Credible Credits
Year: 2013
Director: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, and Christopher Eccleston
Tagline: None
Synopsis: Thor must team up with Loki to save the woman he loves ... and the entire universe.
Synopsis: Thor must team up with Loki to save the woman he loves ... and the entire universe.
Review
I really liked Thor. So I went into Thor: The Dark World with pretty high expectations. I was not disappointed. Three things that I enjoyed about the first film were all present for the sequel: humor, personal/family conflict (amidst the trans-worlds conflict), and Asgard.
Unlike the first film, this one spends much more time on Asgard. We get to see much more of the world, the culture, and the people. Without giving too much away, can I just say that the Asgardians have the coolest funerary rites ever?
As for personal/family conflict and humor, the film is packed with both. And I thought it did a good job balancing the two. Of all the Marvel movies, this may well be the funniest. I think just about every primary and secondary character gets at least one great, witty line. Loki and Darcy by far have the most though. But, like I said, the film also has some angst which helps to keep the characters interesting and grounded.
The villain, Malekith, is a bit on the bland side I suppose, while still being menacing. He simply wants to get things back to the way they were in the "good old days" when there was just darkness. And he is willing to destroy literally everything and everyone to do that. He has a rather interesting henchman who becomes what they call "Kursed." He kind of reminded me of a glorified berserker. It was also an interesting change to see elves as the bad guys (Malekith and the other dark elves look nothing like Elrond, Legolas, or Ernie Keebler).
In terms of its cinematic qualities, Thor: The Dark World certainly delivers. It is visually stunning and beautiful. There were even a couple times when I thought to myself, "Hey, that's a cool shot." The score was also great. I may have to buy part of it (I love film scores).
One last note before I get into spoilers. The film has a few great cameos, but one that made me smile (and doesn't spoil anything, I promise) is when Jane, Darcy, Selvig, and Ian are eating breakfast in their London flat. In the middle of the table is a package of digestive biscuits (yummy British cookies). It made me smile.
*** Spoiler Section ***
In the last film, Frigga (Thor's mother) didn't get a whole lot of screen time. In this movie she gets to be more a part of the action and Frigga is friggin' awesome (sorry, I couldn't resist the spelling similarities). Not only does she get to verbally one up Odin, she also momentarily stumps the quick-witted Loki, outsmarts the main villain whom she then bests in one-on-one combat. Awesome. A strong, intelligent woman who also cares deeply about her family and is willing to die for what she believes in. We should name a day of the week after her ...
Loki, the silver-tongued trickster, pretty much steals the movie. He's just a fun character. I didn't believe his ruse of stabbing Thor and handing Jane over to Malekith. That was a bit too dark for him. I also didn't believe it when he "died." Again, that just wasn't quite his character. But it is amazing how many times Thor falls for what he sees with Loki. I wonder what Loki did with Odin. I guess we'll have to wait for Thor 3.
I loved the climax, with the world jumping and Selvig and Jane's remote control as it were for the transportation. It was very fun and different. The actual resolution, however, felt a bit rehashed. Just like in the first film, Thor risks his life to defeat the bad guy, nearly dies, but is ultimately saved. I was actually expecting Jane to die. Not that I wanted her to, but it somehow would have been fitting. Based on the trailers, I wondered if Thor would have to sacrifice Jane to save the universe. And then in that scene I wondered if Jane would sacrifice herself for Thor. I'm glad she lives to see another sequel (hopefully she can slap Loki again), but it would have been a powerful ending.
Lastly, can I just say how much I loved "Captain America's" cameo? That may have been the funniest part in the whole movie.
Unlike the first film, this one spends much more time on Asgard. We get to see much more of the world, the culture, and the people. Without giving too much away, can I just say that the Asgardians have the coolest funerary rites ever?
As for personal/family conflict and humor, the film is packed with both. And I thought it did a good job balancing the two. Of all the Marvel movies, this may well be the funniest. I think just about every primary and secondary character gets at least one great, witty line. Loki and Darcy by far have the most though. But, like I said, the film also has some angst which helps to keep the characters interesting and grounded.
The villain, Malekith, is a bit on the bland side I suppose, while still being menacing. He simply wants to get things back to the way they were in the "good old days" when there was just darkness. And he is willing to destroy literally everything and everyone to do that. He has a rather interesting henchman who becomes what they call "Kursed." He kind of reminded me of a glorified berserker. It was also an interesting change to see elves as the bad guys (Malekith and the other dark elves look nothing like Elrond, Legolas, or Ernie Keebler).
In terms of its cinematic qualities, Thor: The Dark World certainly delivers. It is visually stunning and beautiful. There were even a couple times when I thought to myself, "Hey, that's a cool shot." The score was also great. I may have to buy part of it (I love film scores).
One last note before I get into spoilers. The film has a few great cameos, but one that made me smile (and doesn't spoil anything, I promise) is when Jane, Darcy, Selvig, and Ian are eating breakfast in their London flat. In the middle of the table is a package of digestive biscuits (yummy British cookies). It made me smile.
*** Spoiler Section ***
In the last film, Frigga (Thor's mother) didn't get a whole lot of screen time. In this movie she gets to be more a part of the action and Frigga is friggin' awesome (sorry, I couldn't resist the spelling similarities). Not only does she get to verbally one up Odin, she also momentarily stumps the quick-witted Loki, outsmarts the main villain whom she then bests in one-on-one combat. Awesome. A strong, intelligent woman who also cares deeply about her family and is willing to die for what she believes in. We should name a day of the week after her ...
Loki, the silver-tongued trickster, pretty much steals the movie. He's just a fun character. I didn't believe his ruse of stabbing Thor and handing Jane over to Malekith. That was a bit too dark for him. I also didn't believe it when he "died." Again, that just wasn't quite his character. But it is amazing how many times Thor falls for what he sees with Loki. I wonder what Loki did with Odin. I guess we'll have to wait for Thor 3.
I loved the climax, with the world jumping and Selvig and Jane's remote control as it were for the transportation. It was very fun and different. The actual resolution, however, felt a bit rehashed. Just like in the first film, Thor risks his life to defeat the bad guy, nearly dies, but is ultimately saved. I was actually expecting Jane to die. Not that I wanted her to, but it somehow would have been fitting. Based on the trailers, I wondered if Thor would have to sacrifice Jane to save the universe. And then in that scene I wondered if Jane would sacrifice herself for Thor. I'm glad she lives to see another sequel (hopefully she can slap Loki again), but it would have been a powerful ending.
Lastly, can I just say how much I loved "Captain America's" cameo? That may have been the funniest part in the whole movie.
Quotable Quotes
- "There is nothing more reassuring than knowing that the world is crazier than you are." -- Dr. Erik Selvig
- "I had things under control!" "Is that why everything is on fire?" -- Sif and Thor
- "She [Frigga] wouldn't want us to fight." "Well, she wouldn't exactly be shocked." Thor and Loki
- "Tada!" -- Loki
- Basically anything coming out of either Loki's or Darcy's mouth
ISFS
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