Another highly entertaining, action-packed sci-fi fantasy action thriller from Marvel

Rating: 8/10 (6 November 2013)

Thor The Dark World is another highly entertaining, action-packed sci-fi fantasy action thriller with some surprising plot twists and surprises throughout the film. The sequel surpasses the first film for its stunning depiction of the other realms (especially Asgard, which is lacking in the first film). The artistic designs for the costumes, weapons, set designs were nothing short of impressive and visually spectacular.
The film has a fine balance of action, humor and emotion. There are more enjoyable action scenes and several emotional scenes involving Loki in this sequel which proved to be better than the first film. The climatic battle and Dark Elves' assault on Asgard were shot brilliantly. There are several interesting cameo appearances which proved to be a delight to the Marvel fans as well. The lead actors managed to deliver charming and heartfelt performances and most of the character interactions in the film were great and handled very well (especially Thor and Loki's constant bicker).
However, the film has a rather short running time (a mere 112 mins) considering the number of characters they have included in the film. The characters of Odin, Heimdall, Sif or Frigga are simply not given enough screen time, which is a minor disappointment. The Asgardian army are shown to be too weak considering their ability to invent flying ships or even an Einstein-Rosen bridge (Bifrost Bridge). The main antagonist of the film, Malekith is not shown to be compelling enough or rather generic, his intentions are not fully elaborated and has to rely on two other villains to further the narrative. There are some unnecessary characters and scenes in the film (Notably overly long scenes involving Ian or Richard). Strangely enough, the Dark Elves have their own alien language but the Asgardians don't (they speak English instead).The love triangle between Thor, Sif and Jane was not explored at all in the film.
Furthermore, how Thor managed to arrive in New York in The Avengers film is not further explained in this sequel as well(The Bifrost Bridge has been destroyed and it is expected for the sequel to provide a proper explanation...The Avengers film just briefly mentioned that Odin have to find considerable amount of dark matter to get Thor to Earth).
Overall, the film still succeeds as a decent entertainment and remain as a wonderful addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that will not disappoint the fans and satisfy most casual moviegoers.
Rating: 8/10
Note: As for all Marvel films, be sure to wait for the mid-credit and after-credit scenes.
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