I had an amazing lunch with a friend yesterday and our conversation drifted to the recent comic movie releases.....some great.....some NOT! lololol This jarred my memory that I wanted to write a post about the most recent Thor offering and my thoughts and feelings on it. Of course, I am extremely biased on Thor movies as he was a solid mainstay of my childhood watching cartoons on Saturday mornings and more than a few times I was caught jumping off of some random piece of furniture in my Thor underoos screaming "In my hand...this hammer!!!!" as I descended with all my fury and might on an unsuspecting pet or cardboard box fort!!! lololol
For as long as I can remember, I've been thoroughly fascinated with Norse, Greek, and Romana mythology and it is no surprise that Thor would be one of my favorite comic characters because of my love of mythology. That being said, and with my admission of bias towards Thor movies, in short....I loved it! lolololol
For me, it was extremely refreshing to see how Marvel returned to the more traditional formula they used for making movies......for that matter the "old school" way comics were approached in print as well. I had fond memories arise of the simpler approach to making movies derived from vintage comics. I adored that they returned to light-hearted moments and a concentration of the struggles and triumphs of the hero as he faced his foes and in doing so allowed good to overcome evil......the true element for all heroes, regardless of how they get there!
Please don't misunderstand that I don't greatly appreciate darker adaptations of traditional characters, as Logan is one of my favorite comic movies and I truly love that they showed the more base elements of his "human" side. I think it is vitally important to thoroughly explore the extremely dark elements lurking behind the comic characters we idolize, because we each have a part of that in all of us. I also feel it is equally important to return, from time to time, to the roots of the comic industry and develop films that have the core elements to our beloved heroes.
For me, Thor: Love and Thunder did just that! It had moments of light-hearted comedy, intense action scenes, emotional dilemmas characters had to navigate, and, above all in my opinion, .....it was fun. I think that far too often writers and directors of modern Marvel (and other comic franchises) get way to wrapped up in trying to create a comic version of Citizen Kae and lose sight of the reality of the undertaking they are involved with......a movie version of a comic book. And while there is a time and place for more serious, deeper storylines and iterations of comic characters, it is vitally important that they not lose sight of what got them to the point they are now......sticking to their roots and the traditional "feel" of the films as they tell the video version of a print story. It also didn't hurt that it had a phenomenal Guns n Roses soundtrack!!!!
Not every Marvel movie needs to tackle every singe social issue that is going on....it is ok for a movie to be created strictly for the entertainment value. They need to always remember that, for many kids, comics were an escape from a tough and unforgiving reality.....a refuge from the grit and grime of real life and it is important that, from time to time, the movies representing those origins represent the same thing.....a way to escape the hard reality of life and be entertained by silly heroes for a couple of hours!
Thank you so much if you made it this far through the ramblings of an old man who was so excited about a feel-good, entertaining comic movie! lololol I love you all and remember each of you deserves someone to cherish you like Thor cherishes Mjolnir!!!
All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter,
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
-Tolkien
