasn't for the bad CGI in the intro scene and if they had explained Heimdall's character a little better. Still, it was a fantastic movie and I can't wait to see more of Thor.

 

[kedrell]

I never understood the love affair with Spiderman .... Tobey McGuire bored the ever-living heck out of me.

cosigned.

 

[BigThor]

This.

"TDK/SM2/X2 isnt as good as people think" posts make me Yawn. They reek of said poster trying to look different...especially when they refer to people as "Cults" just because they think they're the best comic movies.

That might be, but some people actually think TDK,SM2, and X2 aren't as good as people think.

I think SM2 and TDK are great films, but I'm not all that crazy for X2.