Product Description

The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

To be blunt, Thor's 1080p Blu-ray 3D transfer is a disappointment. In fact, it bears an almost uncanny resemblance to the recent 3D release of Priest in that it's a movie that mixes light and dark scenes at regular intervals. The two also share in common a post-shoot 3D conversion, taking a standard 2D film and digitally altering it into a faux 3D image. Finally, neither one proves to be even the least bit spectacular in 3D. Sure the studio logo looks fantastic, but it's all down the Paramount mountain from there. A fair bit of crosstalk plagues the opening credits text, but drops off considerably -- but not completely -- once the film proper begins. Of course, the first good bit of the movie is shrouded in darkness, which in 3D becomes little more than a blob of murky blackness on the screen. Definition, detail, and the ability to differentiate one object from another almost vanishes completely. The 3D process just kills ultra-dark scenes -- particularly in these conversions -- and this is no exception. Fortunately, the damage is minimal afterwards, but then again the 3D conversion really adds nothing to the rest of the film. Sure there's a decent amount of natural depth; a few objects appear more shapely than they do in 2D; and yes, there are a few scenes where spatial separation between characters is more evident, but the effect isn't so great that the 3D version seems more worthwhile than the, in this case, natural 2D edition. The 3D transfer fares best with the little things -- the shape of explosions, little golden speckles that float over a sleeping Odin -- but in terms of the picture's bulk, there's very little here to command the premium and the hassle of 3D, and there aren't even any worthwhile "jump out of the screen" sort of magical moments to be seen, either.

Otherwise, the 3D transfer retains many of the same attributes of the 2D-only edition. Fine detail never truly excels, but comes close in those brighter New Mexico scenes. As noted, the 3D process seems to wipe away some of the finer details in the film's darkest scenes, which were already scant to begin with. Additionally, facial textures sometimes appear just a smidgen smoothed over, not to any excessive degree but enough to stand apart in various scenes. The color palette remains largely intact; the 3D version is definitely a few shades darker than the standard 2D edition, but the general golden hue of Asgard and Thor's bright red cape, for instance, both come out relatively unscathed. A hint of softness remains scattered throughout, but most scenes retain a good deal of clarity. Light grain retention remains, as does a hint of banding. With the barrage of 3D conversions hitting the market -- and many of them clearly inferior to the original 2D content -- one must wonder whether this aspect of 3D technology is ready for primetime. If Thor is any indication, the answer is a resounding "no." It's not that the conversion is a disaster -- far from it -- but it's hard to see the point when the results are so mediocre, particularly considering a movie that, like Priest, has so many dark scenes that simply fail to take advantage of the 3D conversion process, losing definition and not really gaining any perceptible depth. Here's hoping that Captain America -- also converted in post rather than filmed natively in 3D -- will fare better on Blu-ray.

Paramount's Blu-ray release of Thor delivers a thunderous DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack. This is an exceptionally well-engineered track. It's dynamic and incredibly immersive in nearly every moment, whether the most intense action scenes or the quietest dialogue exchanges. The picture opens with soft music that flows so subtly and naturally through the soundstage that one can only wonder just how far the track may go given the innate quality of such a relatively inconsequential yet so perfectly balanced and presented bit of score. It doesn't take long for the track to demonstrate its full range. Every scene is a sonic event as warriors battle on the frigid Norwegian battlefields early in the film. Clanking swords, screaming combatants, and the general chaos of war spill through all seven channels with a clarity and effortlessness that's second-to-none. The track proves incredibly dynamic here and elsewhere as sound effects of all ranges, volumes, and styles are seamlessly inserted into the track. That chaotic action is countered by wonderfully implemented ambience that transports listeners to the deserts of New Mexico, the frosty plains of Jotunheim, and the golden halls of Asgard. Indeed, the track handles delicate vocal echoes, dripping water, and light winds as well as it does intense rock 'em sock 'em combat sequences between Thor and the giant metallic fire-breathing foe known as "Destroyer." Bass proves to be a touch unkempt at the very bottom, but it's nevertheless both efficient and potent in supporting the heaviest sound effects and adding that critical heft that gives the track its body and strength. Of course, dialogue reproduction is center-grounded, crisp, accurate, and never forced to compete with surrounding music or effects. Soundtracks don't get much juicier and flat-out entertaining as this one; it's the perfect accompaniment to a flashy summer extravaganza.

3D Blu-ray DVD Movies Disc - Thor Limited 3D Edition Features

Video
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

Subtitles

Discs
50GB Blu-ray Disc

Package Content

3D Blu-ray DVD Movies Disc(50GB) - 3D Blu-ray DVD Movies Disc - Thor Limited 3D Edition x 1