Thor: The Dark World (B or 3/4 stars)
Back in 2011, 'Thor' was a Marvel Comics movie that never should've worked. But director Kenneth Branagh used his Shakespearean sensibilities, lead actor & grandiose style to make the movie a winner. 'Thor' had its odd points, but was agreeable, funny, gorgeous & chock full of exciting action. And now, in 2013, 'Thor: The Dark World' (directed by Games of Thrones-er Alan Taylor) is much more of the same; if not quite as good. Some of the plot elements are confusing and/or rushed. The villain is one-dimensional. And it just doesn't 'wow' as it did the 1st time. But it's enjoyable, for sure.
Chris Hemsworth returns as our buff, brawny, seemingly invincible Norse god of thunder. 2 yrs. have passed since he left Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) on Earth following his showdown with the menacing Frost Giants. In the meantime, he fought his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in The Avengers & has kept an eye on Jane down on Earth while trying to fix all the collateral damage from said Avengers. When Jane stumbles on 'Aether', an ancient relic & accidentally absorbs its power, both Thor & this film's villain, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), take note. Malekith is King of the Dark Elves & has been in stasis since his last take-over-the-world scheme went wrong hundreds of years ago. It is Malekith's malevolent goal to use the Aether to blast the 9 realms of the universe into eternal darkness. And with Jane having activated the Aether ... this causes Malekith to launch an all-out assault on Asgard, forcing Thor to recruit the imprisoned Loki to help save the universe with his shape-shifting ways. Drama, tragedy, light humor, fun cameos(!), & action ensues. But there are also too-familiar comic book fantasy elements. The Dark Elf aliens, their specific plans, the type of visual effects ... they all call to memory The Lord of the Rings, Prometheus, and the like.
So yeah, 'Thor 2' has a huge, save-the-world plot that ALL of these comic book films have. I suppose it really can't be helped. Comic book adaptations are coming fast & furious nowadays, & every single one of them will have catastrophies & heroics going on in tandem. Credit should be given to the director for keeping the film as involving (after a rather ordinary opening 20-30 minutes), humorous, fast-paced, & entertaining as it is. Yeah, that 1st section of the film is fairly blahh, and the climax is rushed, but most of the middle of the film is pretty fantastic. And various characters transcend the generic mediocrity of the plot.
Chris Hemsworth continues to be charming & arrogant at all times. He broods & delivers his dialogue with grand pomposity. And his return to Earth brings more smile-inducing fish-out-of-water jokes. His chemistry with Natalie Portman is still feeble. But then, their romance is not (thus far) the focus of these 'Thor' movies ... thankfully. Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo, & Idris Elba are good, yet underused. Kat Dennings lends her acerbic comic timing to a few funny scenes. Stellan Skarsgard's role has diminished into pure comic relief; parading around in his underwear & babbling on. And, like the 1st film, Tom Hiddleston steals the show as mischievous sociopath, Loki. As macho as he & Thor are, it's hysterical watching them trade biting barbs & cheeky insults at each other. Loki gets both the funniest & most heartbreaking moments. His crazed-grin hides a wellspring of hurt deep inside. And Hiddleston lends enough mystery to the role that you can't quite figure out where his allegiances lie. Loki's great, but he & the rest of the characters are compelling enough to deserve richer treatment in the script.
You know, there's something for everybody in 'Thor 2'. Drama (okay), comedy (yes!), romance (blech), crazy creatures (fun), a colorful mythology (love), and, of course, robust FX/action (comes with the territory). The big battle in 'Thor 2' is appropriately rousing (if a tad confusing & clipped). I also must mention a particularly note-worthy funeral. The scene is GORGEOUS. The blending of the emotions of the funeral, the visuals we see, & the haunting music converge to create the film's clear artistic high point. So on the whole, the positives outweigh the negatives. You can never claim that 'Thor 2' is a superb, well-written film, but you will likely be entertained in the moment. Hey filmmakers, next time ... please give us more Loki & less thinly-written villainry. K, thanks.
Chris Hemsworth returns as our buff, brawny, seemingly invincible Norse god of thunder. 2 yrs. have passed since he left Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) on Earth following his showdown with the menacing Frost Giants. In the meantime, he fought his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in The Avengers & has kept an eye on Jane down on Earth while trying to fix all the collateral damage from said Avengers. When Jane stumbles on 'Aether', an ancient relic & accidentally absorbs its power, both Thor & this film's villain, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), take note. Malekith is King of the Dark Elves & has been in stasis since his last take-over-the-world scheme went wrong hundreds of years ago. It is Malekith's malevolent goal to use the Aether to blast the 9 realms of the universe into eternal darkness. And with Jane having activated the Aether ... this causes Malekith to launch an all-out assault on Asgard, forcing Thor to recruit the imprisoned Loki to help save the universe with his shape-shifting ways. Drama, tragedy, light humor, fun cameos(!), & action ensues. But there are also too-familiar comic book fantasy elements. The Dark Elf aliens, their specific plans, the type of visual effects ... they all call to memory The Lord of the Rings, Prometheus, and the like.
So yeah, 'Thor 2' has a huge, save-the-world plot that ALL of these comic book films have. I suppose it really can't be helped. Comic book adaptations are coming fast & furious nowadays, & every single one of them will have catastrophies & heroics going on in tandem. Credit should be given to the director for keeping the film as involving (after a rather ordinary opening 20-30 minutes), humorous, fast-paced, & entertaining as it is. Yeah, that 1st section of the film is fairly blahh, and the climax is rushed, but most of the middle of the film is pretty fantastic. And various characters transcend the generic mediocrity of the plot.
Chris Hemsworth continues to be charming & arrogant at all times. He broods & delivers his dialogue with grand pomposity. And his return to Earth brings more smile-inducing fish-out-of-water jokes. His chemistry with Natalie Portman is still feeble. But then, their romance is not (thus far) the focus of these 'Thor' movies ... thankfully. Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo, & Idris Elba are good, yet underused. Kat Dennings lends her acerbic comic timing to a few funny scenes. Stellan Skarsgard's role has diminished into pure comic relief; parading around in his underwear & babbling on. And, like the 1st film, Tom Hiddleston steals the show as mischievous sociopath, Loki. As macho as he & Thor are, it's hysterical watching them trade biting barbs & cheeky insults at each other. Loki gets both the funniest & most heartbreaking moments. His crazed-grin hides a wellspring of hurt deep inside. And Hiddleston lends enough mystery to the role that you can't quite figure out where his allegiances lie. Loki's great, but he & the rest of the characters are compelling enough to deserve richer treatment in the script.
You know, there's something for everybody in 'Thor 2'. Drama (okay), comedy (yes!), romance (blech), crazy creatures (fun), a colorful mythology (love), and, of course, robust FX/action (comes with the territory). The big battle in 'Thor 2' is appropriately rousing (if a tad confusing & clipped). I also must mention a particularly note-worthy funeral. The scene is GORGEOUS. The blending of the emotions of the funeral, the visuals we see, & the haunting music converge to create the film's clear artistic high point. So on the whole, the positives outweigh the negatives. You can never claim that 'Thor 2' is a superb, well-written film, but you will likely be entertained in the moment. Hey filmmakers, next time ... please give us more Loki & less thinly-written villainry. K, thanks.