“Thor: The Dark World” is part of the continuing Marvel storyline that has been dominating film for the last several years. All of the films are interconnected, yet each stands on their own. The critics have not been too receptive to this installment of Thor, but the fans are giving it high ratings. I fall somewhere in the middle. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, I walked away wishing it had been more than it was. This incarnation takes a sharp directional turn from Kenneth’s Branagh’s more Shakespearean take on the Norse God of Thunder. Director Alan Taylor (of Game of Thrones fame), strives to create a world that feels more like ‘Lord of the Rings’ than anything else. It is a satisfying exploration of the kingdom of Aesgard as well as the other 9 realms, but it loses the magic of a God walking among us that we experienced in the first film.
Chris Hemsworth takes on the mantle of Thor, but once again Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Thor’s evil stepbrother Loki steals the show. He did not have anywhere the screen time desired given his popularity, but the fraternal bickering between the two was the highlight of the film. Tom Hiddleston has taken what was a minor villain in the comics and elevated him up to one of the all time great screen villains. A man torn between two worlds, yet completely reveling in his malevolence. What makes Hiddleston’s performance so brilliant is that he is able to portray Loki’s inner conflicts without ever letting go that he is evil. His occasional softening of Loki never dulls his diabolical edge.
Heavyweight superstars like Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, and Natalie Portman, reprise their rolls, but none seem invested and there is nothing new and exciting they bring to the table. I will confess, that Rene Russo displayed some badassery in terms of action moves, but other than that, she was a flat character. If anything, the surprise of this film for me was Jamie Kennedy reprising her role of Sif. A character that seemed stiff and wooden in the last film, gained a fresh perspective and depth in this one. A secondary plot that seemed to be leading her to be a love interest for Thor was abruptly dropped right as it was getting interesting. More is the pity, as the supposed torrid romance between Thor and Natalie Portman’s ‘sexy’ astrophysicist, Jane Foster, seemed wooden and forced whereas Thor and Sif seemed to exude a real chemistry.
The villain also seemed generic. The evil Dark Elf Malekith (an unrecognizable Christopher Eccleston) is reawakened by a force in which he wants to plunge the universe into darkness. Grandiose, but seen countless times in every sword and sorcery fantasy genre that I can remember. The evil elves had all the depth of the Storm Troopers from ‘Star Wars’. There existence was just there so Thor would have a mass of people to pound on.
Despite my complaints, I did enjoy the more in depth look at Aesgard. The cinematography was stunning with probably one of the more beautiful funeral scenes in recent memory. Truly a funeral befitting Gods. I also enjoyed a glimpse at the All Father Odin’s darker side. Anthony Hopkins always does a great job, but I feel something was lacking. Tom Hiddleston gave a full force performance where it seemed the elder thespian Hopkins was just doing another roll. He gave little if any visceral performances.
I found myself less and less invested in the complex Doomsday story line (it’s an action film, let’s not try to make Armegeddon too complex). What kept my interest were the continued dynamics between Thor and Loki as well as enjoying all the cameos and future set-ups that Marvel is known for. Once again, stay for the after credit clips as they prepare us for the upcoming 'Guardians of the Galaxy' film next summer. A fun time at the movies and a worthy expansion of the cinematic Marvel universe, but it will not rank among the best superhero movies out there.
I give this film *** stars.
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