Thor: The Dark World Review

The best part about writing a review is that you write your own opinion. You can take notes about what other people have to say, but ultimately it's your thoughts. Thor 2 is considered the "worst" Marvel film (in terms of storyline & characters even though it was still a box office success), but I still enjoyed it. In my last review on Chris Hemsworth's performance as Thor, I wrote he still needed to grow into the role. After watching this film, I believe he learned to be the Thor I read from the comics. He learns to walk with authority, work on his facial expressions, and show compassion. The reason why I enjoy this transformation is because his performance becomes inspirational. Like Odin says, Thor learns to become a king and protect the innocent. Also, it's a big plus that humor is added to his character. It makes it seem like Thor has a playful side instead of being a one-dimensional macho warrior. The inclusion of Jane Foster also feels like she is a supporting member to the plot instead of being the romantic token for Thor.

While the character development is recognized, the story falls flat. It falls in the typical "villain wants to take over the world and hero comes to stop him" cliche. There is no plot twist or reason for why we understand Malektih's motives. However, there is no denying the film has amazing visuals for its scenery, action scenes, and character appearances that make up for it. As noted in the first Thor review, Asgard looks like the city of Gods. There is royalty everywhere and the buildings look amazing. The film also shows plenty of action. To be honest, despite a simple plot the Asgardian and Dark Elves conflict caught my attention. I enjoyed the fantasy setting because it pulls away from previous Marvel films. There is magic and space involved instead of relying solely on technology and science. As noted above, there is little reason for why the audience should care about Malekith's plan, but his costume and makeup looked exquisite. He looks like a creature that would exist to quarrel with Thor. Malekith also possessed the strength and skills needed to go one-on-one with the God of thunder. Ultimately, though, the biggest savior of the film is Loki. Audience members are no stranger to the God of mischief and his evil desires. Yet, despite being a villain we can't help but enjoy his zingers that make him sassy and humorous.

The biggest reason to why I enjoy this film is because, for the first time since Iron Man, Marvel knows the direction it wants to take its films. This is evident with the post-credit scene that involves Lady Sif and Volstagg entrusting the Collector with the Aether. This is Marvel's first declaration of the infinity stones. The Asgardians note it as the second stone and the Tesseract being the first. These references set up the infinity war storyline from the comics. The beginning of the Marvel journey involved introducing Avenger members, but now audience members are on the lookout for the stones that possess different and extraordinary powers.

Final Score: 8/10

A film that has a predictable plot is still enjoyable because of it's visuals and characters. It lays the seeds for Marvel's future and gives audience members a sneak peek of what is to come.