Phil sees THOR at the Camera 7 Pruneyard-May 7, 2011

Summer is almost here, but it has already been kicked off into high gear. The arrival of the summer blockbusters has been christened by one of the most anticipated films of the season. Marvel Studios' movie release schedule will dominate the summer with three film adaptations of three of their most popular comic book characters. And they call upon the God of Thunder to answer the call, and he will do it in stunning 3-D. With their latest film, Marvels' THOR ignites the summer heat.

The story of the mighty Thor is literally the stuff of legends. The eldest son born to Asgard's king Odin (played be the amazing Anthony Hopkins), Thor is cast out of his realm because of his arrogance and reckless actions which reignites an ancient war. Banished to Earth, he befriends and falls in love with a young scientist named Jane Foster (the always beautiful and talented Natalie Portman). But when Thor's younger brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) assumes the throne, he sets in motion a series of events that could destroy both Asgard and Earth, and only the mighty Thor can save both worlds from utter destruction.

The film is just simply amazing, from top to bottom, from the cast to the final frame, this is what a summer blockbuster should be. Fantastic performances by Hopkins, Portman, Hiddleston, and the rest of the cast. But most impressive is Chris Hemsworth, who brings Thor to life on the big screen. What makes his performance so great is that the character evolves and, as a result of learning from his mistakes and shortcomings, becomes a better person, thus becoming a better superhero. Hemsworth does a great job of taking Thor to the next level of realism. Hemsworth will return as the God of Thunder in the upcoming AVENGERS movie, slated for release in 2012.

However, the true hero of the film is none other than the film's director Kenneth Branagh. Best known for making Shakespearean films such as MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, OTHELLO, and HAMLET, Branagh does the impossible, by combining the theatrics of Shakespeare, Norse mythology, and superhero action and creating an entertaining movie that fans of the comic book will sure to enjoy.

THOR was created by comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first published by Marvel Comics back in 1962. Since his debut, he has been part of pop culture, being seen in cartoons, lunch boxes, trading cards, and so forth. Now THOR has become the latest comic book character to graduate to the big screen, and as I stated earlier, he will defiantly will not be the last.

THOR is now playing nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://www.cameracinemas.com/index.shtml 

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!