Thor: The Dark World Review

Back in action
Full review by Isaac Handelman

If Iron Man 3 can be described as an anomaly on an otherwise strong track record, then Thor: The Dark World is the majestic recovery. Helmed by rookie director Alan Taylor and faced with the task of being the first solo sequel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sans the Iron Man series, The Dark World has plenty of obstacles to overcome. And it manages to conquer expectations, not by some drastic formula alteration, but by evolving from its predecessor(s) in a natural way; it’s bigger, it’s bolder, and it’s better than ever before.

As The Dark World opens (spoilers for the first two minutes of the film follow), viewers are introduced to the Dark Elves, an ancient race that ruled the universe before the creation of the Nine Realms of Marvel fiction. Led by the devious Malekith (Christopher Eccleston, a capable actor who is unfortunately confined largely to delivering scary-sounding lines in a fantasy language), the Dark Elves tried to use a cataclysmic substance called the Aether to bring about a permanent darkness. They were stopped by the noble Asgardians, and the Aether locked away for safe keeping. Now, thousands of years later, Malekith is at it again, his evil plot given new life by a rare alignment of the Nine Realms. This time, it’s up to Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to foil his plot, and save the universe as we know it. S.H.I.E.L.D. is conspicuously absent throughout most of the universe-threatening central narrative, though they are mentioned on occasion.

Hemsworth is unbelievably cool in the title role.

If Natalie Portman’s character, Jane Foster, bugged the hell out of you the first time around, if for nothing else than the fact that her character was blatantly shoehorned in as a pointless love interest for Thor, fear not. Her role in this sequel, and her chemistry with star Hemsworth, have greatly improved. She’s given a much more prominent role in the overarching narrative this time around, and is given the opportunity to interact with many of the characters whom she never did in the first installment, which leads to some amusing introductions. Some viewers will probably be unable to wash the sour taste from their mouths that she left via her role in the original Thor, but the repair work done on her character by screenwriters Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely is commendable.

Along with Foster’s increased presence comes that of her grating assistant, Darcy, which is a decidedly less-welcome adjustment. The cast is strong as a whole, but Kat Dennings, who plays the quip-spewing sidekick, would have to be called the weakest of the bunch, with some of her lines delivered with a cringe-inducing stiltedness. It’s not all bad for Darcy; some of Dennings’ material is genuinely funny; the screenwriters place so much of the hit-or-miss comedy squarely on Ms. Dennings’ shoulder that it’d be extremely difficult not to find oneself smiling at her at a few points over the film’s duration.

The comic relief can be grating, but is also sometimes used to great effect.

And speaking of that hit-or-miss humor, boy, oh boy, is there a lot of it in Thor: The Dark World. Past Marvel flicks were nowhere near short on comic relief, but The Dark World takes advantage of almost every feasible opportunity to make its audience giggle. That means that it makes its audience giggle quite a lot. When The Dark World hits the right comedic mark, it can be downright hilarious. When it misses that mark, the film is usually quick to move past its stumble, though the sheer volume of stumbles can, admittedly, become just a tad irksome.

But that’s part of what’s wonderful about Thor: The Dark World: it isn’t afraid to go absolutely bonkers. The film embraces its outlandishness to a huge degree. This is Thor as Thor was always meant to be: sprawling, fantastical, and constantly over-the-top. Thor’s action sequences are relentlessly inventive, explosive, and almost always of epic proportion, with the highlight being the fantastically memorable final battle.

Part of what makes the action so fun to watch is how badass Thor is made out to be in this sequel. This can be largely attributed to how perfectly Hemsworth embodies the Asgardian Thunder “God,” with his imposing physical figure, booming voice and obvious comfort in the role. If there’s one Avenger other than Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man that can most certainly never be fully replaced, it’s undoubtedly Hemsworth’s Thor.

Hiddleston's Loki is brilliant, and great fun to root for, for a change.

And then there’s Loki. Oh, Loki. Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of the God of Mischief has won him rapt attention over the past couple of years, and for good reason; when Loki is onscreen, the film lights up to an even greater degree. Hiddleston brilliantly balances malevolence, wit, and a bizarre element of lovability, and is enormously fun to cheer on. The Dark World also contains a couple of notably clever, cheer-inducing twists, both involving Loki, cementing how important the character has become to the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- and for good reason.

Thor: The Dark World is acutely aware of exactly what its audience wants, and it delivers in spades. It’s not without one or two missteps, but in the larger scheme of things, these petty grievances are irrelevant. The Dark World is a triumphant return to form for Marvel’s slate of films. It raises the bar yet again for those outings to come, and skillfully reignites excitement for the future of Phase 2.

Cap, you’ve got quite the act to follow.