Taking a break from several Shakespearian adaptations, director, Kenneth Branagh, tries his hand at a superhero of literally mythic proportions. Pulling directly from Norse mythology, we’ve got Marvel Comics’ take on the tale of Thor, the God of Thunder. With his trusty hammer, get ready to see what happens when a god is transformed into a superhero, turning these modern myths into something a little more god-like.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the title character in Marvel Comics’ latest superhero film “Thor”, from Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment. (photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

What happens when a god is robbed of his powers and banished to Earth? He ends up in New Mexico trying to make heads or tails of earthling etiquette, all the while trying to regain what he lost. Once the son of Odin, King of Asgard (imagine a Viking version of Olympus), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) angers his father after crossing the Rainbow Bridge and entering the forbidden land of the Frost Giants, who transferred from comic to screen quite well. Blocked by a jock mentality, he must prove that he truly understands the sanctity of all life before he can reclaim his warrior rite. To help him out on this internal quest is Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her lackeys, professor Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård) and intern, Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings). But Asgard has far from forgotten him as Sif (Jaimie Alexander) plans Thor’s rescue with the help of the Warriors Three: Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) and Fandral (Josh Dallas).

But to complicate things even more, S.H.I.E.L.D., that  illusive government organization we’ve been hearing about in both “Iron Man” films and “The Incredible Hulk”, is hot on Thor’s trail, and who knows if they’ll neutralize the potential threat or find a new ally who can pack a hammer-esque punch. But trust me, this relationship is just beginning as Thor is set to reappear on screen next summer alongside Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) in “The Avengers” (here’s a small hint, two people on this list might make cameos). Who knows, Thor might just show up after the credits of “Captain America: The First Avenger” in July.

Tom Hiddleston puts in a good performance as Loki, the God of Mischief, in “Thor”, which opened Number 1 at the box office this past weekend. (photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

Hemsworth proves a strong cast for the mighty Thor, and Tom Hiddleston is ever his match both in performance and as the God of Mischief, Loki. We get some strong performances from supporting roles, like Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, but this film belongs to the two gods who covet the throne of Asgard. Hiddleston, as Loki, doesn’t just replicate the one-dimensional villains of superheroes’ past, but provides a layered journey into darkness that matches the long history of the comic book character. “Thor” served as a great origin story not only for the protagonist, but the antagonist as well, who’s most likely set to be a major player in next summer’s six superhero epic films in the making (and only Odin knows how many sequels and spin-offs will come after). I have to give a shout out to Idris Elba for his ominous take on Heimdall, the god who oversees the portals to the nine realms (our universe, or “Midgard”, is on that list) and has the fun ability to see and hear all.

“Thor” is every bit the fun adventure I expected, but it’s nowhere near the Tolkien/Shakespearian altar it shoots for. Personally, I blame Patrick Doyle’s hokey musical score for doing little more than what’s expected of a “Scy-Fy” channel original film. But Branagh knows how to handle actors, even if he’s got much to learn about crafting a fight scene. He gets it right in the first showdown, but the second confrontation accidentally takes the Rainbow Bridge to cheesy land, and concludes with a less than satisfactory climax. Still, there’s much to be excited about with this film that’s bound to have one or two sequels. Like many superhero origin stories, once you get it out of the way, the real action can begin (unless you’re “Iron Man 2”).

By the hammer of Thor, prepare yourself for a whopping good time. Diehard fans will probably be moderately let down, but at least there are plenty of laughs and strong performances that leave  other superhero flicks thunder-struck. “The Dark Knight” and “Iron Man” remain at the top, but “Thor” is as strong a start as was “X-Men” and “Spider-Man” (ignoring their horrible third [and fourth] installments and remembering how great part two was for both franchises).