Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Thor

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence.

Reviewed by: Daniel Thompson
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teens Adults
Genre: Fantasy Superhero Action Adventure Drama 3D
Length: 1 hr. 54 min.
Year of Release: 2011
USA Release: May 6, 2011 (wide—3,500+ theaters)
DVD: September 13, 2011
Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studiosclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios

norse mythology

thunder in the bible

warriors

violence

arrogance, pride and humility

becoming a hero

one against many

male female relationship

Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios Copyright, Paramount Pictures / Marvel Studios
Featuring Chris HemsworthThor
Natalie PortmanJane Foster
Tom HiddlestonLoki
Anthony HopkinsOdin
Stellan SkarsgårdErik Selvig
Kat DenningsDarcy Lewis
Clark GreggAgent Coulson
Idris ElbaHeimdall
Colm FeoreKing Laufey
Ray StevensonVolstagg
Tadanobu Asano … Hogun
Josh Dallas … Fandral
Jaimie Alexander … Sif
Rene RussoFrigga
Samuel L. JacksonNick Fury (uncredited)
See all »
Director Kenneth Branagh
Producer Paramount Pictures
Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Studios
Stan Lee … executive producer
See all »
Distributor Distributor: Paramount Pictures Corporation. Trademark logo. Paramount Pictures
Marvel Studios

“Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor”

The phrase “second rate” is usually used to describe something that is not very good, but that’s actually incorrect. In reality, we’ve all enjoyed a minor league baseball game or a frozen dinner, right? In fact, without the experience of a major league game or a freshly prepared five course meal, one would consider those things to be supreme. The point is, when you’ve had excellent, sometimes good seems like a letdown. Such is the case with “Thor,” the latest installment from Marvel comics. While a technical wonder, the rest of “Thor” is entertaining, but does not live up to many of its Marvel predecessors.

The film takes place simultaneously on planet Earth as well as the realm of Asgard, home of King Odin and his son Thor, the god of thunder. It is explained at the beginning of the film that there was a time long ago when humans believed in these gods, and they inhabited Earth. The time has since past, and Odin is preparing Thor to take over as king of Asgard, while also protecting the world from the Frost Giants of Jotunheim.

Thor disobeys his father, and is banished to Earth to live powerless among the humans, while Thor’s brother Loki takes over the throne. While Thor is away, Loki proves to be less than trustworthy, leaving both Asgard and Earth in danger. While on Earth, Thor meets a physicist named Jane, who realizes she has just discovered life other than that on Earth. Along with her two friends Darcy and Dr. Erik Selvig, Jane tries to help Thor find his power and get back to his realm.

While there are problems, “Thor” was clearly made with a steady technical hand. The effects on display are anything but second rate. The creators of the film clearly took great care in crafting the worlds of Asgard and Jotunheim. Even though these worlds are clearly digital, the attention to detail and costume design keeps the viewer entranced. Filmed in eye-popping 3D, the action sequences that take place in Asgard, Jotunheim, and Earth all dazzle.

Unfortunately, the rest of “Thor” does not live up to the stunning visuals. The script is poorly written, and the film is not paced correctly. As the viewer watches the story shift back and forth from one world to another, he or she is not left wanting more, but instead feeling shortchanged. The time the movie spends on Earth feels like a waste, and mostly inconsequential. The viewer is, also, supposed to believe that a strong romantic connection is made between the two leads with only about 20 minutes of screen time together.

There are a few genuinely funny moments in the film, especially the requisite cameo by Stan Lee.

As a whole, the acting is average, even though the cast features some talented actors. Virtually unknown actor Chris Hemsworth does a serviceable job in the title role of Thor. Fresh off her Oscar® win, Natalie Portman does what she can with the role of Jane. Unfortunately, there is only so much that can be done with so little screen time, a forced romance, and fake physics jargon. Kat Dennings plays Darcy and is mainly along for comic relief, so it really is a shame when the script doesn’t give her anything humorous to say. Sir Anthony Hopkins effectively plays Thor’s father Odin. Hopkins clearly knows he’s dealing with camp and delivers his lines accordingly. Tom Hiddleston gets the most out of his character as Thor’s shady brother Loki.

The story of “Thor” is, also, quite different from most Marvel comics. This is mainly because the protagonist is an immortal god, and, aside from his time on Earth, is almost undefeatable. While this provides some great action, it also is the reason for the lack of requisite heart that make some Marvel movies go from good to great. It’s the humanity, the struggle of Peter Parker, Tony Stark, and Bruce Banner that make their superheroes so accessible. While it’s easy to root for the good guy, when that good guy is struggling with lost love, narcissism, or identity, there is a much stronger resonance.

From a content perspective, “Thor” continues the tradition of Marvel movies by having very little content issues. The film earns its PG-13 rating with intense battle scenes that include some vicious monsters. The battles are almost completely bloodless and, also, not realistic, considering that most of them take place in the fictional realm of Asgard. The movie contains a few mild profanities and several instances of God’s name taken in vain. Aside from a shirtless Thor, there is nothing to speak of in the category of sexual content, dialogue, or situations. Also mentionable is the fact that “Thor” takes place in a fictional universe where gods exist, but God apparently does not. For kids, this might be confusing, but for teens and adults, it will be easily discernible.

There are some positive messages to be found in “Thor”. As with most Marvel movies, “Thor” promotes positive character traits like selflessness and sacrifice. While the emotions are fully developed, there is plenty of redemption to be found in the main character’s growth, as well as his relationship with his family.

While an entire movie may have been a little much for the character, Thor will make an exciting addition to the cast of “The Avengers”, which comes out next year. This film dazzles technically and definitely has its moments. Without “Spider Man” or “Iron Man”, “Thor” would be much more satisfying. But alas, those films do exist, and “Thor” just does not compare. If you’re looking for a major league hit that is a filling movie experience, then this probably isn’t the film for you. However, if you’re in the mood for some clean, second rate summer fun, then “Thor” is just the ticket.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Mild / Sex/Nudity: Minor


Editor’s comment

Followers of Christ should alert about this film’s promotion of ANCIENT ALIENS or ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS theory, because this is an issue that is truly deceiving a very great number of people, partly because it is presented as scientific and archaeological (both false claims). At its base, it is a lie being used by godless people to “scientifically” explain away Biblical miracles and events—and God Himself.

This tactic started with atheist author H.P. Lovecraft. Years later, this pseudo-scientific idea was famously promoted by Erich von Däniken (Chariots of the Gods) and others. The Director of this film was inspired by von Däniken, and says so. This idea has particularly been used by some whose worldviews are New Age or Evolutionism/Atheism (or both).

The claim is that extraterrestrials with advanced technology came to Earth in ancient times and were mistaken for gods, angels and supernatural activity—and that out of these encounters with naive and unsophisticated humans (who misunderstood what they witnessed), humans began to worship these aliens—and the world’s religions (including Christianity) are the end result.

I have researched these claims in considerable depth, including attending von Däniken lectures. I am in agreement with many other researchers, the so-called evidence for this fantasy is filled with foolish errors and serious outright lies and deceptions.

Nonetheless, many sci-fi books, movies and TV shows have eagerly used and promoted what is essentially a dangerous Atheist-inspired worldview.

What difference does it make? When accepted, this pseudo-science leads people directly away from Biblical truth about Earth’s Creation, mankind’s place in God’s plan, Earth’s history of wicked rebellion against the Creator, and the record of His judgments. Inherent in this worldview is rejection of belief in God and the Bible. People are less likely to perceive their spiritually bankrupt state before God and are more unlikely to want—or listen to—the Gospel.

Entertainment dramas that use the ancient extraterrestrial encounters fantasy and thus promote it some extent…

If nothing else, the mere CONSTANT REPETITION of this view of history in entertainment media is causing it to become embedded in the minds of billions of people, making it somehow seem to them less ludicrous than it really is. Discerning Christians know that we and God have an Enemy who is the father of lies who seeks to deceive the whole world.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—My wife and I were invited and saw this in a sneak preview. We thought that the movie was very well written, and the production was well done. The only Biblically offensive thing is that it is based on Norse belief systems of Paganism. The quality of the film was decent. I don’t think it is necessary to see this in 3-D, to see it in 2-D would be sufficient enough. If you have little children, it may not be the best for them due to some scary sequences. There is one scene that takes place in a bar with Thor and another main character that involves heavy drinking. There was one use of the “s” word and one use of “d-it.” There is no real delving into the Norse Pagan beliefs, and it’s simply based around their powers. They do not discuss what it means to be Pagan or anything along those lines.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Jason, age 27 (USA)
Positive—This movie was just plain fun! Exactly what a superhero movie should be. There was no sex, no cussing… honor and self-sacrifice were portrayed valiantly. While some Christians might be initially put off by the involvement of gods… the way it was handled by the moviemakers made them seem more like aliens on a planet like Krypton than all-powerful creators. The so-called gods had no control over the humans” lives, and the humans were not told to worship them or anything. So if you put it in that light, I think this is a fun family movie… although maybe not for kids younger than eight, because of intense action scenes.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Karla Devan, age 18 (USA)
Positive—What makes “Thor” so great? I’ll be honest. I didn’t know a thing about him going into the movie, other than he had a hammer, long hair, and a cape. So needless to say, this movie is accessible to folks outside the lore. There’s also that family-friendly superhero atmosphere you can generally expect from movies of these sorts, i.e. very little foul language, no sex, no confusion or distortion of the sexes, bloodless violence, clear distinction of good vs. Evil, etc. Though what makes this movie AMAZING is… the father-son dynamic AND the chivalry. I love it when they’re done right.

First off, Anthony Hopkins is a fine actor. Hands down. I read once he’ll memorize his lines and repeat “em upwards of 200 times until it just rolls off his tongue and is natural, reflexive even. In “Thor,” he is the Norse god Odin, and boy is he ever on the money. He’s got all the makings of that ol” sage, that patriarch that blesses all, counsels all, and disciplines, yet fiercely loves his sons.

Fatherhood. A gift from God no doubt. I love movies that get that bond between father and son right, and it’s here in spades. The last time a movie was done like this where the dad wasn’t a screw-up, loved his wife, loved his kid(s), was compassionate, but was also the fiercest and beastliest of warriors was “300”.

Secondly, the titular hero is the very model of chivalry. The romance “tween Thor and his Frau is clean, devoid of vulgarity, admirable, and worthy of our emulation (us men). For that, I also endorse this film.

As far as visuals go, sometimes you feel like you’re watching the 1980 “Flash Gordon” (sorry, Queen does not lend their talents to the “Thor” soundtrack) and other times you’re really transported to something mysterious, yet strangely beautiful. The lines and even some of the action pieces (especially with Thor’s cronies in New Mexico) are off the mark—more than once—but entirely forgivable in light of the pro-marriage, pro-family, pro-fatherhood, and good vs. Evil themes.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Mega Tron, age 24 (USA)
Positive—Okay, here we go with yet another 3D movie that is really a 2D movie, but they slap a 3D label on it so they can get some extra money out of you, and so you don’t wait to see it on DVD. If you have a choice of seeing it in 3D or 2D, save your money and see the 2D version, because there are not enough eye popping 3D scenes to make it worthwhile.

That being said, the movie was good. Not great, but good. I’m 42, and saw it with 2 early teenaged boys, and we all liked it. I don’t really remember any curse words so if there were any in the movie, they were quite mild. There are not many action movies you can see these days without feeling like you need to repent and take a bath afterwards, but this is one that you can take the teens to see, and they won’t hate you for it because they really wanted to see “Fast Five.”

I was a little hesitant about taking some of the boys from the church youth group to see a movie about alien worlds and pagan gods, but it was refreshing to see that this movie was intended to be an action movie and not a propaganda movie intended to promote New Age philosophy, like so many of the kids’ movies of today.

Overall, it was a fun way to spend the afternoon. Just like there are Christian movies that don’t promote a Christian message, this is a movie that is based on pagan ideas, but doesn’t really preach pagan beliefs. If you can get past the fact that the movie is all about false gods and aliens, you will probably enjoy watching it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Frank, age 42 (USA)
Positive—I enjoyed this movie more than the reviewer did. Thor is an important figure in pagan mythology. He is the one for whom Thursday (Thor’s Day) is named after all. However, the movie plays the Asgardians as being long lived aliens, who were mistakenly worshiped as gods by the Vikings. And the movie plays their powers as being not exactly magic, but sort of a science-fictiony pseudo-magical science.

It’s not really explained and it’s not all that important how they do what they do. They just do it. The plot is pretty basic. Son arrogantly disobeys father. Father punishes son. Son learns his lesson. Son learns to honor his father. Son defeats bad guy. Son is redeemed. There are some good moral lessons to be learned. Honor they father and mother would be a good talking point.

The action is spectacular. Asgard looks fabulous. The more Thor demonstrates his powers the more you want to see. I saw it in 3D but I think if you watched it in 2D you won’t have to feel like you really missed something. Quality wise I’d place it behind Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man but ahead of Spider-Man 3 and Iron Man 2. It might be on par with Spider-Man 1, but I’ll have to see it again to make that decision. I thought the pacing was just right and never once found myself clock watching.

This movie is carried squarely on Chris Hemsworth’s shoulders, and he does a great job with it. No doubt we’ll be seeing more of him in years to come. I don’t normally endorse movies with a positive rating but this one is a pretty safe movie for Christian audiences.

Any objectionable content was duly noted by the reviewer. If you’ve taken your children to see any of the other recent Marvel movies they’ll be just fine with “Thor.”
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
James T., age 40 (USA)
Positive—Spectacular settings/special effects and was pretty clean throughout, but the story I felt was kinda lacking… but, hey, it’s a comic book movie…
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Tim, age 27 (USA)
Positive—I remember sitting in a theater earlier this year and commenting to my sister “Does anyone care about all these superhero movies?” The answer is an apparent, yes. I’ll admit, I knew about Thor from some of my college classes that delved into ancient art and cultures. I liked the legends and found him to be honorable and interesting. I had no clue that he was also a superhero character. My father, though, who was a baby-boomer, read comics when he was a kid and loved “Thor.” The simple reason for this love is that our family, on both sides, has Scandinavian ancestry from only a few generations ago. The blond hair and blue eyes still live on in my house, along with Swedish Coffee-bread and St. Lucia’s Day.

But seeing a superhero movie is something just about as completely removed from that tradition as it gets, or so I thought. Thor is born the son of Odin All-father, brother of Loki, and ultimately the best hammer-wielding warrior the galaxy has seen. He’s brave, he’s fierce, he enjoys launching wars and disobeying orders. Okay, so with that last bit, you can say he’s stupid. When everything is handed to you on a rainbow colored platter, why play by the rules, right? Wrong, because sooner or later innocent people will get hurt, and you should own up and start fixing it. Which is precisely what Thor spends a good portion of this movie doing.

So, in some ways, not counting religious grounds, Thor is an excellent role model. Teens and tweens who see it (and some adults, too) will learn that you might party today and not care, but eventually you have to step up and be responsible. The religious aspect of the film is built on the Norse mythology, however, like many things before it (like “Stargate SG-1”), Thor and his race are immortal aliens. The ancient people of Earth don’t understand this (in the movie) and worship them. The modern people, however, are removed from that ancient belief system and think on Thor and his friends for what they are… aliens who want to defend Earth.

So somewhere between the beginning of the film and the end, there’s a definite separation of what people believe.

All the actors, I thought, did an admirable job. I was particularly impressed with Thor, but also the guy who was Heimdall, the portal guardian. I know that some people were crying foul because of his race, but I’m of Scandinavian heritage and could care less. He was PERFECT. The storyline was good, seemingly following the comics. And, of course, I think everyone in the theater enjoyed the reference to Stark from “Ironman.”

In all, it’s a good film, filled with entertainment and clean laughs. It’s a wonderful opportunity to tell kids about the Norse people, who were very skilled navigators and had fascinating lives. Also, tell them about how Christianity (Lutheran, specifically) slowly replaced their beliefs and what those countries are like today. You can even bring in a conversation about how superheroes (in many ways) reflect the selflessness of Christ.

One thing I do advise, though, is not to bring really little children (no matter how much they love superheroes), since this movie can be frightening. The Frost Giants are particularly scary, as is the main villain. So way to go, Kenneth Branagh, I loved it! See you when “Captain America: The First Avenger” comes out!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Caitlin, age 22 (USA)
Positive—…This is a good movie. I found it a bit boring, because I am not much of a science fiction fan. But for what it is, you will not easily find anything better today. I think that it has been set up for a sequel, and it is likely that there will be more of a romantic nature in the sequel given how this film ended.

There is the tie to paganism. Quakers traditionally refused to use the word, “Thursday,” for that very reason. But there is no advocacy for paganism in this film. It is a setting or stage. Paganism is not at the center of the story. Thor may as well simply have been an alien from outer space. It is directed by a fine English actor, Kenneth Branagh. The male lead is a former Australian soap opera star. His performance is nevertheless outstanding. Sir Anthony Hopkins is as always a real treat. I cannot find anything nice to say about Natalie Portman, since she started reveling in playing flaky sluts, but at least in this film her role was respectable. She is lucky to have this role, as it might stop her being typecast as a slut.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Blue, age 53 (Australia)
Positive—My teenage son and I enjoyed “Thor.” Normally don’t care for 3D, but this was the first we’ve seen where it enhanced the movie. Instead of in-your-face shots, the vast spacescapes on other worlds were made more stunning.

I was okay with the angle of ancient humans viewing technically advanced beings from another world as gods, rather than presenting them as gods. Many good points on humility vs. pride, jealousy, deception, betrayal, choices and consequences, loyalty, love, servant leadership, honoring your father, and more.

Marvel and Pixar both consistently, and I assume deliberately, produce high quality, enjoyable, interesting, and fun films without profanity and offensive content. Good to see humor, respect, caring, and affection emphasized as love subtly grows between Thor and his girl, rather than just physical attraction.

Yes, there is action and violence in “Thor,” as in other Marvel films, but it is integral to the story and not gory. Good vs. Evil underscores all.

Could do without the occasional OMG, but otherwise, enjoyable.

May God continue to bless Stan Lee and other film makers who have the integrity to make truly family-friendly films.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Tori, age 40+ (USA)
Positive—“Thor” was like going back in time, in a good way, with regards to morality—I found it to be a good, clean, relaxing, action-adventure movie that proved to be a nice escape from reality. While I agree with the reviewer that the deeper levels of the film happened too fast for the depths to be believable (the love relationship, Thor’s embracing humility), after seeing how the movie “LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring” covered in 5 minutes what took over 20 years to accomplish in the book, I came to accept that this was simply a limitation of screen time and to not let it bug me too much.

What I enjoyed the most, though, was the spiritual truths that can be gleaned from this film. The one that stood out the most to me was how the sons tried to honor their father by doing things that dishonored him—and it was because they did not know the heart of their father. How often do we dishonor our Father in His name because we don’t know His heart the way we should? It gave me a lot to think about.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Deanna, age 40 (USA)
Positive—It was refreshing to see a current action/super hero movie that did not contain tons of language and sexual innuendo. In fact, the main character treated the main female lead with great respect, even kissing her hand in one scene. Good moving making. Yes, it does operate in the realm of mythology, but if you look at it as just fiction and entertainment, it would, in my opinion, in no way take away from Christians living a Godly life.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Dgulik, age 39 (USA)
Positive—As a self-professed geek who grew up with DC and Marvel comics, I really enjoyed this movie. Marvel really stuck to the formula and the characters comic book origins and made a fun show, especially for the fans of the character with great attention to detail, all the way down to the characters Sif and the Warriors Three! (too bad DC didn’t “stick to the formula” when they made the horrible Superman remake a few years ago…)

POTENTIAL SPOILER… It also sets up the upcoming Avengers movie nicely, paralleling the comics origin of the team’s face-off with its first villain. END SPOLER ALERT… What pleased me most was the fact that there was practically NO offensive content. Other than “hell” being used as profanity 3 or 4 times, usually as in “what the… ,” when a character sees something unexpected falling out of the sky; there was no other profanity I could remember.

Even the reference to the Asgardians referred to as “gods” is brief at the beginning of the movie and afterwards they’re portrayed as extra-dimensional beings with powers that are technological in nature but viewed as “magical” and unexplainable on Earth.

As a kid who grew up with an understanding of the difference between my Christian faith and stories from Greek and Norse mythology, I don’t think a parent should be concerned with this movie confusing anyone, and my oldest daughter enjoyed it (age 7) when I saw it a second time after I saw it with friends. Every movie based on a Marvel or DC comic book character should be like this one, appropriate for the whole family. There are so many movies out there with those one or two scenes thrown in just to get a PG-13 or R rating.

This movie definitely stayed on the straight and narrow. No reservations recommending this movie for kids, even under the age of 10.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
D, age 41 (USA)
Positive—This is an awesome movie. A little foul language, but no use of GD. Parents of little kids should watch the movie with them to explain that this is a science fiction character from comic books.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
D Moss, age 42 (USA)
Positive—What I enjoyed most about this movie was the spectacular special effects. The scenes were incredible and very realistic. I didn’t find much objectionable about this film, other than the lack of a decent story line. It was hard to believe that a selfish, self-centered person like Thor could spend just a day or so with the humans on Earth and have a complete change of heart. It would have been better if he had spent several months on Earth getting to know and appreciate the people… then his change of heart would have been believable. There was no chemistry between Thor and his “girlfriend”… they just met, and, by the time he left, they had barely spent any time talking to each other.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Kim, age 51 (USA)
Positive—“Thor” might be my favorite superhero movie. The story is really good. Thor learns valuable lessons while he is on Earth, and we also see a loving father who cares for him deeply. While on Earth, Thor becomes a gentlemen and self-sacrificial. In fact, the only part I wish they would have changed is when Thor goes back to his planet at the end and Jane kisses him on the lips after Thor kisses her hand—it would have been a lot better just to leave it as a kiss on the hand. Just a great story, overall. The violence is cartoon-like, and there really isn’t much sexuality in the movie, at all. Highly recommend—and, yes—my two sons have seen it and love it (7 and 4).
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jason, age 37 (USA)
Positive—This movie I would highly recommend for families to watch. It’s a great story and Marvel fans would probably have this as their favorite Marvel movie. It has no filth or blasphemy and is completely clean of the normal garbage shown in most films today. Every moment of this film is enjoyable and hope that people take it up from average rating and up to excellent, because it is!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Alan, age 20 (Ireland)
Neutral
Neutral—I was somewhat neutral about this one. Reasons: Positive—Thought the actor/character selector was great overall (used to read “Thor” comics as a kid… Special effects and CGI were great. I thought the intro storyline of the movie and its tie in to the upcoming Avengers movie was good (S. H. I. E. D. Has a bigger role in this movie). …

Lastly, I’m glad to see something about the Heavens and beyond that’s not so naturalistic and carnal minded, like the tons of “spaceship” alien movies. The Bible says Jesus will come riding on a horse on the clouds of heaven. If he made this world, Heaven must be pretty creative. …

Negative—The obvious tie to paganism (our God is a jealous God, like a husband is jealous over his wife and won’t stand for it forever). The movie paints a predominately benevolent picture of the gods who protect Earth and the cosmos from evil, but the Bible tells us differently. The movie makes another attempt to downgrade “gods” (or angels) to humanoid aliens, rather than us admitting what the Bible has been telling us all along. I remember a little profanity.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Jstme, age 36 (USA)
Neutral—I really liked this movie! What surprised me the most was the plot, I was expecting something a lot more Viking-based, but as I haven’t read any Thor comics either, I wasn’t entirely too sure what to expect.

What I loved most was the way Odin, in His wisdom, decided to send his Son Thor (technically his only Son, since Loki was adopted) to Earth, stripping Him of all His divine powers, in order to teach Him a lesson. And what a lesson He learned! When Thor arrived on Earth, he was very egocentric, careless, and probably not a very fun person to be around. But what I loved was especially every time he’d try to act all high and mighty, he was brought down. That was a hard lesson in humility for Him to learn!

But in the end it was all worth it. Thor learned to know the true value of things as they are, to value others, and to learn to love for his fellow man. In the end, He sacrificed Himself in order to save others, only to be brought back to life. He then promptly returns to Asgard, the Viking Heaven, to be with his Father. I wonder how many others have realized the beautiful message contained within this movie…
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 4
Alex W, age 19 (atheist) (Canada)
Comments from young people
Positive—“Thor,” was not what I have come to expect from Marvel, It was overall a Good film!, But I do agree with the reviewer that the romance was very forced! and I also thought that The actor that played Thor was a little over zealous (I don’t know something was just off with him)… Some of the movie was a little obvious and some completely surprising. But it was pretty good morally overall (if you discount the whole idea of gods)
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Elisabeth, age 16 (USA)
Positive—I found “Thor” to be much better than my expectations. I’m surprised that the moral rating was only average. The movie is much better than just “average.” I enjoyed “Thor” and everything in it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Louis Geiger, age 14 (USA)
Positive—I was pleasantly surprised at the caliber of this film. I am a science-fiction fan and was immediately enticed when I saw the trailer for this film. After reading the main review, I went in with fairly low expectations, but I am glad to say they were far exceeded. As far as entertainment is concerned, I loved this movie. From the male perspective, it was great. There were well-filmed fight scenes, betrayal, and other enjoyable aspects. While the plot may have been predictable at times, it was still fun to watch.

That said, I can see how some viewers (I don’t meant to be sexist, but probably females) may find this film rather unfulfilling. The romance aspect was not the best I have seen in films, but that was not a large fault for me. The morals of the film, too, seem to be positive remnants of a fleeting era. “Thor” tells the story of the rebellious child that eventually learns the error of his ways and matures into what a man should be. I am sure all Christians will find this a valuable and important message for anyone.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Hayden, age 15 (USA)
Positive—“Thor” was an excellent film that exceeded my expectations! I believe that “Thor” is probably the best superhero film out there! “Thor” had no sexual content, which I was thrilled with. With movies now-a-days, it is uncommon to find that, and I was really happy that Thor did not have any objectionable content.

The story line for “Thor” was outstanding! The film teaches a lesson on pride and how to humble yourself. The twists in this movie were great! I can tell that the movie-makers definitely took their time to create a movie great for ages 8 and up! There is no gore in “Thor,” and the fighting sequences are excellent and exciting!

I saw this movie in 3D, which was well-worth the money! The 3D was outstanding, especially in the world of Asgard! The visuals were amazing, probably the best I have seen in a movie! The actors were believable and the script was great!

If you have not seen “Thor,” then take the time off to go have an amazing afternoon watching this movie! You will not be disappointed!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Luke, age 14 (USA)
Positive—“Thor” was an excellent movie. I went to the midnight premiere with some friends. There was no cursing, sensuality, or graphic violence. The one thing that might turn off some people is the fact that there are mythological gods in the film. However, they aren’t portrayed in a way that our God is, rather they seem to be just fantasy… at least that’s how the filmmakers made them out to be which I found refreshing! The second time I went, I even saw small kids with their parents who loved the movie, so I agree that it is a fun family movie, as well.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Ellen, age 17 (USA)
Positive—I was really excited to see this film, because it was my first superhero movie I got to see in the theaters with my dad. The action and fighting is really neat. They only say the A__ word once, and take the Lord's name in vain two or three times. Also, the only nudity is when you see Thor with his pants on, but with his shirt off. Even though my dad and I did not see it in 3D, it was still a really good movie. My only concern about the movie was that the ending of the of the movie was a little confusing, but despite that, it was an okay movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Joshua W., age 11 (USA)
Positive—It was about self control, and about how we will be punished for our wrong actions. Thor disobeyed, and, as a result, was disciplined through punishment. The movie was filled with suspense, and loaded with action, and had a bit of humor. One of Marvel’s greatest! I saw it with my church for fun, and I’d say the two times they swore was barely that noticeable, and, depending on who you are, it wasn’t that scary, but I recommend this move to 12 year olds and up.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Peter, age 14 (Canada)