Thor: The Dark World

Eons ago, the Dark Elves led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) attempted to use a weapon called the Aethir to enshroud the universe in darkness. The Dark Elves were defeated and left for dead. In the present day, as the Convergence - an alignment of the Nine Realms - approaches, physicist Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) accidently discovers and absorbs the Aethir, awakening Malekith in the process. Now Thor (Chris Hemsworth), prince of Asgard, must save her and both their worlds, even if it means turning to his treacherous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for help.

The first Thor film was arguably the weakest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's pre-Avengers offerings. Though buoyed by a talented cast, the lackluster script and cartoonish special effects made it fare poorly compared to its cinematic brethren. This 2013 sequel, however, brings the franchise one step closer to parity.

That improvement is no mean feat given the strong continuity with the previous film. Acclaimed television director Alan Taylor (The Sopranos, Mad Men, Game of Thrones) replaces Kenneth Branagh as director, and Zachary Levi stands in for Joshua Dallas as the swashbuckling Fandral. Otherwise, the cast (Hemsworth, Portman, Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Idris Elba, et. al.) is comprised of carryovers with a few villainous additions (Eccleston and Adwale Agbaje as his chief enforcer).

The biggest change here is not in personnel but in tone. Whereas the first film was a fish-out-of-water story laden with melodramatic angst, this one is on surer footing as a more straightforward action film. That isn't to say that there aren't humorous moments (Kat Dannings is back as Jane's comic relief assistant, and Loki's sharp-tongued sarcasm is put to good effect here) but rather that the lack of pretentiousness makes it easier to enjoy. Given that these characters have had time to develop, we can now be content simply watching them do their thing in dazzling style and at a fluid pace. Of course, the downside of this narrower focus is a plot that is equal parts simplistic and ridiculous, but such may be inevitable given the source material.

As both a character and a film franchise, Thor will never be as iconic as Captain America or as witty as Iron Man, but The Dark World goes to show that when you are looking for a good, old-fashioned dust-up, you should never count out the god of thunder.

7.75/10