Notwithstanding that lack, I enjoyed it thoroughly, not just ogling at the super-hero's muscles wielding his magical hammer, (which always boomerangs back to him whenever he stretches out his hand), admiring the spectacular special effects of a world larger than ordinary earth, or gasping at the fast furious and explosive action scenes. In some respects, Thor is rather like Lord of the Rings..the same epic style that sweeps you up into the grandness of fantasy where logic doesn't and doesn't need to rule. And Thor makes it so much fun. Especially in the entertaining exchanges between the hero and his step-brother Loki, the fictional Norse god of mischief.
But beyond all that, I was especially taken by the 'human-ness' that emerged during the second half of The Dark World. Surprisingly it was a 'by-the-way' scene of the funeral of a beloved queen who died trying to protect a mere mortal that brought a lump to my throat. Even mythical gods grief at death, and the sight of so many lights accompanying a burning barge where her body was let adrift on the waters drew tears from my eyes. Apparently I wasn't the only one whose heart was touched...I spied the lady beside me surreptitiously pulling out a tissue too.
Light vs darkness, life vs death - same old same old theme. There must be something to it that movies are always built around them. It may be just a line in a movie, but perhaps the wise King Odin's explanation is truer than intended, " Some believe that before the universe, there was nothing. They're wrong. There was darkness and it has survived." I am sure they took that right out of the first book of the Bible, "In the beginning....the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep...." (Genesis 1:2). Likewise the only thing that could dispel and defeat the darkness was light...guess again where that came from .."And God said, Let there be light..." (Genesis 1:3)
So even in movies, evil is always darkness. And what are movies without evil villains - Thor's nemesis Malekith is a Dark (what else!) Elf, who seeks to return the universe to its state before creation. By the end of the show, he literally becomes darkness. But beyond the traditional clash of the good vs bad guy, it was the drama of the relationship between Thor and Loki which stole the show, at least for me. Described aptly as the black sheep in the family, Loki is 'defiant, duplicitous, deliciously wicked, thoroughly unrepentant' and dead-pan funny.
But jokes aside, Thor's words to his brother, "I wish I could trust you" is really so sad. Imagine, you can't even trust your brother to help you. Come to think of it, whom can we really trust our life with? And what kind of brother would retort, "If you did, you'd be the fool I always took you for". Man, talk about a dysfunctional family. Whatever happened to love? And just when I thought there was a redeeming feature after all that simmering sibling rivalry and bitter enmity when Loki gets killed to protect Thor as they battle side-by-side against their common enemy, the ending springs a surprise and proves that Loki will always be Loki - scheming, devious, looking out only to make himself no. 1 (isn't that so so human). And Thor walks away from a throne which was rightfully his, presumably he gives it up to be with his one true love in another world.
That's what super-heroes are supposed to do anyway; sacrifice for love. But I know Someone who did it, not in a movie created in Hollywood, but in real life. He walked away from a royal throne, left His world and came to ours to rescue us from the kingdom of darkness which threatens to kill and destroy all, by allowing Himself to be hung on a cross. This is Love, that can always be trusted. Call me a romantic smitten fool, but I know such a Person can be trusted with my very life; He proved Himself true 2000 years ago when He rose from the dead; just like He said He would, even before He died. And just as Jane Foster the earthling patiently waits for her Thor to return to claim her as his own bride, I wait for my Savior, my real hero, Jesus Christ, to come back for me. One day, soon (but hopefully, not before the next super-hero movie!)
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12
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