Thor 3D (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

( Max score: 100 )

88

Film Synopsis:

The epic adventure THOR spans the Marvel universe from present-day Earth to the cosmic realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, Thor is banished to Earth where he is forced to live among humans. When the most dangerous villain of his world sends its darkest forces to invade Earth, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero.

My Take:

I grew up reading Marvel Comics and Thor was my first superhero favorite. This came from reading about his exploits with The Avengers and sporadic episodes of his own comic. I initially tried to keep up with his extended battles/adventures that took place away from Earth but eventually lost interest. He remained a personal favorite though and I looked forward to seeing his transition to the big screen. I took my son to see Thor when it hit theaters earlier this year. I wouldn't say that it proved as rewarding as Iron man but the script is nicely balanced and primarily focuses on the essential elements necessary to develop the character (s) in what is obviously a continuing narrative that will integrate with the storylines from the other Marvel films. The opening and first act set things up and provide a bit of thematic melodrama and rewarding introductory action that flow into a sort of fish out of water second act that moves back and forth between Earth and Asgard. The heart of the story rests here as the correlation of details and interpersonal relationships drive the unfolding events that lead to the finale.

This certainly isn't highbrow filmmaking (nor is it supposed to be) but the screenplay is very decent and contains some nicely integrated humor, satisfying character development, corny but effective romance and excellent special effects. I think Chris Hemsworth does a nice job in the title role although he can be a little hammy at times. Natalie Portman is always fun to watch and Anthony Hopkins is well suited to play Odin and nails it of course. Kat Dennings (Darcy) and Tim Hiddleston (Loki) were nice surprises and effectively stole every scene they were in. I would have preferred more action but thoroughly enjoyed the battle sequence against the Frost Giants which provides the only extensive opportunity to see Thor's skill set on display. Hopefully we will see more of that kind of action in The Avengers. Thor makes a worthy addition to the Marvel Film franchise and proves to be excellent popcorn entertainment that genre fans are sure to appreciate. I look forward to seeing the continuation of these events in next year's The Avengers.

Parental Guide:

The rating is for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence.

Audio: 98

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3D Presentation: 78

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Thor 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from Paramount HE featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.9 Mbps.

This film wasn't shot natively in 3D but was converted in post production for theatrical release. The action based segments were largely shot against green screens and the reproduction of the digital effects and wide angle background elements is quite good. Depth is appreciable as evidenced by separation of objects and/or people layered in the foreground/background which creates a discerning sense of virtual space. Dimensionality and apparent resolution is rarely questionable in close ups and brightly lit exterior sequences (of which there are few) but it doesn't hold up nearly as well in low level scenes (which isn't a problem in the 2D version). There is a distinct lack of 3D effects that transcend the boundaries of the screen which makes for a somewhat less involving experience especially for an action oriented film of this type. I occasionally noticed crosstalk and an instance of minor aliasing (visible on the tall golden tower in a wide angle shot of Asgard) but neither proved distracting. In terms of the reproduction of color and detail this 3D presentation mimics the 2D version. The end result is a satisfying but unremarkable 3D video presentation.

The 7.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack doesn't disappoint. This is a powerful mix that utilizes the entire system to create a theater like experience. Sound staging is excellent as both the front and rear channels are seamlessly integrated. Sound effects traverse the room during the action based sequences. Dynamics are energy filled and impact felt with discerning articulation and resolute clarity. This is an aggressive mix that makes regular use of the subwoofer to accentuate its already strong dynamics. The result is that all points of contact seem to resonate with tactile low bass impact. The quality of the bass is first rate as it is fills the room with clean, hard hitting, and deep resonating low frequency energy. Dialogue has excellent soundstage presence with clear, defining vocal character and discerning room penetration. This is a reference quality audio presentation that offers demonstration worthy material for those who like to show of their home theater systems.

2D Video Quality:

Video: 92

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Thor comes to Blu-ray Disc from Paramount Home entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 28 Mbps.

This is a superb looking and faithful Blu-ray presentation that delivers high level detail, razor sharpness and resolute definition that brings out the lifelike textures captured by the camera lens. Detail perception is nearly flawless with lucid visual acuity and fine rendering throughout. Colors are lavish and eye popping with oversaturated primaries and warm tonality that make them pleasing. Flesh tones are tonally natural with appreciable delineation among the varied complexional types in the cast. Spot on contrast and inky blacks enhance sequences containing mixed content (the exterior shots of Asgard look terrific). Shadow detail is discerning which adds depth to the film's variety of sequences shot in low lighting. On occasion the nature of the photography softens some shots but its effects are innate as fidelity appears unaffected. From what I could see there are no compression related video artifacts or noise present in this whistle clean high definition video transfer that looked superb on my big screen.

Bonus Features:

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  Disc 1:

  
  
• Thor 3D Blu-ray
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  Disc 2: Thor 2D Blu-ray (including the following bonus material

  
  
• Audio commentary with Director Kenneth Branagh
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• (HD) Marvel One-shot: The Consultant - 4 minute cinematic short
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• (HD) Featurettes:
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  2. From Asgard to Earth - 19 minutes
     
  3. Our fearless leader - 3 minutes
     
  4. Assembling the troupe
     
  5. Hammer time
     
  6. Creating Laufey
     
  7. Music of the Gods
     
  8. A conversation
  
  
• (HD) Road to The Avengers - 3 minute glimpse
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• (HD) 11 deleted scenes with optional director commentary
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• (HD) Trailers - Teaser, Theatrical, Avengers animated trailer
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• Bonus DVD/Digital Copy of Thor

Final Thoughts:

Thor is a big budget superhero adventure/drama that dazzles with top notch special effects and a well rounded storyline. It doesn't have the infectious charm of Iron man or the guns blazing action of The Hulk but it's a great popcorn flick that adds another supporting brick in the wall to the Marvel film franchise. It thunders onto Blu-ray in a Limited Edition three Disc set that includes 3D/2D Blu-ray/DVD (the subject of this review) and a standard Blu-ray/DVD combo set. It features resplendent high definition video quality and bombastic 7.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio sound. I wasn't blown away by the 3D presentation which is lacking in the kind of involving dimensionality/effects that take full advantage of the format but it adds an enjoyable element nonetheless. The bonus features offer an entertaining look behind the scenes as well as a glimpse at what is yet to come in the upcoming Marvel film The Avengers. The decision to go with the 3D release will depend on how important that is to you but either way Thor makes for a great addition to your Blu-ray library. Enjoy!