A decent and entertaining sequel, "Thor: The Dark World" is a lot of fun, but can't quite measure up to its predecessors.

Rating: 7/10 (23 February 2014)

In 2011, I was given a very decent surprise by the Marvel release "Thor", the fourth entry in "Phase One" of the "Marvel Cinematic Universe." (The overall franchise including characters like Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and Thor, all leading to the "Avengers" films) I wasn't sure what to expect going in, as the character seemed far too different from prior films in the franchise. "How could this work?", I would ask myself. But I'm glad I took the chance- I was blown away by the imagination, humor and wonderful storytelling. And it ended up being one of my favorite "Phase One" films.
So I went into "Thor: The Dark World" with decently high expectations. The first film was such fun, I couldn't wait for the second. And how did it measure up? Unfortunately, it doesn't quite match the high quality of the character's previous outings in "The Avengers" and his 2011 titular film. However, despite that, it was still a very decent, humorous and very fun continuation of the character's story, and is well worth seeing for fans of the character and franchise.
The story centers on Thor (duh), as he struggles with a number of situations, all leading to the possible destruction of the universe. After being re-united with his beloved Jane, Thor realizes her body has been inadvertently infused with "Aether", a powerful force that could potentially spell doom for all existence. Forced to protect her from a treacherous Dark Elf lord named Malekith, Thor will need to forge an uneasy alliance with his imprisoned brother Loki in order to save the known universe from Malekith's evil plans.
As was the case in the first film, the cast is fantastic. Chris Hemsworth is blast as the hero Thor, this time showing more range and emotion than prior outings, making him more identifiable and compelling. Natalie Portman is also great as Jane, though I will comment that despite having a lot to do in the film, she doesn't have a lot of depth, making her feel tacked on at times, and as though she's only there to drive the plot forward. Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard as Jane's companions Darcy and Selvig are an absolute joy, being more or less the comedic relief, as is newcomer Jonathan Howard as Darcy's new intern, Ian. Anthony Hopkins and Renee Ruso add a lot of class to the proceedings as Thor's parents, Odin and Frigga. Christopher Ecclestan is adequately threatening as Malekith, though he feels a bit under- developed. And supporting roles by the likes of Jamie Alexander, Ray Stephenson and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje are all very well-played, making good work in their secondary roles. But as before, the real show- stealer is Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He is just such a breath of fresh air, and gives such a compelling performance that he almost always overshadows everyone else. A truly remarkable performer.
The script by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (based on a story co-written by the late Don Payne) is where some of my issues lie. It's not a bad script by any means. It's tightly paced, has some great sequences, and generally had something for every character to do. It also has some surprisingly hard- hitting scenes of emotion that surprised me. But I just feel that it leaves some characters under-developed. And it felt like a far smaller story as a result. (Even though it's larger in scope, it feels like less is happening.)
Directorial duties are handed off this time to Alan Taylor, best known as a television director, though he has a few feature films to his credit. And I think he did a serviceable job in this film, with a strong visual sensibility and a keen eye for visual storytelling. Though I do feel that his work as a television director does show in some sequences, particularly early on. While the film is mostly theatrical, a few action sequences do have a slight "tv- aesthetic", though I could forgive them as they were few and far between. That being said, I did prefer Kenneth Branagh's direction in the first film a bit more. His more operatic, even slightly melodramatic style just fit the tone better, in my opinion.
The rest of the production is top-notch though. The costume and set design is shockingly beautiful as it was before. The different worlds are clearly defined, and it seems a lot of care, research and detail was put into every aspect, lending credibility to the overall story. The cinematography was also something to behold, and I particularly loved the lighting. And the visual effects are astounding. Some of the best CGI work I've seen lately. Even when I knew the things on-screen weren't real, I still "believed" they were there.
The only thing I think fell a bit short was the musical score by Brian Tyler. It just wasn't memorable, and although it fit the mood, it felt generic. Whereas in the first movie, I found myself recalling the gorgeous musical cues and even humming them to myself... here, it's just sort of generic swords-and-sorcery fare. A lot of drums and horns. And a few appearances of what I liked to call the "Hans Zimmer 'Bwwwaaahhh'." That loud, deep noise that has been popular over the past 5 or so years, that just sort-of sounds like someone shouting "Bwwwaaahhh" with a deep voice whenever something big happens on-screen.
However, although I feel like I was pointing out a lot of negatives, there's still many positives here too appreciate. The action is great, the cast wonderful and the humor a blast. It's still a darned fun, entertaining film, and worth seeing for fans... it just isn't quite as good as it could have been.
I give "Thor: The Dark World" a pretty-good 7 out of 10. Worth seeing for fans, but it probably won't win any new viewers.