
cautions: violence, intensity and brief gore, mild sensuality and immodesty, some ethical confusion, language, and brief drunkenness
Thor. The very name strikes terror into the hearts of his enemies. It’s just that all of his enemies are from another planet. Like he is. Thor is an action-packed, thin-ice movie – treading a dangerous but intriguing mythological wasteland without falling through, and balancing on the razor’s edge between science and magic. Cast out of his own world as punishment, Thor unwittingly leaves the way open for an enemy invasion of his home planet, where he must return as hero, and of earth, where he rises to the rank of superhero.
2011 | Kenneth Branagh | 115 min Watch Trailer
Violence, Intensity and Brief Gore
In battle sequences, there is the usual slashing and stabbing, plus a somewhat gruesome (though not very gory) impaling. Not being an ordinary human, the impaled man is not killed.
A monster chases Thor in an intense scene.
Gore includes a brief scene involving a man who has just lost an eye in battle. The open wound can be clearly seen, although it is not focused on. Thor also throws his hammer into a giant creature’s mouth and it exits through the back of the creature’s head.
Thor, attempting to escape or to regain his weapon, beats up a few men. In his early days as a jerk, Thor also angrily throws furniture.
A man is told that his father is dead.
A man is hit by a car, but is not harmed.
Mild Sensuality and Immodesty
An unmarried couple kisses.
Thor is seen shirtless, and an annoying female side character makes an obviously-attracted comment about his physique.
Some Ethical Confusion
Thor, Odin, Loki and other characters are indirectly drawn from Norse mythology. In the movie, however, it’s claimed that none of the characters are actually gods, but were mistaken for gods by the superstitious Vikings. Thor mentions "Valhalla" in passing, and could either mean the traditional Norse-pagan hall of the dead, or the biblical heaven (the Vikings having mistaken that, just as they mistook their "gods"). The king of one of the other worlds is titled the "All Father", though with no particular significance.
Thor tells an earthling that what her ancestors superstitiously called magic, and what she calls science, are "one and the same" where he comes from. A side character uses the word "magic", speaking of scientific knowledge. Thor's hammer is said to have power without equal, and can either create or summon lightning. It also responds only to him, and only when he is worthy. Thor's brother Loki is able to project holographic images of himself in different places.
One of the other-world side characters is a female warrior, and is shown fighting in battles. Early in the movie, Thor boasts of having supported the girl in demonstrating that "a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors." Later on, the overconfident, overzealous girl insists on remaining in battle to "die a warrior's death," to be part of future stories about the battle, and the matured Thor gently advises/instructs her to "live, and tell those stories yourself."
After a government agency confiscates the property and research of private individuals to help with an investigation, Thor attempts to recover the items. In the process, he beats up a couple of guards. When he is captured, his friends lie and create false identification to get him out.
The main female character drags unwilling side characters along in a dangerous storm chase, for the sake of scientific discovery.
Language
G-d
G-d
G-d
G-d
G-d
G-d
d-mn
h-ll
h-ll
h-ll
h-ll
a--
Brief Drunkenness
After ordering a large drink at a bar, a minor side character has to be carried home by Thor. Thor makes a positive comment about the two of them drinking together, leaving it unclear whether he condones the man's drunkenness.
Characters are seen drinking alcohol in moderation at other times.
Note:
Thor's plot revolves around the idea of different worlds within the same physical universe. However, Thor and the other non-earthlings are not necessarily implied to have originated as different species in those different worlds. Other-world characters occasionally refer to people as "human" and "mortal", but merely as synonyms with "earthling" and "shorter-lived". Other than their long lifespan, ability to recover from serious injury, and skill in harnessing the elements, there are no significant differences between humans from earth and the races living in the other worlds.
Early in the movie, Thor is a complete jerk. Later, he repents. His early behaviors - including rashness, unnecessary violence, disrespect and disobedience - are not presented positively, and are resolved.
A character references "advanced beings", referring to scientific knowledge and ability.
A villain claims that Thor's father is a murderer and a thief.
An other-world character references a temple in yet another, evil world.
The main female character references her "ex".
Science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke is referenced in an aside.