An unfocused mess

Rating: 5/10 (4 November 2013)

The first Thor was probably one of Marvel's more trickier movies since it centered heavily around Norse mythology. To make it work in the "real" world was a massive task. Integrating a billionaire playboy who doubles as a tech-powered superhero, or a scientist who turns into a green rage monster was easier to accomplish than the fantastic world of Asgard, Gods & Monsters.
Credit must go to Kenneth Brannagh who found the right balance between the fantastic and "real" (that's a stretch anyways) world. Furthermore, Brannagh focused on the characters instead of bombastic vfx (he still provided tons of beautiful shot visuals though).
His replacement Alan Taylor however goes in the opposite direction and favors stylish visuals over character development. Worse still, the pacing and tone are all over the place.
The Dark World tries to hard to provide the same brand of humor Joss Whedon is known for but fails to deliver the laughs, or they are rather misplaced.
Bottom line: It's a too unfocused movie that suffers from a weak script and a director who tries too many things at the same time.