Flying colours

Rating: Null/10 (1 November 2013)

After watching twice in 3D TTDW, this including a re-watch of Thor1 , I am happy to say that after the exposition of K Branagh, A Taylor has upped the ante. TTDW could have been titled The Dark Realm as some essential scenes are shot in Svartalfheimr but as it concerns also the dark moods we all come across in our lives when we lose a dear one be it a lover, be it a sibling, world as a word is appropriated.
A reproach many times heard about superheroes movies is that there is a small sprinkling of girls with superpowers yet most of the female persuasion is limited to the role of damsel in distress down to IM3 Pepper Potts who is given superpowers at the end ... because probably no woman can handle a tough situation without having superpowers? Well, sisters: you will be pleased to know that TTDW is the feminist movie of the year. Frigga is the wisest and most courageous of all Asgard, Darcy saves the day without any superpowers and Jane is the feistiest of heroins without any 'extra-terrestrial help.
Which does not mean our boys are not for some (a lot of) actions. The battle scene of the invasion of Asgard by Malekith is thrilling. Odin unravels just as badly as Loki and we stop wondering where our Trickster learnt to deal with stress by having tantrums and shooting mean one-liners. Loki grows up down to a scene where we realise Thor knows more his brother than we thought. Both are deeply wounded and yes, the power of Love sees through the illusions and it is heart-breaking. by the way, this is not a spoiler: you need to bring some tissues: there is a scene which is a real tear jerker! If T Hiddleston is Loki (well Loki as in MARVEL), C Hemsworth is the Thunderer true and through. And both get their just deserts! Will Odin mellow, remains to be seen. I have no concern about A Hopkins performance; but I am concerned by an ageing wonderful actor. If would be wise of Marvel Studios to Short filming a few scenes ahead... in case... Mind you the cliffhanger is such that we could get not only a new Odin, but a new Loki.
Rene Russo is brilliant, Alice Krige must return. What of the new Fandral: I like him! But please more of Hogun: his fighting skills are awesome: do not mess with Hogun the Grim. Zachari Levi must get the part of the remake of Captain Blood, as for Volstagg : he is just spot on. Jamie Alexander will come back: not only she deserves it but an wider, bigger and atypical role. If it is the one I suspect, the two actors are going to have fun. Am I cryptic enough? I believe I am.
What of Midgard: Stan Lee and his shoe, Selvig and his absence of shoe ... and the rest. A wonderful battle with Malekith...An aether which is a real villain. Which leads us to the villain: the real villain who is the guy who went berserk in the editing room and cut out so many scenes. Let's hope the DVD bring us all the deleted scenes which are crying out loud lacking in the movie. Easily 10 if not 20 minutes of them!!! Yes, I am looking at you, K Feige.
I am not impressed by the editing of the MARVEL Studios and certainly not impressed at all by the mid credit scene. If this is the best you can come up regarding Benicio Del Toro and the Collector it does not bode well at all for GOTG. Marvel, a cue: filming movies like a 1960s Dr Who or Star Trek is OK in the 1960s; not in 2013.
C Eccleston said famously he was not a happy elf. I approve. The Dark Elves may have been a force to reckon with and the scenes for their blitzkrieg on Asgard are awesome but their part should be meatier, chunkier... and it is not. As we are privy (unbelievable but true) to a real difference of opinion between A Taylor and K Feige as the former refuses to take responsibility for the garish vulgar clumsy mid credit scene and the latter is literally glued to him in case he spills the beans. So the post credit scene shows such elegance and homage to the Jotunheim Thor 1 scene , we know that A Taylor must have filmed more scenes about the elves which weave into the tapestry of TTDW. Sadly, some insane guy of Marvel Towers took over. Hearme, you took over but we are not dupe! I shall return again and again. It is totally worth it. Waiting eagerly for Thor 3 and fingers cross Loki 1!
In resume: TTDW, great story/movie/cast/score/director. Lousy producer.