Really Enjoyable

Rating: 8/10 (2 November 2013)

Marvel continue to show they understand their characters (and their audience) better than anyone else with Thor:The Dark World. I'm trying to write a virtually spoiler-free review so I won't go into the plot, other than to say it chuggs along nicely, and the second half of the movie is laced with humour. All the cast from the first movie return and the new villain is Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) a dark-elf on a mission to restore what he sees is the natural order of the universe. And everyone is given a moment or too to do their thing, from Hopkins' gravitas to Stellen Starsgard's bonkers scientist, the film does not disappoint.
Forget the scientific gobbledegook explanations that explain the plot - just have fun with this rollicking fantasy adventure, that even goes a bit Star Warsy at times. Natalie Portman must have smiled at being asked to do a lakeside scene not dissimilar from what we saw in Attack Of The Clones. I certainly did.
As ever Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are at the heart of what makes this movie tick - Hiddlestone again is terrific, easily one of the best Superhero movie villains. Hemsworth again does well as Thor.
The numerous effects are splendid but unlike Man Of Steel, not overbearing, and the film itself has a pretty epic feel at times. Alan Taylor's direction is very assured. The constant world-hopping may jar the uninitiated but the film is very enjoyable, and is mercifully 120 minutes or so long; and in an era when Hollywood excess often gives you a bum-numbing 150+ minute movies, that's surely no bad thing. Excellent. Can't wait for Captain America: The Winter Solidier.