Excellent Sequel needing Thor 3 and "Thor Four" *SPOILERS*

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2013)

I loved the first film, and with good reason - Kenneth Branaugh directing is always top shelf, and the cast was really strong. I looked forward to the sequel, knowing well it would be hard to match the freshness, art and grandeur of the first film. And the movie-going experience indeed started strange: I showed up right at the start time (11:00 AM matinée'), which by AMC Lowes standard means that I would have 4 - 6 previews to sit through, plus a few ads. Curiously, as I sat down (at 11:03, expecting to see ads..) I came midway into the "X-Men: Days of Future Past" preview. I asked my neighbor if there had been other previews, and he said, "This is the first preview," and I thought 'Goodie! I can see what other Sci Fi or Superhero films are coming soon.' But to my surprise, the movie started next! Totally out of character for AMC.
The intro was a laconic (low-key) teaser, which did set the tone for the film (it was a little flat). While I liked the movie (I love the characters - Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Tom Hiddleston - not to mention Sir Anthony Hopkins - are all excellent thespians), I blame the director Alan Taylor for not getting as much emotional reach from them and the story as I would have liked, (but then, I am a genius, and super- critical :<)
There were fantastic, well-conceived story ideas in this film, great action, nice unexpected surprises, some cute humor (Dr. Eric Selvig is great as usual - he better be in Thor 3 and "THOR 4/Thorfour?"!!), and Darcy even has some great humorous scenes, too. Plus, I could look at Natalie Portman all day. My chief complaint was the emotional flatness after a certain queen's fate, which could have brought down the house, but the story didn't have time to develop certain relationships, and that is my other complaint; it felt slow in parts, hurried in others. But still, it's one I want in my library, because Marvel has a great franchise here. The fact that Thor was one of my favorite superhero comics as a kid has nothing to do with it, although they have cast the characters as perfect as you can get.
I wish I could get hired for the next installment, because they have teed up the trilogy nicely, with many possibilities, and I Hope the actors will find a way to sign contracts for 2 more films, before any other actors are changed (*SPOILER* Switching actors for the part of Fandral wasn't a show-stopper, but I would have liked for them to have kept Josh Dallas from the first Thor).
So I give the film an 8/10, although I nearly gave it a 7 (7.5 is probably where it belongs). It's a GOOD movie, not GREAT, and not the first Thor, but an entertaining, exciting, visually compelling, well-acted sequel that I Hope makes enough box office to guarantee the next 2 movies (with Hemsworth, Portman, Hiddleston, Skarsgard at a minimum reprising their roles, and hopefully the others, too). They could do a nice love triangle intrigue between Jamie Alexander - who looks great in this, BTW, and kicks ass convincingly! - and Portman.
If you are a fan, you HAVE to see Thor 2, and if you are new to it, by all means see Thor 1 and Avengers first, if you can, as it will be much easier to follow - at a minimum, see Thor 1. The key to the success of this franchise will hinge on the next film, which I can envision as being the best of the series IF they get the story right. This should lead to an Avengers 3, and then back to Thor 4, by which time Hemsworth might be ready to give 'Meow meow' (as Darcy calls Mjolnir) to the next red-caped, crusading Asgardian.