I Am Thor

Metal Avenger, whatever age Jon Mikl Thor might be

RELEASED IN 2015 and directed by Ryan Wise, "I Am Thor" is documentary on the life of flamboyant body-builder/metal front-man Jon Mikl Thor and his band, Thor, from its beginnings in the 70s-early 80s to more recent years.

I remember seeing albums by Thor (the band) at record stores back in the day and my response was always, "Um... no." I guess I dismissed them because I wasn't sure if I was to take them serious. The guy looked like the superhero Thor come to life, but as a rock god; and I wasn't sure how I was supposed to take it. I finally heard some of their music a few years ago on Youtube, like "Let the Blood Run Red" and "Triumphant," and I found it catchy, raw & passionate in the manner of early Anvil and Twisted Sister. There's also a little Venom, but without the goat-sucking buffoonery (but a LOT of other buffoonery), not to mention the occasional wannabe Norse epic-ness of Manowar (e.g. "Warriors of the Universe"). Meanwhile, their stage antics recalled KISS, Alice Cooper and (again) Twisted Sister. The music's simplistic, but kinetic & fun metal that gets your blood pumping.

I'm just trying to establish how little I knew about Thor, the man or his band, and yet I found this movie entertaining from beginning to end. I can't tell you how many times I busted out laughing. For comparison, "I Am Thor" is superior to 2008's "Anvil: The Story of Anvil" and 2004's "Some Kind of Monster," at least as far as being more compelling and amusing.

The last act is the best, covering the reunited band from their glory days 1983-87, albeit with a new, younger bass player. That was the era when the band had their biggest success in England before abruptly ending when Jon decided to try his hand at acting. A decade later Jon decided to "get the band back together" and that's when his ex-porn-star wife said "Buh bye." In 2009, with his reunited band, Thor landed three concerts at sizeable festivals in Scandinavia, where the band is generally hailed. Say what you will, but Jon & co. know how to put on a show and Jon loves what he does and loves the people, despite the many hassles and unforeseen setbacks. Speaking of which, there's a montage of statements by fans or people who've worked with Jon and they unanimously said he's one of the nicest guys to know and work with. That tells you everything you need to know.

Lastly, remember this: Before there was Manowar, there was Thor.

THE FILM RUNS 82 minutes, never overstaying its welcome.

GRADE: A