Thor
In great anticipation of one of three super hero blockbusters this summer, it is good to analyze a strong protagonist in one of those films: Thor. Like many of his teammates in the upcoming Marvel Pictures film The Avengers, there was the need of a film to be done for this brutal warrior of Asgard. Thor is not a character that many movie fans are familiar with. Those that are familiar with him are those that have read the comics and have followed his stories. Compared to the rest of moviegoers, it is still a relatively small population. So we have this excitement and anticipation of a film devoted to an avengers character that we know little about, but that appears intriguing based on what is seen of his strength and character in the trailers.
When you look at all of the heroes that Marvel has presented over the years, you may have personal favorites, but there is something about those heroes that is appealing. There is a reason why you cheer for them. You can look at their strengths and weaknesses, but heroes and leaders are born. There are leaders that can be targeted to be developed into leaders, but their impact on the world is not the same. If you are ready to jump into the lion’s den without fear, then perhaps it is your calling to be a hero or leader. However, you must also learn to lead with your mind and not just your hunger to fight to defend.
It is admirable to have the guts to defend your country in battle without fear; and without having the knowledge and experience to survive. However, that is the sacrifice that heroes learn to take to protect humanity. For a hero to sacrifice his or her own life has enough influence on people to have them form an army to fight for survival. It is through time and growth in maturity that heroes learn to put it all on the line in desperate times. The way they offer themselves freely inspires audiences to want to be in battle with them because their priority is to protect us all.
As great as a hero who does what he can to save the world can be, the film makers, producers, and writers must not forget of an incredible story that should be told. Graphics, action sequences, and special effects can only take a movie so far. Then there is the greatly anticipated Marvel Pictures film coming out this summer that will put Thor, Iron Man, The Hulk, and Captain America together. Whether your are a comic fan or moviegoer, that is a film where the cast is enough of an inspiration to go see it. So when each of those characters has films or series that are devoted to telling their story, they should not suffer from a lack of legitimately promoting sequels for those films. They are their own, individual stories, so they should be given the time to tell their stories in as many films as it takes.
Perhaps what makes heroes vulnerable yet strong at the same time is the presence of a love interest. Played by Natalie Portman in this film, each hero can probably admit to having a love interest that makes them weak, yet strong at the same time. Their love interests become their motivations to battle because they would not want any pain and suffering to be inflicted on them. They inspire heroes to fight with all their might, but they also pull in their enemies closer because they become an easy point of attack. This love relationship between a woman and hero can make or break super hero films. It can either be the strong story line which inferior story lines revolve around, or it can be a well-developed aspect of the film that contributes to its great story. This is a film that can entertain you with its amazing action sequences and special effects, but there was more to be desired in terms of character development, and overall objective of the film.