New superhero 'Thor' a rousing start to summer

With just the tiniest of nudges this way or that, “Thor” could have been an exercise in high camp or a vicious superhero parody.

Director Kenneth Branagh, though, plays the material straight. And the result is a fun, operatic pop fantasy that provides a stellar kickoff to the summer-movie season.

The film opens with Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Marvel Comics' version of the Norse god of thunder, about to succeed his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), as king of the heavenly realm of Asgard.

But then the cocky and nearly invulnerable Thor decides to defy his father in the pursuit of personal revenge, and in the process endangers a truce that Odin had brokered with the evil, icy realm of Jotunheim. An enraged Odin strips Thor of his powers and, eager to teach his son a lesson in humility, banishes him to Earth.

He also sends Thor's unique weapon — the magic hammer called Mjolnir. But not before placing an enchantment on it: Anyone who is worthy may lift the hammer and receive the powers of Thor.

From there, the narrative splits in two. One storyline follows Thor as he adapts to his new surroundings and befriends driven scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), while the other documents the upheaval that takes place on Asgard in the wake of Thor's banishment.

The Earthbound material works best. Thor wakes up in the New Mexico desert, where he literally runs into Jane and her colleagues. (Actually, she hits him with her van.) His hammer, meanwhile, has landed a short distance away, creating a massive crater in the ground.

Branagh, working from a witty screenplay by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz and Don Payne, strikes a funny and surprisingly sweet tone in this section. Thor comes to regret his mistakes and realize what it means to be king, even as he grows fond of his new Earth friends (especially Jane).

On Asgard, meanwhile, Thor's seething, resentful brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) takes over the crown when Odin gets sick. He refuses to bring Thor back from exile, despite pleas from three of Thor's closest friends. Suspicious of their new king, the three warriors sneak away to Earth in an effort to bring their friend home.

These scenes aren't bad, but they're fairly standard sword-and-sorcery stuff, with plenty of faux-Shakespearean posturing and enough funky headgear to make attendees at the recent Royal Wedding blush. And the plot, replete with betrayals and dramatic revelations, gets too complicated for its own good.

Fortunately, it doesn't take long for the two storylines to meet, leading to a thrilling climactic battle and some nice romantic moments between Thor and Jane.

“Thor” isn't a groundbreaking film, or even a groundbreaking superhero film. Anyone who has seen such recent examples of the genre as “Spider-Man” and “Iron Man” will probably be able to sense a few of the story beats before they occur.

Still, what “Thor” does, it does well. The action scenes are exciting and beautifully rendered, with some of the best effects work I've seen in some time. (The 3D presentation doesn't add much, and makes some of the earlier scenes frustratingly dark.) Hemsworth is excellent in the title role, and Hopkins provides sterling supporting work. Portman is fine, too, if underused.

With “Thor,” Branagh has created an accessible entry point to a character that few people who aren't superhero buffs know much about. He's also delivered the goods for hard-core fans; the film is peppered with references to other Marvel movies, and the now-expected bonus scene after the final credits teases to the upcoming “Avengers” movie, which will bring Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the Hulk together in one film. (One can only imagine how many fanboy heads will explode when that comes out!)

Yes, the summer movie season is here, and it gets off to a thunderous start with “Thor.”

<b>"Thor"</b>

★ ★ ★ ½

<b>Starring:</b> Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston

<b>Directed by:</b> Kenneth Branagh

<b>Other:</b> A Paramount Pictures release. Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence. 114 minutes.