Thor is summer pop, and those seeking anything more are likely to be disappointed, but what makes it work--what makes it such a great example of pop done right--is Kenneth Branagh's keen direction and his cast's solid performances. Predictably, Branagh ladles out plenty of Shakespeare, Siddhartha, and Excalibur parallels; somewhat less predictably, he proves adept at capturing the epic scope, rumbling action, and good-hearted humor that justify seeing a movie like this on a big screen. by Erik Henriksen