Superman meets Star Trek

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2014)

My review is essentially the same as the one I posted for the first Thor movie. It is utterly preposterous; it is hard to follow and the "otherworldly" places look phony. Why such a high rating, then? I would've actually have given it a 10 if not for two detracting things: one is that it is too long, with a few fight scenes too many. Yes, we get it; Thor is mighty; the CGI artists are mighty; but these points were made over and over since the opening scene so at the end it seemed to drag.
The second detraction is for the asinine comical touches provided by Jane's sidekick Darcy, which are too disruptive to the point where they take you out of the film's universe and into the land of sitcom. These problems aside, all the rest plays beautifully. The blending of myth and science fiction worked very well - it was "Superman meets Star Trek" because not only did Thor's might save the universe, so did scientists with their technobabble and gizmos. As to the characters - simplistic, yes, but they outdid themselves compared with the first film. Hemsworth did an excellent job not just providing muscle-bound good looks but was able to capture the angst of the "Superman" character, torn between duty and his love for a mortal; and Loki's strange combination of despicable yet pitiful was "off the charts." (SPOILER - when Thor visits Loki in prison, Loki at first maintains the visual illusion that all is well with him. Then he drops the illusion, and the sight of what he has become is cringe-inducing). Portman, playing Jane, was at time dangerously verging on a "sitcom" rendering of the love interest, yet could carry off the role of someone smart and brave in additional to being, of course, gorgeous.
As to the story line - yes, absolute preposterous junk, but anyone watching a movie based on comic books knows that going into it; even with some plot twists and turns, it is never in doubt that "good will triumph." Still, I highly recommend this film - with its excellent portrayal of stock characters, the moodiness of the "universe," and the incredible special effects, this is "dumb fun" with the highest possible production standards.