Thor is a name known to most. Whether you view him as the Norse god of thunder or as the Marvel superhero, the man is one in the same with his golden locks of hair and mighty hammer Mjolnir. Can the big screen handle the god turned man or should he remain a legend between the pages of comic books?

For hundreds of years, there has been a raging battle between the Odin of Asgard and the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. More recently a peace treaty has been established but all of that is soon to be shattered when Thor (Chris Hemsworth) travels to Jotunheim against Odin’s wishes to confront their leader after a number of giants broke into the palace in an attempt to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters. As punishment for his disobedience, Thor is relinquished of his immortal powers and banished to the realm of Earth.

What Odin didn’t know was that this was all part of a sinister plan carried out by Thor’s brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), to steal the king’s throne. With Thor now out of the picture, there is nothing stopping the magical trickster from taking over.

Thor is split into two worlds. One takes place in the mythical realm of Asgard where Odin and other powerful entities live. Here, rainbow bridges and intergalactic space travel are common occurrences. If you’re a fan of Norse mythology, this is the part of the film for you. There’s Heimdall, the gatekeeper of the Bifröst Bridge, which allows Thor and his companions to travel to the different worlds. While everything may seem a little extravagant, it’s all has some ground in reality and nothing seems too farfetched. The visuals especially look astounding.

The other part of the story takes place on Earth where Thor is banished. Having spent his whole life as a god, he isn’t familiar with the mortal aspect. Whether he’s smashing coffee cups on the ground asking for more or going to a pet store to find a steed to ride, Thor isn’t the brightest when it comes to living as a human. That’s not to say he’s unintelligent. He just has some difficultly adjusting to everyday life. Thankfully, he has Jane (Natalie Portman), the scientist who found him in the desert, to help him along the way.

In the comics, Thor is known as one of Earth’s mightiest heroes and Chris Hemsworth lives up to that expectation. The man is an absolute beast. He’s tall; he’s strong; he’s everything you’d want in a superhero such as Thor. Also, putting him next to 5’3” Natalie Portman only exemplifies his massive physique. Portman herself can be quite entertaining as well. She’s one of the few talented actors who can shine in almost (see Your Highness) any role, whether it’s a drama or an action flick.

I had my doubts when I first saw images from Thor, thinking that the costumes and action would be too out of place. All those doubts have now been put to rest. Thor wonderfully blends the Marvel universe into reality with fantastic special effects and superb action sequences. To get fans even more excited, we are given little hints and tastes of what’s to come with The Avengers, scheduled for 2012. Once again, Nick Fury makes a great cameo and even Jeremy Renner makes a brief debut as Clint Barton who fans will recognize as the marksman, Hawkeye.

Marvel Studios has done wonders in transferring the famous comic book characters to the big screen over the years and Thor is another great addition. It’s everything we’ve come to expect from the comic and Chris Hemsworth does a noteworthy job of bring the character to life. The summer of superheroes has officially begun.

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Also, get a chick's perspective on THOR!