“Thor: The Dark World” picks up right where The Avengers left off. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has returned to Asgard and is repairing the damage that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) caused.
Thor is constantly watching over Jane (Natalie Portman) and when she disappears from sight, he travels back to earth in search of her. Through her he finds that the universe is in danger from an old evil: the dark elves who want to destroy all light. Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), the leader of the dark elves, needs something that Jane has in order to eradicate the sun, and with the help of Loki, Thor devises a plan to protect her.
All the characters that you know and love from the first one have returned, but their relationships with each other have been expanded. Thor and Jane are still very much in love, but there is some tension between the two upon his return, as Thor has been gone for a long time and Jane wasn’t sure he was going to come back. Even though Thor doesn’t trust Loki, he recruits his help and they establish some of their brotherly love again.
Hemsworth does it again with his great performance as Thor. He very much captures Thor’s struggle between wanting to be free to love Jane and being a great ruler over Asgard. Thor loves his brother Loki, but doesn’t trust him anymore even though he desperately wants to. Hemsworth portrays these emotions flawlessly. Hiddleston depicts Loki’s complex character and internal battle of his past loyalties to his family and his desire for the throne of Asgard.
Portman is consistent in her performance of Jane. She begins the film by being confused, heartbroken and believing Thor abandoned her on earth. When Thor finally returns and takes her away to Asgard, she captures the amazement and wonder of a human discovering the world of the gods. She is afraid, but stays strong through this dangerous situation.
Embodying the villain, Eccleston brings to life the evil mastermind of Malekith, a dark elf who believes deeply in his cause. The rest of the dark elves follow him without question because they are willing to die for the cause along with their leader.
The special effects and music come together along with the actors to bring this world to life on the big screen. The screenplay and visuals pull the viewer in and don’t let them go until the credits roll. Seeing this movie in 3D intensifies the experience, but seeing it in 2D still entraps the viewer into the story. It was not filmed as if objects are flying toward the audience, so in that way it was not designed to be a 3D film, but the 3D helps immerse the viewer. The director, Alan Taylor, filmed the movie in the best way possible and helped the actors deliver their fabulous performances. He is known for his work on Game of Thrones and The Sopranos, and this movie adds to his impressive line of work.
The familiar elements of humor and action that Marvel fans expect are very present. This movie takes the legend of Thor further and deeper, creating a more entertaining film. I give “Thor: The Dark World” four out five stars. Fans of “Avengers,” Marvel, or superheroes in general will thoroughly enjoy this film.
