Thor: The Dark World Movie Review

Thor: The Dark World Movie Review

by Brian Wezowicz

There is no doubt that Marvel has become THE major player in the movie industry recently.  Their Phase 1 movie rollout, starting with 2008's Iron Man culminated with the smash hit, The Avengers in 2012.  In this rollout, we were introduced to a series of intertwined characters and films whose success (both on screen and off) were unparalleled (just ask DC Comics, who are desperate to launch their own Avengers-like superhero saga, The Justice League.  So far, they haven't been as lucky, both critically and financially).  It was a highly successful, meticulously planned movie series that had fanboys and non-fanboys linked arm in arm reveling in the joy of the cinematic superhero.

The beauty of these films and characters is that they all seemed to be grounded in real life scenarios (well, as real life as a superhero can be).  Watching these movies, you get the sense that these things COULD happen.  For example... Could a billionaire playboy philanthropist, sick of seeing his company and his weapons used for evil, create a suit made of iron and wreak havoc against said evildoers?  Absolutely!  Could a genius scientist expose himself to gamma radiation in the hopes of bettering himself only to see the experiment go south creating a giant green rage monster?  Sure.  Could a scrawny, sickly World War II soldier be given an experimental serum, which in turn creates America's first and last super soldier?  Yeah, why not?  Could an Asgardian god come to earth after being expelled by his king father in an attempt to teach him a lesson about humility and grace?  Ummm, sure?  That was the challenge with 2011's Thor.

Of all the movies from Marvel's Phase 1 (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America), only Thor seemed totally implausible.  But the makers of that film managed to make it plausible.  They brought in Kenneth Branagh and all of his Royal Shakespearean Company training to direct the first movie, and it was the most pleasant surprise out of the original run-up from Marvel.  He turned a supernatural film and gave it some humanity.  He turned it into a Shakespearean tale of brother vs. brother and sons against father.  We were also introduced into the star of the Marvel movies: Tom Hiddleston's brilliant Loki.  He would go on to play the villain in The Avengers, and he's back this time around in Thor: The Dark World.

Marvel's Phase 2 began with the highly successful albeit slightly underwhelming Iron Man 3 and continues with this film.  I have to admit that after six Phase 1 films and one Phase 2 films, I was beginning to feel slightly Marveled out (Blasphemy!  I said SLIGHTLY.  Settle down nerds, I'm still one of you).  It's not that the films were bad, it's just that it seems like every other movie, and now, every other television series was from the minds of Marvel (News just broke that Netflix just reached a deal with Marvel to develop more original television series this week).  I found the first third of this most recent Marvel movie to be slightly boring.   We last left off in the Thor-niverse with Thor helping the mighty Avengers defeat his brother Loki and bring peace to earth.  However, a darkness is rising in the universe.  A once defeated race called the Dark Elves (kind of a lame name for a group of baddies, but whatever.  Despite their name, they're pretty cool villains.) is rising in search of a mysterious substance known as the Ether, which will bring darkness to the nine realms of the universe.  Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), heart broken that Thor (Chris Hemsworth) never called her back after New Mexico, somehow finds an anomaly in London.  This leads her to discover a realm that contains the secret hiding spot of the Ether.  She instantly becomes infected, which leads to Thor coming to the rescue.  He whisks her away to his home planet of Asgard in an attempt to hide the Ether from the Dark Elves.  Of course, they find out where she is hiding and wreak havoc upon anyone that gets in their way.  It's up to Thor to enlist his imprisoned brother to help him find a way off their home planet and save the day.  This is where the film really (and I mean REALLY) picks up.  Thor and Loki have undeniable chemistry.  They also bring some highly enjoyable humor to this movie.  You really get the sense that these two characters are brothers who bicker like brothers would.  The final act of this movie is a non-stop thrill ride and the final battle feels real and exciting.  There's chaos and destruction, but it doesn't feel forced like a certain film starring a certain flying superhero (cough, cough, Man of Steel).  This film has the perfect amount of excitement and humor that will keep you captivated once you get through the somewhat boring first act.  It more than removed any of my Marvel fatigue.  I guess I am ready for another 10-15 films.

I am giving this movie 3 out of 4 stars.

I recommend seeing it in the theater, but don't waste your money on the 3D version of this film.  It's very dark and unnecessary.  Please stay through the credits.  There is an important scene that sets up the next film in the series during the credits and a pretty funny scene after them.