The God of Thunder Returns, with More Lightning

Rating: 8/10 (2 November 2013)

Marvel's superheroes just keep coming. It's just only been a few months since the release of the immensely successful "Iron Man 3". Now it's Thor, the God of Thunder to strike back. Thor is of course the least relatable of the Avengers. But that doesn't stop this movie from succeeding.
There are multiple references to what happened in the blockbuster "The Avengers". Often referred to as the "alien invasion in New York", it doesn't really play a major role in the primary plot in "Thor: The Dark World" itself. So, even if you haven't watched "The Avengers", don't worry, you won't feel left out.
The plot of "Thor: The Dark World" concerns with something extremely ancient. The Aether is kind of like a fluid that is extremely full of energy and is able to turn ordinary matter into dark matter. This ancient relic begins to play its part in the story after scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) travels to another world accidentally and encounters it. It is later revealed that every 5000 years, the nine realms will be in perfect alignment and therefore, borders between these worlds become blurred. This is an event known as the "Convergence".
However, due to the recent activity of the Aether, a race called by the Dark Elves, led by Malekith, are awakened. Apparently, they were once ruthless rulers who were defeated by Odin's father Bor. Bor vanquished the Dark Elves and it started a peace that lasted for thousands of years. However, Malekith wants the Aether to plunge the whole universe into total darkness. He intends to that at the peak of the "Convergence". Now, it's up to Thor to stop Malekith and his evil schemes. If Thor is to defeat Malekith, he's going to need help from someone unlikely...
... Loki.
Yes! A team-up between Thor and Loki. This is one of the most exciting components of the film. Thor is serious, powerful whereas Loki is wise-cracking, mischievous, and very tricky. Together, they form a very well-balanced duo and seeing them work together is true joy.
There is plenty of action. Of course! It's a superhero action movie. But the superpowers incorporated here are mighty and therefore the sequences are intensified. The Aether is slick and don't forget, Mjolnir is a ravager. The 3D is amazing and I watched this in IMAX 3D. Not all of the scenes were shot in IMAX, but some of the landscapes were incredibly beautiful. More of Asgard is revealed and it really is gorgeous.
The movie also had a comedic nature. In fact, it was funnier than I expected. The mischievous and charismatic Loki is plenty of fun to watch. Watching him on screen is pure delight and his character is extremely interesting. But you also have to keep an eye on Dr. Erik Selvig, Jane's ally. He's gone a bit crazy in this movie and therefore, his antics are hilarious in the movie.
Malekith is an all-powerful villain and he is intimidating. However, I didn't really think he was an interesting villain. His background is rich but that was short. We don't know really know Malekith. He is extremely devoid of character and sometimes, he's so boring. He, along with his race, speak a language that sounds like pre-historic dialect to me.
Performances were wonderful. Chris Hemsworth is a well-rounded character and has given Thor adequate depth. Natalie Portman is stunning as the pretty and intelligent Jane Foster. Anthony Hopkins shows his class as Odin. Tom Hiddleston is flawless as Loki. His performance is top-notch. Christopher Eccleston's performance was polished enough, although his character was a bit boring.
So is it a good movie? Yes. "Thor: The Dark World" is a good sequel and I would say that this exceeds the original in quality. I enjoyed the film although the villain was kind of dull. It may fall in some aspects but overall, this is a great success. And as a Marvel film, check out the two post-credits scenes.
Rating: 8/10
Final Verdict: "Thor: The Dark World" is a well-polished sequel that has great action, excellent chemistry (especially between Thor and Loki), but lacks character in the villain.