Thor: Tales of Asgard

The eighth Marvel Animation original feature from Lionsgate offers a prequel (of sorts) to the live-action Thor, with the teenage Thunder God (voiced by Matt Wolf) running off from Asgard with his brother Loki (Rick Gomez) and the Warriors Three—Fandral (Alistair Abell), Hogun (Paul Dobson), and Volstagg (Brent Chapman)—who turn out to be party-loving blowhards who like to spin stories of imagined adventures. The limited animation recreates the ice world of Yodenheim—land of the Frost Giants—which is much brighter and less claustrophobic here than the live-action version. Also, the relationship between brothers Thor and Loki is nicely handled—a mix of affection, competitiveness, bickering, and family loyalty. But the story is blatantly obvious—the arrogant prince learns modesty while almost starting a war with the Frost Giants and the Valkyries—and the script tips toward kid-friendly blandness. Although better than previous Marvel Animation originals, director Sam Liu's offering still pales next to the superior DC Animation originals. Optional. (S. Axmaker)