Thor Tales of Asgard

“Thor: Tales of Asgard” (2011) is a direct-to-video release, closely following on the heels of the much-anticipated blockbuster, “Thor.” Based on a popular character by Marvel Comics, this animated title presents an interesting tale occurring during Thor’s youthful days. Marketing itself with a tag line, “Before the hammer…came the sword,” the film can be perceived as a prequel or as an extension to Thor’s character. Needless to say, “Tales of Asgard” has an interesting mix of action, magic, drama, and technology marvel to keep us mildly interested in Thor’s journey.

The story revolves around Thor embarking on a mission to retrieve a powerful weapon popularly known as the Sword of Sutur. Thor is joined by his loyal brother Loki, along with other warriors. Together they sail on stormy seas, travel on horses through dangerous terrain, and meet powerful enemies along the way. We meet several characters: the King of Odin, Thor, Loki, Algrin, the Frost Giants, and Brunhilde. A big battle looms in Asgard, as Thor races against time to bring back the powerful sword to Asgard. Alliances are broken and a past peace treaty is also broken when the news of Thor’s daredevilry reaches the neighboring lands of Asgard.

“Tales of Asgard” reminds us of another popular series, “The Lord of the Rings.” In fact, the film follows the template of the series, especially in the way Thor begins his quest. Thor’s brother, Loki, and his friends form a fellowship, which can very well be called “The Fellowship of the Sword.” As such, “Tales of Asgard” immediately refreshes our memory with the vivid images from the popular Peter Jackson series, especially in a scene when Thor and the others are seen climbing snowy mountain peaks. Then we are again reminded of “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” as the two sides gear for battle, face-to-face, ready to break each other’s stronghold by bringing down the King’s fortress. If nothing else, these images from the past serve as critical ingredients in mesmerizing us with the mystical breadth of Asgard.

In the beginning, we see Thor struggling to stamp himself as the successor to his father’s throne. We see his struggles at a training ground, and then later, we see Thor’s father doubting Thor’s skills. The film invests time in developing Thor’s character and why he drifts against his father’s wishes. But once Thor sets the plan in motion, the film focuses too much on battle sequences; some of the battle scenes work well, while other act as fillers. In addition, the battle sequences take our attention away from the supporting characters. As a result, our emotional connection with Thor’s sidekicks is somewhat lacking. The film, however, overcomes this deficiency by providing ample background on Asgard and the mighty Sword of Sutur.

Clocking under seventy-seven minutes, “Tales of Asgard” moves at a brisk pace; the battle sequences are entertaining and keep us engrossed in Thor’s dangerous journey, however predictable the end result might be. The film also boasts terrific voice acting from the wise voice of Thor’s father (Chris Britton) to the menacing voice of the Frost Giants (Clancy Brown) to Thor’s youthful voice (Matthew Wolf). All of this helps in further enriching the characters and in creating a believable world around Asgard. In fact, the voice-overs are so well done that they uniquely define each character. Finally, the sweeping musical score beautifully presents the epic scale of Thor’s journey and the world around Asgard.

Operating in a “finish-the-mission-and-save-the-world” mode, “Tales of Asgard” gives an impression of been there, done-that, but that is not a bad thing, after all. Aside from minor issues, the film is an entertaining ride that kept my attention throughout its running time.

Video:

“Thor: Tales of Asgard” comes to Blu-ray in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded in an AVC codec. Featuring “anime” style animation, the film is beautiful in its 1080p transfer, with colors remaining deep and solid.  However, on a few occasions, I found colors lacking in depth and vibrancy. Other than this, the transfer packs in remarkable detail, especially the drawings.

Audio:

The 7.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio track functions well. Nevertheless, I felt the audio was underwhelming at times. The dialogue is fairly clear but is sampled at low levels; on several occasions, I had to increase the volume just to hear what anyone was saying. The rear channels are activated in the battle scenes and in the film’s musical score. The soundtrack is critical in creating the mystical world of Asgard, and it succeeds with this lossless track.

Extras:

Lionsgate has released this movie as a two-disc edition. The first disc is dedicated to the Blu-ray version of the film, whereas the second disc features the DVD version.

Starting off the extras, we get two audio commentary tracks, the first one with the supervising producer and the screenwriter and the second track with the supervising director and the character designer. Both tracks provide insightful commentaries on the project, the script writing, and how the characters were designed. Following this, we get a regular making-of featurette, “The Making of Thor.” This is basically a collection of interviews on the set. Up next, we get a bonus episode, “The Avenger: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” Finally, there is a trailer gallery.

Parting Thoughts:

“Thor: Tales of Asgard” is a harmless little animated movie that won’t bore you, even in its brief stay. The plot is straightforward and probably told a thousand times now. But the film still succeeds in its entertainment value by focusing its efforts in the technical aspects, and that includes the presence of strong artwork and commendable voice-over performances. I haven’t seen Kenneth Branagh’s “Thor,” so I can’t comment if this movie adds any value to Thor’s story line. But I can say this: You don’t have to be a fan to enjoy “Thor: Tales of Asgard.”