By Alec Rellora | Staff writer
Alan Taylor, of Game of Thrones fame, takes over the directing helm from Kenneth Branagh in Marvel Studio’s second outing in their Phase Two of their “Marvel Cinematic Universe.” Taking place after the events of Thor and The Avengers, this film focuses on the return of the Dark Elves led by Malekith, played by Doctor Who’s Christopher Eccleston, and the effect of their return on both Asgard and Earth.
The story itself isn’t anything profound, however, the magic of the movie comes from the action, the chemistry between Hemsworth and Hiddleston, and the humor. Action movies should have at least three great action sequences – the one in the beginning, the one in the middle, and the one in the end – each one better than the last. Taylor masterfully accomplishes this feat, giving us a final fight sequence that is almost on par with the Battle of New York sequence in The Avengers. Though it is impossible to beat the scope of that fight sequence, The Dark World does a good job following that up with their final fight.
Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor and remains on par with his performance in both Thor and The Avengers. The highlight performance, however, is Tom Hiddleston’s comedic, yet dark, portrayal of Loki. I never really understood the huge fan-base Hiddleston’s Loki gained just off of Thor and The Avengers, while I didn’t think he was bad, I thought he was pretty generic. However, his role in this movie really sold me and was arguably one of the best aspects of this movie. The rest of the Thor cast returns, with Idris Elba as Heimdall and Jamie Alexander as Sif being the standout supporting characters.
Finally, the humor surprisingly rivals that of The Avengers and Iron Man 3, with Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki matching Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. Hiddleston doesn’t get all the laughs, however, as Hemsworth and the rest of the cast utilize their chemistry to create witty banter that isn’t at all obnoxious. However, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis is sometimes a hit and miss with me, although, if you’re into Dennings’ cynical Two Broke Girls humor, you’ll enjoy her role.
All in all, Thor: The Dark World surprisingly did a better job of following up The Avengers compared to Iron Man 3. The Dark World is very reminiscent of The Avengers in the sense that they perfectly balance the action, the comedy, and the stunning performances, blurring the lines between the genres of this diverse movie. As a little heads up, don’t stop watching after the credits, true believers! Comic fans are in for a delight with the two after credit scenes. The mid-credits scene is a scene that actually progresses the grand story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I give this mighty movie four and a half Mjolnir’s out of 5. 