Synopsis: THOR: THE DARK WORLD
In the aftermath of Marvel’s Thor and Marvel’s The Avengers, Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
There is a moment early in Thor: The Dark World, when Thor himself enters the field of battle. You sense his arrival, he lands with a wry smile on his face, Mjolnir in hand and swaggers into the fray. Swagger is the permeating word I want to convey in my thoughts on this new entry to the Marvel stable of films because this movie doesn’t just enter the series, it swaggers confidently in.
Our first experience with Thor was the fun but somewhat shallow outing back in 2011, helmed by Kenneth Brannagh. In the sequel we have Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones) in charge and he certainly steps things up. In tone, a somewhat darker film yet one that hits great heights in action, entertainment and comedy. The characters we have met previously continue to flourish this time in a more grounded and real Asgard, we still have the shimmering spires and glossy sheen of the palaces, but now we also see the seedy taverns and warrior training grounds. Taylor presents a more tangible interpretation of the Nine Realms, it is a more gritty and grounded world we are shown but one that does not sacrifice any of the epic feel. Certain plot choices make Asgard and its inhabitants themselves far more vulnerable and less God-like which only adds to the improved relatability of the piece over its predecessor.
One of the most impressive aspects of the Marvel movies has been the casting and the actors here not only show how spot on their selections were but continue to develop their characters and interplay very well. A lot has been said of this world realized by director Alan Taylor adding to the solid feel, and while I agree it helps I think the natural interplay between the characters is really what cements things.
Hemsworth’s performance as the God of Thunder is delivered with a lot of heart and tempered with more humility after the first film and events the of The Avengers. He is surprisingly accomplished in his delivery of the more dramatic aspects of the film and is equally accomplished at hitting the comedic notes, this is something the film as a whole achieves with aplomb. Anthony Hopkins (Odin) delivers as you would expect him to, a more weary King of Asgard ready to hand over power to his maturing son. Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) gets a more active role in this one and her scenes in Asgard are a nice mirror to Thor’s scenes on Earth. She has some great scenes with Thor himself, developing their romance as well and alongside his mother Frigga (Rene Russo), who thankfully gets a chance to shine here with her motherly role to both sons and even shows off some nifty sword skills. In fact it is an all round great showing from the female cast as confident and capable characters, Sif (Jaimie Alexander) also being great but lacking in screentime. In addition to Portman, the rest of her scientific team reassemble with Kat Dennings (as funny and snarky as ever), Stellan Skarsgard and their new intern, together provide much of the comedy relief in the film. I’d also like to make a special note of the brilliant Chris O’Dowd, playing Jane Fosters date. Some may be familiar with him from Bridesmaids but if you haven’t seen it, check out a UK comedy show on Netflix called The IT Crowd, you will not regret it. Oh and Idris Elba (Heimdall) continues to cement his reputation as a cinematic badass.
And finally we come to Tom Hiddleston. Yes, again Loki is one of the best parts of the film utterly stealing the show whenever on screen. From the devilish quips to when the more haunted and pained character beneath the polished veneer is exposed, Hiddleston gives the film its real darkness while simultaneously brightening this Dark World. Some may clamor for more Loki time, he spends a good portion of the film locked in an Asgard dungeon but I think the film makers wisely restrained from overusing the character, making his screen time (especially those scenes shared with Thor) some of the most dramatic, intense and hilarious of the whole film.
The villains of the piece, the Dark Elves, are somewhat interesting and make the movie something akin to a subversive War film. They come across as extremists/terrorists, initially we see their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston, Doctor Who, Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later) ordering a suicide bombing against his own people before a later kamikaze attack on Asgard itself. They have beliefs in their own superiority and seek to destroy to impose their own way upon the galaxy. Their technology and ships are impressively designed and have a cool aesthetic, the ‘cursed’ power-up effect is impressive and they really do feel like a credible threat to the Asgardians. But, Malekith himself is ultimately a rather bland, generic villain in spite of Eccleston being a great actor. There are rumblings that a significant portion of what he filmed was cut from the movie and it would be interesting to know if there could have been more left in to make him actually part of the story rather than just something to drive it along.
But as foes, the Dark Elves are functional enough and help to deliver a very impressive finale to the film; a battle in Greenwich, London which is basically a superhero smackdown crossed with the video game Portal. The Man of Steel needs to take note from this on the correct way to convey death and destruction and imbue a sense of resonance with it. The swagger comes in again here as the film confidently drops some of the funniest moments during a sequence where the known universe is on the brink of being destroyed and totally pulls it off. The Dark World straddles the light and dark aspects of the story with ease and is impressive for how much weight and emotion it can convey while also being surprisingly funny.
Of course the film is not perfect. In addition to the ‘generic bad guy syndrome’, the motives of the Dark Elves are a little undefined. Clarifying they were usurped by the Asgardians and unable to shape a universe in their own way may have helped. The film also gets a little expositiony, we have backstory through a voice over at the beginning, then another explanation from a book mid-way. It’s a little clunky in comparison to how streamlined and well paced the rest of the movie is. Also, technobabble permeates some of the latter half that bogs down an otherwise great closing battle sequence. A friend commented they found the pacing to be lacking in parts but I felt those slower moments really helped the film and characters to breathe. While the special effects are great, the 3D is lackluster and adds nothing of value to the film. We also have a hinted at subplot involving a love triangle between Thor, Jane and Sif that may be planting the seeds for a later film but really goes nowhere here. In general, The Dark World is so entertaining it is hard to really pick it apart.
Thor: The Dark World is a vast improvement over the original and a very satisfying, confident and enjoyable film in its own right. Marvel have spent time building this playground and now they are cutting loose in it and it is a hell of a fun ride they’re taking us on. They are keeping the characters fresh and engaging whilst the ending and after credit teasers show there is little sign of this abating. Swagger on, Marvel.
Originally published at old.cinapse.co on November 8, 2013.