SEARCH MY BLOG

Monday, November 18, 2013

Thor: The Dark World Review

Thoughts: Thor: The Dark World, the highly anticipated follow-up to The Avengers and the first Thor film. Can Marvel Phase 2 continue to deliver high quality entertainment and story with The Dark World? Oh yes, Thor: The Dark World delivers everything one could want in a Thor film and then some. If you have not already seen The Dark World, go see it in theaters right now.
The film opens similarly to the first Thor with a flashback to an ancient time when Odin's father fought Malekith, narrated epically by Anthony Hopkins, and the main conflict of the plot is setup in a very Lord of the Rings style opening battle.
My expectations for the film were relatively high, but at the same time I had no idea what to expect because the trailer fortunately gave away very little of the actual plot. Thor: The Dark World surprised me on so many levels. The humor was spot on, the action was the best since The Avengers, and the film had a surprising amount of emotional weight. Alan Taylor's direction was absolutely perfect, and his Game of Thrones background is clearly visible. Asgard looks immaculate, less animated than the first Thor and more realistic fantasy like The Lord of the Rings. In general, the setting and the tone of The Dark World was a unique blend of fantasy with a heavy sci-fi angle, particularly with the Dark Elves, who were more alien than fantasy, which was cool.
Now let's move on to possibly the best part of the entire movie, Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Yes, Hiddleston is back and better than ever. As expected, he killed it in the film and his scenes are among the most fun and memorable. The bickering and witty comments between him and Thor were absolutely perfect. The whole brother conflict is one of the best and most relatable aspects of the Thor films and The Dark World really capitalizes on it. That aspect of the film is very compelling and added the seriousness needed.
Of Marvel's films to date, Thor: The Dark World is the most like The Avengers in terms of both tone and overall style. While The Dark World is not on the same level of The Avengers' virtual cinematic perfection, it contains many aspects which made The Avengers amazing. The humor, action, and emotional weight really took The Dark World to the next level.

My only minor complaints are that Kat Dennings as Darcy was overused. While some of her humorous scenes made me laugh (a lot), her character was not entirely unnecessary and her scenes later in the film were particularly superfluous. The other minor flaw is that Christopher Eccleston as Malekith was not the most compelling villain. His motives were convincing, although his character was mostly there to deliver the conflict and character drama between the main cast, which he did well. However, his giant henchman, Kurse, was very imposing and menacing.

Directed by: Alan Taylor
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Comic Book, Action Adventure,
Release Date: November 8, 2013
Running Time: 111 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Tom Hiddleston is freaking awesome, Unexpected plot twists, Tons of action, Impressive special effects, Hilarious cameo, Brotherly conflict, Intriguing after credit scenes, Hilarious jokes throughout, Cool villain, Surprising emotional weight, Character development, Inventive action scenes, Natalie Portman is actually useful in the plot, Several unexpected twists, Reminded me of The Avengers, Alan Taylor's perfect direction, Mostly well executed humor, Brian Tyler's epic score, Improved romantic element, Effective Avengers tie-in, Epic scale, Excellent mix of sci-fi and fantasy, Asgard is stunning,


The Bad:


Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
Eons ago, Bor, the father of Odin, clashes with the Dark Elf Malekith, who seeks to destroy the universe using a weapon known as the Aether. After conquering Malekith's forces, including enhanced warriors called the Kursed, on their home world of Svartalfheim, Bor safeguards the Aether within a stone column. Unbeknownst to him, Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and a handful of Dark Elves escape into suspended animation.
In present-day Asgard, Loki stands imprisoned for his war crimes on Earth. Meanwhile, Thor, alongside warriors Fandral, Volstagg and Sif repel marauders on Vanaheim, home of their comrade Hogun; it is the final battle in a war to pacify the Nine Realms following the reconstruction of Bifröst, the "Rainbow Bridge" between realms, which had been destroyed two years earlier. In London, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster's intern, Darcy Lewis, now with her own intern, Ian, takes Jane to an abandoned factory where objects have begun to disobey the laws of physics and disappear into thin air. Separating from the group, Jane is teleported to another world, where she is infected by the Aether.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 9.8/10- Every plot point made sense void of any major logical flaws and the character development of Thor and Loki was handled excellently. Thor: The Dark World is a very character driven story, which is exactly why the film works so well. The plot makes good use of Portman's character, Jane Foster, and actually provides a reason why she needs to be in the film other than being a romantic interest, and that brings me to the romance, which is much improved over the previous Thor film with a more believable story and chemistry. Thor's character is much more of a bada** warrior this time around as he smashes guys, breaking necks, and generally killing any enemy combatant that stands in his way. The dialogue is clever and well written with occasional witty and humorous lines along with the great Asgardian dialect. Somehow, the pacing manages to throw a ton of action into the mix, yet never allowing the action to overpower the story, like another superhero flick earlier this year. There was never a dull moment at any point of the film. Also, I liked how the movie did not question the audience's intelligence add unnecessary exposition and explanation, which reminded me of the original Star Wars films.

Action: 10/10- Wow, the action in Thor: The Dark World is incredible. Alan Taylor apparently knows how to direct an epic battle scene because there were so many throughout the film. Not since The Avengers have I seen action scenes this well directed and filmed. From spaceship like chases to epic fantasy battles, The Dark World has it all. The final fight in particular was extremely inventive and actually showed me something that I have never seen before, which is quite an accomplishment. Every shot was framed with skill and the choreography is well executed.

Acting: 9.9/10- Chris Hemsworth owns the role of Thor. He really embodies everything that Thor needs to be with his charisma and wit. Tom Hiddleston returns as fan-favorite Loki and of course steals the show. His performance is so amazing and compelling; he has made Loki into such a great character. While Hiddleston is in the film quite a bit, he never overshadows Thor. Natalie Portman as Dr. Jane Foster does a much better job in the movie than she does in the previous film and her chemistry with Hemsworth is much more believable than before. Anthony Hopkins as Odin again brings the theatrical gravitas that compliments the Asgardian setting. Christopher Eccleston gives a "Fantastic!" performance as Malekith and his performance speaking the Dark Elven language was surprisingly believable. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis was fun, but a little overused, and Stellan Skarsgård as Dr. Erik Selvig was hilarious in his role. Rene Russo as Frigga is surprisingly fantastic in her role. The rest of the cast does an admirable job in their roles, particularly Idris Elba.

Special effects: 10/10- As with any Marvel film, the special effects are absolutely stunning. Asgard's visuals are amazing and more realistic than our last endeavor to the realm. At least from what it would appear, a surprising amount of practical effects were used, which added more realism to the film.

Soundtrack: 9.8/10- Brian Tyler does it again with another epic score. While Patrick Doyle's score from the first Thor is magnificent, Tyler's score better suited The Dark World's darker fantasy/science-fiction setting.

Comedy: 9.9/10- Thor: The Dark World had me laughing so hard during some scenes, it was absurd. Aside from the overuse of Kat Denning's humor, basically all of the humor was well placed and worked. The humor was well balanced with the serious scenes. One cameo in particular (not Stan Lee) nearly killed me; never before have I laughed so hard or loud in a theater.

Would I Watch This Again: Thor: The Dark World is a film that I will surely watch and rewatch multiple times just like The Avengers. This is a must own on Blu-Ray and one that I will be pre-ordering.

Overall: 9.9/10- Overall, Thor: The Dark World is everything that a great film should be with a great sense of fun along with surprising character moments and compelling storytelling.

Closing comments: While I may be a little bias, The Dark World is an absolute must see in the theaters, you will not regret it. Also check back tomorrow for an explanation of the Mid-Credits Scene.

Recommended for: Everyone, Action fans, Fantasy fans, Sci-Fi fans, Comic Book fans, Action Adventure fans,

Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.


If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

45 comments:

  1. Great review, James! Good points all around.

    I still think that the randomness of Jane finding the "other world" and becoming infected were preposterous, but hey...it's a comic book movie. Definitely an enjoyable film and puts Marvel even more on the map than they already are. Let's hope Winter Soldier continues the trend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jordan!

      Well, that part still made more sense than most of the plot holes and inconsistencies in the Dark Knight Rises. Anyway, agreed, Marvel remains on top and phase 2 continues to deliver. The Winter Soldier is likely to top this though, at least from what the trailer suggests.

      -James

      Delete
    2. Haha...disagree with you there. I wouldn't even really call it a plot hole, just an extremely ridiculous coincidence.

      But yeah, DC is getting it's butt kicked with the exception of Arrow. Cant wait for Winter Solider and Guardians. It amazes me how after every Marvel movie I become even MORE excited for the next one.

      Delete
    3. Okay, good point.

      I know what you mean, every Marvel makes you more excited for the next. They are doing such a great job at handling the company. Still need to watch Arrow though.

      -James

      Delete
  2. OH MY GOSH; OKAY, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOUR REVIEW SAID. WASN'T IT AMAZING, I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW WELL IT TURNED OUT.

    That same cameo scene you were talking about also made me laugh extremely hard; I would have felt obnoxious except that the entire theater was roaring at that point too. :P Easily one of the funniest moments in all Marvel history, at least in my book. :P

    Also, I am glad I am not the only one who thought Darcy was a bit much; don't get me wrong, I like the character and she's funny, but she overwhelmed me at the beginning and was just kinda there while being rather obnoxious. I liked her better in the later half because at least she was doing something useful.

    I really want to go see this again now! Lol! AJDIOA;SJFIAOSDJFIAOFJWAOFJSD

    ~Jamie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know exactly what you mean! The movie was so much better than I had ever expected!

      Me too, and even with the relatively small crowd in the theater I saw it in, everyone was laughing! :) That and the "Puny god" scene from the Avengers have to be among the funniest moments for sure.

      Darcy was definitely in it too much. I actually liked her in the first few scenes, but after that her humor began to wane.

      I really wish I could go see it again! I probably won't though.

      -James

      Delete
  3. Great review!! :D I agree, the film was awesome! I loved the way Asgard looked, very realistic and it was less obvious that it was animated. The acting was stellar, as always, and I loved Chris and Tom's performances- they were their best yet! :D. As for the plot, I would have liked a bit more knowledge about the Dark Elves and their mythology(I got the plot, but I missed something that was said, so that's why I was wondering about one thing, which was about Malakith; otherwise, I was fine with understanding every thing), since I was hoping to understand them better, but I guess I've been spoiled on Darth Vader and Loki who had more backstory. I did kind of sympathize with them almost since they missed the way the universe had been back a long time ago.
    I loved the plot twist, even though I saw it coming- and the ending(before the credits) was great! And the cameo was hilarious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! :D Asgard completely blew me away in how it looked. In retrospect, more about the Dark Elves would have been cool. The movie could have been a little long and more exposition about them would have been nice. True, when comparing any villain to Vader or Loki, they usually pale in comparison. I did as well. They lost their world to battle, and they wanted it back.
      That plot twist was so good, and I too saw it coming.

      -James

      Delete
  4. Very good review -- from your point of view, I can see why you liked it so much. It was pretty incredible visually (it reminded me of LotR too) and action-wise, and yes, Loki is the marker of almost all the good parts. And that one cameo... best thing since Hulk made dents in the pavement with Loki in the Avengers. :D I think Darcy was a little overused too. Instead, they should have given more time to Thor's four friends. I was expecting them to have more development this time, but no such luck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, yes! Cap's cameo was the funniest thing since Hulk pounded Loki into the ground! :D Excellent point, I agree! More development of the Warriors Three and Sif, rather than Darcy's humor would have been much better. However, I did not particularly expect much of them though.

      -James

      Delete
  5. Sounds good. I'm hoping to catch it in theaters but we'll see. Thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since you are a DC fan, you will probably not enjoy the movie as much as Man of Steel, but it is still a ridiculously fun theatrical experience! I hope you enjoy it.

      -James

      Delete
  6. Which cameo is it that everyone is laughing so hard over? I finally figured out that Stan Lee is the jail warden when they collect dr. Selvieg. It drives me nuts sometimes that I don't like these films as much as some others...but...that's where I stand I guess. I go in hoping to like it and come out claiming everything except Loki is wrong w/o really trying..Just bear w/ me alright? I usually have to wait till home release to enjoy a movie best b/c I actually need captions...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, Stan Lee is the old dude in the nursing home that asks Selvig if he can have his shoe back now.

      The cameo everyone loves is Cap.

      Delete
    2. *Spoilers*

      @JT: Yes, Hamlette is correct. The Captain American cameo is what everyone is referring to. And Hamlette is also correct about the Stan Lee cameo. Well, to each their own. I hope you enjoy it more with captions.

      @Hamlette: Thanks for answering JT's questions! :)

      -James

      Delete
    3. Thanks guys. I understand better now. I myself didn't actually count the Cap appearance as a Cap appearance b/c it was just Loki impersonating him. I laughed when I saw him but I couldn't hear his lines so I didn't laugh as hard as others.

      Delete
  7. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I absolutely loved it the second time around, and just posted about it again here to that effect.

    You're right, Asgard did feel more Middle-Earth-esque this time, definitely more real and less imaginary. And I was so pleased to see Heimdall without his helmet, that was just fun.

    And that music! The soundtrack is on my Christmas list. Glorious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you to hear you loved the movie as much as I did the second time around! I wish I could watch it again.

      Good to hear we agree on the look of The Dark World. I also agree, Heimdall without a helmet was rather awesome to see.

      Alan Taylor did an excellent job with the soundtrack. I have already listened to the entire thing multiple times.

      -James

      Delete
    2. I'm quite sure it'll go into heavy rotation whenever I have to write angsty scenes or fight sequences.

      Delete
    3. Just want to add that I too have put he score on my Christmas list, but I'm nervous about b/c the last score I got was MoS, which turned out to be so deep in pitch that I'm selling it off to a friend,,,Is this one significantly louder than that one?

      Delete
    4. I am not sure if it is louder or not. However, he is a link to a YouTube video with the entire soundtrack. Also I would recommend going to Amazon and listening to the samples since they are official. Hope that helps!

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLDrMmOz_0Q

      -James

      Delete
  8. Great review James, we are pretty much singing the same tune throughout. I really wouldn't mind catching this again before it leaves theaters, I had a great time with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to hear we are on the same page on this one. I hope to see the film again as well; it was a ton of fun.

      -James

      Delete
  9. Sadly, I haven't seen the movie yet-may have to wait 'till DVD-but I've read what happens, I'm really bad at looking up spoilers, and my goodness it sounds amazing! The cameo sounds terrific too, I bet it's going to be a hilarious scene! Great review, James! Loved it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you will enjoy the movie when you do get to see it! I am sure you will be laughing, a lot. Thanks T.M.! :)

      -James

      Delete
  10. I just saw this movie in the the theaters and it was great! one of the best on my list but i couldn't help but note one small inconsistency, in thor 1 thor puts his hammer on loki to hold him down (now in this scene thors hammer obviously weighs several hundred to a thousand pounds) but in thor 2 he hangs it on a wooden coat rack though i could be mistaken in Mjölnirs weight i was just dissapointed that Mjölnir didn't go crashing through though the floor
    by the way my name is daniel iv been following your blog for quite some time and i finally decided to comment' and you write some of the best reviews though i could disagree with you about agents of shield the first episode dropped me but then everyone has there differences so oh well' but i may try it again everything improves with time. thor is the best! wait no loki is is the best!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I noticed that as well, however I believe I know a solution. For one, the hammer is only heavy for those unworthy to wield, like Loki and the Hulk. Another thing could be that Thor mentally controls the weight of the hammer; I believe that is what the comics say. But I agree, I was ready for Mjölnir to go crashing through the floor.
      Thanks for commenting Daniel IV! Glad to hear you enjoy my reviews, that means a lot to me. We can't all agree, but Agents of SHIELD did have a surprising tone change in episodes 3 and 4 compared to the first two, so maybe you should give it another shot. Haha, yes Loki is the best! By the way, do you have any blogs that I could follow?

      -James

      Delete
    2. It's not so much that Mjolnir is heavy, it's that you aren't allowed to lift it if you're not worthy. So Loki and the Hulk can't lift it not because they're not strong enough, but because they aren't worthy. (I think in the comics that Captain America has been able to wield it, though -- correct me if I'm wrong.) It's kind of like the sword in the stone for King Arthur -- he was the only one worthy of being king, so he was the only one who could pull it out.

      As for Agents of SHIELD, I think the last 3 eps have been getting better and better and better -- I think the show is starting to find its stride. So I agree with James -- try it again and see if you like it better now. Besides, rumor has it that this week's ep will tie in with Thor: The Dark World.

      Delete
    3. thanks for the explanation about the hammer that makes sense. i do have two blog but i dont really update them allough i do plan to start writing on them more my current posting rate being about two posts per year ill send the links when i start writing

      Delete
    4. oh and not daniel IV that was an iv as in iv done something my puncuation and spelling are not the best

      Delete
    5. Sorry for my confusion about your name, Daniel.

      -James

      Delete
    6. oh thats fine my fault really

      Delete
  11. Nice review! :)

    I really liked how the movie doesn't question its audiences' intelligence too, that can be so annoying and take a lot away from any movie.

    That cameo scene had everyone laughing out loud in the theater I went to - it was great! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! :)

      I know, so many movies do and it annoys me.

      Same for the theater I saw it in, everyone was laughing!

      -James

      Delete
  12. Loki ruled, as he did he Thor 1 and Avengers. I preferred the first and found this one too Tolkien but it had some great moments. Eccleston was wasted though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As much as I loved the first Thor film, I think I liked The Dark World more, at least upon my first viewing. Also, the Tolkien influences was actually one of the reasons why I liked it. But I do agree, Eccleston was underused for sure.

      -James

      Delete
    2. Christopher Eccleston is the actor who played the main dark elf bad-guy person/alien, Malekith.

      Delete
  13. Okay, I've just watched Thor 2: The Dark World, and it was awesome and HILARIOUS. I loved it. I'm going to be posting my review soon, but that was an awesome movie. Amazing! Fantastic!
    -Tegan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agreed! It was such a fun, funny, and all around awesome movie! Thanks for the link to my review!

      -James

      Delete
    2. No problem! I'm looking forward to Cap 2 now!

      -Tegan

      Delete
  14. I loved it. My review is here:
    http://letzygonsbezygons.blogspot.com/2015/09/thor-dark-world-movie-review.html

    ReplyDelete

One rule: No strong profanity. If you want to link to one of your posts, please do; I am always interested in other reviews and such.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...