Minute Twenty-Four: From an Icy Arm to an Icy Foot
In the twenty-fourth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor…
- Loki and the Frost Giant (we think it’s Richard Cetrone) share a look. Is the Frost Giant surprised by this reaction of Loki’s skin? Does he realize this is the long-lost prince? Or does he at least suspect that this is a Frost Giant in disguise? So much behind their shared look.
- Then again, perhaps it’s just the fact that he’s been stabbed twice and is slowly dying by this point.
- They say the Frost Giants tattoo themselves to denote their rank, but why would Loki have what looks like tattoos on the back of his hand? Did he get tattooed as a baby? Or is there a difference between natural marks on their skin and the tattoos? And if so, which is which?
Fandral as Errol Flynn as the Dread Pirate Roberts gets to show off a bit.
- What are the odds of a sword landing tip-in when knocked out of someone’s hands? It seems so unlikely, but it does allow for a cool moment with Fandral.
- Again, that’s Fimbuldraugr he’s wielding. This, of course, provides us more opportunity to complain about the fact that they didn’t name Sif’s weapons. Why does everyone else get a cool name but not her?
- We thought perhaps it was a toy thing but the toy version of Fandral doesn’t even wield Fimbuldraugr – he’s wielding a harpoon blade. That makes it even more lame.
- It’s great how Fandral is so cocky and proud of himself only to get impaled by an ice stalagmite. This plays well for us.
- That being said, it’s a bit of a surprise that we see his blood on the ice. That’s certainly something we didn’t think we’d see from Marvel.
The Asgardians decide it’s time to leave. And that’s before Laufey releases the Jotun Beast.
- Sif yells at Thor but he doesn’t reply. Loki says they must go and Thor just tells them to go. He’s so focused on himself. This analysis makes us realize how awful a friend he is.
- When Thor throws Mjølnir to knock down at least a dozen Frost Giants, is he trying to help clear a path for his friends or is he still just focused on himself.
- We love the Mjølnir-cam that we get to see as it’s plowing through Frost Giants. How does it work though? Does it require a psychic connection?
- In the script, Mjølnir actually drops to the ground when Thor is interrupted by Frost Giants. In the film, we never see it come back. Perhaps this was just Branagh’s way of moving us through the story without having to explain all this more?
- Is Mjølnir sentient? Is that part of the psychic connection?
Laufey reacts to the battle by releasing the Jotun Beast.
- This is a different Laufey than earlier in the film. This one just watches the fight, moving his troops into position like a great chess player, very much different than the younger one we saw battling against Odin who was right in the thick of battle.
- Our opinion of Laufey initially as a mustache-twirling villain actually has a lot more going on than we’d originally given him credit for.
- Is the concept of the Frost Giants trying to take over the Nine Realms with the Casket of Ancient Winters just fiction spun by Odin as the victor of the battle? We’re definitely starting to feel more for them than we have before.
- Laufey releases the Jotun Beast, also called the Frost Beast or the frost creature, with a blast of ice energy he sends across the plaza.
- When he does this, we get a fantastic shot of the Jotun Beast’s eye as the ice around it starts cracking off. Such a great shot!
- Speaking of great shots, we get one that establishes where the Asgardians are. Turns out they’re all at the entrance to the plaza, trying to work their way back. All except Thor who fights on.
- Is the Jotun Beast Laufey’s pet?
It’s a fun minute full of fighting and fleeing. We have a great chat about it today. Tune in!
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