Well...

[seawasp]

Ganked from corvidophile , the first trailer for THOR.

EDIT: Apparently Marvel has ordered takedowns on the copies of this trailer -- despite the fact that it's free publicity, and that they for some unaccountable reason haven't yet released a regular trailer for it. So the link above apparently no longer works.

My impressions?

I'm not sure about the (fragmented pieces) we've seen of the plot. Yes, that WAS the reason that Odin originally kicked Thor out of Asgard, but he did it a couple centuries back and Thor lived lives as a mortal which was to teach him humility. Doing all of that in one sequence is a bit much. I'd have chosen to show the exile and then a montage of a couple of hundred years of lives leading up to Donald Blake.

Visually, it looks very good, especially Asgard; they seem to have taken the Kirby and Simonson inspirations and brought them out. The costumes, the Golden City, these look like they came right out of the comics -- and yet they've been done well enough that they do not look stupid.

The Hammer looks very well done. I want one for my own. Though I suppose it won't come with the Power of Thor. And I wouldn't be Worthy to wield it. But it'd look great sitting on the mantel. :)

And the last part in which The Destroyer appears? THAT was a complete surprise and very well done. My main fear is that they may be trying to get TOO MUCH into this movie. Done right they could have several movies of Thor's adventures and even make them part of the Avengers' adventures.

Still, I'm hopeful. The major negative point in this trailer is similar to the major negative point I had with the Narnia movies: wrong voice for the Big King. Odin's voice should be deep, powerful, thundering, not the voice of an old man (albeit a wise man who is clearly also still a powerful ruler).

Comments

[dsrtao]

I was listening to Odin and thinking... how did they dig up Marlon Brando playing Jor-El to do Odin?

[seawasp]

With shovels, I'd guess.

It's actually Anthony Hopkins, who's certainly an excellent choice ACTINGwise, just the wrong voice.

[kjn]

ObSmartAss: no, Odin's voice shouldn't be thundering. That's Tor's bailiwick.

[seawasp]

I knew I'd have SOMEONE making that exact comment when I wrote that, but there isn't another word nearly as good to describe how Odin's voice ought to sound -- especially when he's being wrathful, as he was in several scenes.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Except Odin is a trickster, mostly, and uses guile and persuasion to get his way. Read in the Poetic Edda where he constantly outwits opponents and leads by example, rather than raw authority. He isn't bluster and thunder, he's the wise voice that couches an insult in so much flattery that you never see it coming.

Of course, Odin is also fated to die in the jaws of the Fenris Wolf and there's no way in Hel's domain that Loki would ever be allowed near the halls of Asgard, but that's Marvel's take on the Norse faith.

[seawasp]

Well, yes, that last is the point you're missing in the earlier paragraph. I'm not looking at this from the point of view of the Norse myths -- it's not meant to be in any way something like that. This is Marvel's Thor, and in THAT, Thor's dad Odin is a big, badass old warrior. Tricky and clever, much smarter than Thor overall, yes. Capable of leading by example, yes, wise, yes, but also able to thunder "SILENCE!" with the best of them.

Even in the Norse Myths he's ALSO a badass warrior, often depicted riding Sleipnir and wielding an immense spear (Gugnir IIRC).

IIRC, Loki not only was allowed near, but lived IN, the halls of Asgard in the myths for a very long time -- i.e., until he stabbed them all in the back by arranging for Hodur to shoot down Balder with mistletoe.

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

Not bad but Odin's voice needs to be more commanding more powerful. Though I admit some of the voices I can think of are probably not the right physical fit for Odin.

But the guy who was standing behind me as I watched that also said he had to go see the film when it comes out.

[alex swavely (from livejournal.com)]

How about Brian Thompson (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0859921/)?

[condorfan.livejournal.com]

How about Brian Blessed for Odin? Phil agrees. :)

[argonel.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the video because apparently Marvel doesn't want any free publicity. However an old mans voice without any particular resonance would fit well for Odin. It isn't so much that he is physically powerful, it's that he is perfectly willing to cut your liver out and feed it to you. Odin is the embodiment of old age and treachery will always beat youthful exuberance.