Thor and Gotye team up to take down the Ninth Doctor...

Rating: 8/10 (31 October 2013)

Darcy! Jane! Selvig! Mjölnir! The gang's all back. For me, Thor was one of the best superhero movies to come out in recent time. I far preferred it to the overrated Iron Man films and wanted another. So here it is, and while it's not as good as the first one, it's still quite enjoyable. Chris Hemsworth, despite having the less flashy role next to Tom Hiddleston's Loki, is really very good. What made Thor so likable in the first film was that, despite his overconfidence and head-strong nature, he went on a character journey that changed him. He grew as a character and, thanks to Hemsworth's charm, you felt for him. He had lots of great little moments. Then he got royally screwed in The Avengers and was made a mockery of, which did a major disservice to him. This time around, he's back to strutting his stuff and doing what he does best: wielding his mighty hammer like no one else can.
As for Hiddleston as Loki (who is now sporting long stringy dark hair that makes him look like a pale rocker from the 80's. Or, alternatively, the singer Gotye. Apparently they don't have hair gel in Asgard jail), while I wasn't blown away by him originally, I grew to like him in The Avengers and felt he was also made the butt of a joke in that film at the expense of his character. Now he's back once again, this time to make us wonder if he really *is* someone Thor can trust or is still as bad as ever. Evidently, his popularity is what keeps bringing him back. I can see why he has his fans, and Hiddleston is very good in the role, plus he has great banter with Thor. However, I personally feel it's about time we got a break from him. He shares some good scenes with Thor, Jane Foster gives him a much-deserved slap, and he even gets to have the odd hero moment (one of the best being when he saves Jane, then Thor saves him). We do see how much Thor truly cares for his brother, despite their differences. If only the films could let him go. You know it's all about Loki when the film basically begins/ends with him. It almost doesn't even feel like Thor's film anymore.
I know Natalie Portman's Jane Foster has her haters, but she's actually right up there (along with Captain America's Peggy Carter) as one of my favourite love interests from any superhero film. Although she doesn't have super powers, she's clever and brave. I like that she's an astrophysicist and human. I thought both she and Hemsworth's Thor had nice chemistry in the first film, so I'm glad we got to see more of them together here. Yes, she's angry with him and slaps him - but it's understandable/warranted, given how he left her. To her credit, she doesn't stay mad for long once she learns what happened. With a magical force called the Aether inside of her this time, she proves pivotal to the storyline (gaining some striking blue eyes in the process. The effects used for the Aether are quite dazzling). The other humans are also good. Kat Dennings as Darcy still gets lots of funny moments (no one can say 'Mjölnir' as cutely as she does), while Erik Selvig often being naked or without pants shows the after effects of what was done to him in The Avengers.
Fans of the Warriors Three & Lady Sif may be disappointed. While they didn't have *that* much screen time last time, they still managed to make the most of it and I came to care about them as characters. This time, they may get a bit more screen time, but it's not nearly enough. The real shame is the lack of Jaimie Alexander as kick-arse Sif. Yes, she has her moments, but she could've done with a LOT more. At least she plays a part in the sequence partway through the end credits. Zachary Levi (from TV series Chuck) makes the most of his time replacing Josh Dallas as Fandral. Anthony Hopkins as Odin, I felt, was better and had more presence in the last film. In this one, his character acts like Thor did originally before he grew as a person. The role reversal may be intentional, but I don't think it served Odin's character well. As for Thor's mum...well...at least she proves that she can kick a bit of arse herself, but unfortunately for her...now she's just somebody that Loki used to know (blame Loki's hair for all the Gotye references). At least we see that he *does* care for her, try as he might to hide it.
Whilst the Dark Elves are interesting to look at and have some pretty neat gizmos at their disposal, they aren't particularly memorable. Nor is their leader, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston). The best thing about him is his epic fight with Thor, which takes them back & forth between worlds/different locations. The Frost Giants were better. The movie still has plenty of humour. Scenes such as Thor, Mjölnir & a coat rack, Thor on a train, or the one where Loki shows off his powers and we get an unexpected appearance from that other likable Avenger (Captain America) are just a few of many funny moments throughout. I didn't think I'd miss Kenneth Branagh and his love of tilting the camera diagonally, but I feel he was able to craft a superior film to this one. I also missed the original film's score (which had so much emotion to it). On the plus side, we get some nice eye-catching end credits this time, which are done in a painting style. The mid-credits scene is the most bizarre yet out of all the Marvel films, though don't miss the after-credits scene. Here's an idea: Thor & Captain America in their own buddy movie. Make it happen, Marvel!