The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe adventure, Thor: Love and Thunder, debuts tomorrow. Star Chris Hemsworth has spent more than a decade playing the part, stepping into the role in Avengers films, four stand-alone features and even lending his voice to a Marvel series. But there’s more to Hemsworth than Thor, so this week I’m looking at five films where he plays a role that isn’t Thor that I enjoyed.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
About: Joss Whedon snuck this one in just before Avengers. Hemsworth had made his debut as Thor by the time this one reached mass audiences, though it made its debut at festivals prior to that. It’s a horror film that starts out as a standard premise—five pretty people trapped in a cabin in the woods where things begin to go awry. And yet, this one has a fantastic twist. Hemsworth plays the typical male lead here, with the overall movie being more memorable than his character.
Rush (2013)
About: Hemsworth played driver James Hunt here, starring opposite Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda. This one came from Ron Howard and was a very under-rated drama the year it was released. I liked Hemsworth here in a more serious role. I also enjoyed the story and the racing action in this one.
Vacation (2015)
About: I’ll be honest, I like this re-boot of the Vacation franchise more than most people. I also love that this is a film that let’s Hemsworth be funny. And you know what? He’s great in comedic roles. He plays Stone Crandall and he makes a huge impact in a film that has memorable scenes. This is one of his best roles.
Ghostbusters (2016)
About: This female re-boot of Ghostbusters doesn’t get the love it probably deserves. I liked the cast and I like what Paul Feig did with the story. But one of the best parts is Hemsworth, chopping it up as the dim receptionist Kevin. It’s another role that just allows him to show his humorous side and he does that with a flourish in this film.
Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
About: This film feels Quentin Tarantino-esque in its style. It has a great cast and I love a lot of the choices made by writer/director Drew Goddard. One of those choices was bringing in Hemsworth as a charismatic cult-like leader. He’s great in the role and some of his scenes are incredibly chilling. It’s unlike any of his other work in the best kind of way.
Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.
The Music City Drive-In 
Leave a Reply