Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Director: Alan Taylor
You don’t have to be Neil deGrasse Tyson to understand the opening of Thor but it probably wouldn’t hurt. Starting off with the explanation that the universe was created out of darkness and dark elves want to use the power of a dark liquid energy called the Aether. When the dark elves were mostly destroyed by the Asgardians the Aether was hidden away. The convergence is about to happen, the time when all nine realms come into alignment and their matter blurs. When they converge if the Aether is released the universe will cease to exist going back to darkness when the dark elves ruled over everything.
Two years after Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) last saw Thor (Chris Hemsworth) she comes across a wormhole that puts her in direct contact with the Aether which infects her body. Thor who has been trying to bring peace to the nine realms realizes something is wrong and brings Jane back to Asgard. When Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) the leader of the dark elves realizes the Aether is now on Asgard he attacks Asgard. It is up Thor and his untrustworthy brother Loki to band together and stop Malekith.
It’s a pretty in depth plot for a comic book movie yet is never dry delivering ample charm and humor that Marvel films have been known for since Ironman. The delicious Kat Denning is back as Janes assistant Darcy Lewis as some comic relief while being entirely too well clothed, even if it is winter. The real standout is surprisingly Tom Hiddleston as Loki while in the first he came across as a second rate Brent Spiner, Data from Star Trek the next generation. Hiddleston began to create a stronger persona in the Avengers and raises the bar in Dark World showing a wry sense of humor as well as some emotional depth. This is the God of Mischief I have been waiting to see.
Hemsworth is picture perfect as the hammer wielding Asgardian who must decide to rule his people or reunite with Jane Foster in spite of their lifespans (Asgardians live roughly 5000 yrs).At this point I can’t envision anyone else in the role.
The biggest issue with the film is the look of Malekith, it is a drastic departure from the source material leaning more towards the elves from Lord of the Rings films.
There is more to like than not to like, some might find the first twenty minutes slow but they are rewarded with an almost epic scope. First rate visuals and a few twist and turns. As always make sure to stay through the credits to see the bonus scenes, that’s right plural.
Grade- 90
