DVD: Thor (12)

"Thou didst not reckon with the might of Thor!" Quite. Back in April, you'd have got good odds on this Norse superhero ending Marvel's blockbusting run – his weapon is a hammer; he's from God-realm Asgard, which connects to Midgard (Earth) via a rainbow bridge manned by Stringer Bell from The Wire; and it's directed by luvvie mascot Kenneth Branagh. But Thor is the best superhero movie of 2011 – that's not saying much, but it's exciting, fun and easily Ken's best film since Hamlet.

Conceited Thor (perfectly cast Aussie giant Chris Hemsworth) is set up by duplicitous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), stripped of his powers and exiled to Earth by eye-patched dad Odin (Anthony Hopkins). There, a hottie scientist (a non-plussed Natalie Portman) teaches him about humanity – until Loki tracks him down...

Conventional wisdom would dictate that the Earthbound scenes would work the best, but – unlike this year's worst superhero film, Green Lantern – it's the "domestic" strife in the lap of the Gods that sparkles. Branagh mines every ounce of cod-Shakespearean pathos he can, and as Hopkins, Hiddleston and Hemsworth wring tension from the fraternal struggle, the spectacle impresses. Just don't expect any actual Norse mythology, of course.