There is a reason why I consider Kevin Feige the smartest person in show business. He has been at the helm of Marvel Studios since 2007, and more than anyone else, he is the man singlehandedly responsible for The Avengers, the films that led to it, and the films that come in its wake. If you read any interview with the man, he speaks clearly, he uses down to earth language, and he understands what an audience wants. I'm not at all claiming that he is the man who crafted Thor: The Dark World, but he is the farmer who decides on the crops and plants the seeds.
In Thor: The Dark World, Jane Foster accidentally awakens an ancient evil, prompting Thor to return to Earth to bring her to Asgard. When the evil Malekith raises the stakes, Thor has no choice but to turn to his imprisoned brother Loki for help.
What worked so well about the first Thor movie was the masterful blending of genres. This time, they decided to throw some more into the mix. Start with some fantasy, a toss of science fiction, a dash of swashbuckling adventure, bits and pieces of a thriller. Blend for 112 minutes, and you get Thor: The Dark World. The recipe works again for this movie, it is compelling and full of twists and turns that you don't see coming. However, someone seemed to spill a little too much humor into the blender. What could be an otherwise magnificent movie is ruined by spontaneous jokes and gags in areas where the film should be taking itself seriously.
The genius of Kevin Feige that shows up in this film is the hiring of Alan Taylor as the director. Well known for his work on the popular HBO series Game of Thrones, Taylor brings that sense of realism, grittiness and human interest with him. The film is able to find footing in the tone established in the original film, and also some of the trademark style from out of Westeros.
Chris Hemsworth returns as the God of Thunder with a newfound sense of responsibility for the people he must protect. He clearly has a handle on who the character is, and where in his life Thor should be. We have watched Hemsworth develop alongside Thor in these past few movies, and thats what makes his performance all the more interesting.
Kat Dennings goes hand in hand with my issue about the amount of humor in the film. Her character (once again) does nothing except pander for cheap laughs. Dennings is not a bad actress, but her style is more at home in her sitcom.
The only other issue I have with the film is the performance of Christopher Eccleston as Malekith. He just never feels interesting. He comes across as two dimensional, with no personal investment in his characters motives. I can't help but feel the original choice of Mads Mikkelsen would have given a much more chilling take on the character.
Andrew's Standout for this iteration would be the always welcome Tom Hiddelston as Loki. It could be easy to believe that his popularity would be waning at this point, and his inclusion in the film is mere pandering to the millions of fan girls that worship him. However, he avoids this completely by offering a new, fresh take on the character. He is reeling from the consequences of his past actions, and comes across as a compelling anti-hero. He is like a quarter being flipped. You can call it in the air, but you can never be sure on which side he will land.
On every level, it's just as good of a film as the original film. It merely suffers from an abundance of humor and an uninteresting villain. I still say check it out. It is incredibly well made.
B+
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