Extremely enjoyable. Grandoise vision. Impeccable execution

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2013)

I am a long time fan of comic books, and have really enjoyed Hollywood's current craze with them. Over the past few years, Marvel has reinvented large scale movie spectacles, infusing action and wit with science fiction and fantasy with great effectiveness, and earning top dollar for it. They have hit the bull's-eye again with Thor- The Dark World. As a sequel it belong to a hallowed club- it betters 2011's Thor in every conceivable way- better acting, better plot, better action and way better humor making for one thrilling experience.
The story is standard superhero stuff- there is a catastrophic power. Dark forces once wielded it, good guys hid it, somehow it surfaces, dark forces want to reclaim it, and it is time again for the good guys to stand up again to ensure it does not happen. After a lengthy prologue that tell us about events that predates the creation of the universe as we know it, the movie picks up right after the New York invasion in the Avengers. Loki is in Asgard as a prisoner, and Thor and Jane Foster are united again, but only after Jane accidentally stumbles into another dimension and embodies an ancient dark power- the Aether. The dark elf Malekith wants to possess it to, well, turn all universe into darkness. After Asgard is invaded, and the only thing that both Thor and Loki loved is taken away from them, an uneasy alliance between the two remains the only thing that can stop the destruction of the universe. All in all, a premise that requires a lot of popcorn to digest.
"I wish i could trust you"- Thor "Trust my rage"- Loki
Shoehorning Norse mythology into science fiction is a crazy idea, right? But what execution here. The production values are impeccable, kind of leave The Avengers far behind, even though extensively shot in Marvel's version of Asgard which is an imaginative living, breathing world. Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor is at the helm here, and the mega bucks at his disposal come off strongly. The pace is snappy, there is never a dull moment due to frequent action and the infectious humor- Kat Dennings, Chris O'Dowd, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skaarsgaard gets guffaw inducing lines. This is as much Liam Hemsworth's movie as it is Tom Hiddlestons'. If Thor is called as the witless oaf who would punch his way out of a situation, Loki is irresistible as the snarky, duplicitous, conflicted, whimsical trickster, an anti-hero that today's Breaking Bad generation would love to bits. Loki shifts from black to white to grey, and grey is what he will remain in the Marvel universe henceforth- choosing sides that benefit him. And in between comes in Chris Evans in a scene stealing cameo as Captain America lampooning himself ("I can feel the righteousness flowing through me!")
It is true that we in India do not have a comic book culture, and the lack of quality source material is evident. A week back we had Krrish 3, which was ambitious no doubt but came out horribly clichéd. Thor-The Dark World is a 2 hour lesson for Rajesh Roshan on how to tell a wacky story that actually captivates the audience. It is goofy, has numerous plot holes but by God i had a great time watching it. Dazzling action, tons of humor (this is the third time i have mentioned the word in the review, i know!), charismatic actors and likable characters- this is the Marvel billion dollar formula and it is at full display here, audiences rejoice. Definitely recommended- 9/10