I will not hide it: This is the movie that defines my childhood and might be one of the things that had a major impression on me. Yet still, it does have its weaknesses: The good things first: There are, compared to other mythologies, only few movies that handle the material in a fair and nice way and not reduce the norse folks and their gods down to brutal dumb-heads with horned helmets. Valhalla, the movie and the comics even more so, certainly know what they are talking about. The movie's story is based on the mythological tale of Thor's journey to Utgard with some minor myths and some additional comic-relief mixed into it. The result is a movie that does provide some good morals without hammering them into the viewer's head like so many films unfortunately do nowadays. But now for the downsides: The movie has its dragging parts. Thor playing with his children, the building of the hut etc are nice, but feel a bit long. The responding volumes of the comic (volume 4 and 5 to be precise) came out after the movie and might, in comparison, feel a bit better done. Especially since the comics explain a lot more where the movie left things out or just had them as a throw-away scene. Another weakness might be that the movie feels a bit like it expects the viewer to know the mythology by heart at times.
Therefore, to conclude this: The movie is certainly watching, whether or not you know the myths. But try to get your hands on the comics, they are worth a look even more, if I may say so.
Therefore, to conclude this: The movie is certainly watching, whether or not you know the myths. But try to get your hands on the comics, they are worth a look even more, if I may say so.