Let me be frank: I am a proud comic book nerd. My bedroom is decked out with Watchmen, Harley Quinn and X-Men. memorabilia. So, of course, whenever a new superhero movie comes out, my poor friends find themselves subject to my fangirl obsessions as we head to the theater during opening week of the latest comic book film.

I recently saw Thor, and even now — days later — I continue to gush over how amazing it was.

According to Norse mythology, Thor was the son of the King of the Gods, Odin. Marvel comics took their own spin on him and molded the hammer-wielding idol as an avenger.

The movie presents a prelude to the hero, telling his back story.

Thor's father banishes him to Earth for attacking an enemy planet and race, despite the fact the two tribes remained at peace for years. Enter the damsel in distress, who, as always, is named Jane. Jane, a quirky astrophysicist, falls madly in love with the immaculately groomed, chiseled god as she hunts down the clues to his past. Meanwhile, Thor's brother begins to instigate turmoil back on his home planet, and worlds (quite literally) collide. Thor has to choose between his loyalty to his kingdom, his love for Jane and saving the world.

Marvel is notorious for jovial storylines, but Thor demonstrated a fair amount of dark humor. The special effects were magnificent and Academy Award winners Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman more than lived up to the expectations of adulating fans.

An added plus, my fellow New Mexicans, is that Thor was filmed all across the state, so if you possess no interest in the truly epic plotline, play "I Spy" with familiar landscapes.

Charlotte Smart is a junior at Santa Fe Secondary School. You can reach her at charchar@cybermesa.com.