THOR-rific or THOR-ible – a Review of “Thor: The Dark World”
Details –
- Runtime: 112 minutes
- Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some suggestive content
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Synopsis –
Hello people of Midgard! It seems to me that another movie about Thor hath been produced and my purpose: to see if it is worthy to have your money at the movie palace of your choosing. But enough with the silliness and on to what I thought of the film.Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. To defeat an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor sets upon his most dangerous and personal journey yet, forced into an alliance with the treacherous Loki to save not only his people and those he loves…but our universe itself.
First and foremost, the film doesn’t heavily rely on past Marvel movies like the first “Thor” or has a concrete tie-in to “The Avengers.” to tell its story. Instead, it uses those other familiar stories to get its own unique story across. Combine it with the classic Marvel comic action and comedy and you have what feels like a brand new odyssey that belongs in the continued Marvel sagas. All-in-all, I’d have to say that this is the best Marvel film since “The Avengers” and here’s why:
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1) I loved the visuals
If there’s one thing that makes every “Marvel” film, it has to be the amazing visuals. In the first 6 minutes alone, I was opened to a re-defined universe of the current universe I live in. Seeing things like Asgard for the first time was like seeing the end of an episode of ‘Extreme Makeover’ – Realm Edition. In other words, I really enjoyed that the visuals all had their place – how Asgard and the other Nine Realms were connected through moving imagery. It brought realism to fantasy and that’s a feat in itself.
2) I loved the story
As I said before, the second iteration of Thor films does not elaborate too much on past Marvel plot lines. It’s it’s own movie that is connected to the other movies in a more general way. The setting of the film takes place after “the Battle in New York” from “The Avengers” film and also brings back previous characters such as Thor’s companions, his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), and of course Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who plays a bigger role in this movie than the first. But although we see the familiar, we also meet the new with a great story that introduces a real villain (named Malekith) and a conflicts that’ll test the hammer and the man. Again, we see that yet another Marvel film can be watched regardless of what you know of past films or comic books.
3) I loved the ‘feel’ of the movie
It may sound strange to say that I liked the ‘feel’ of the movie, but I did. You know what I mean, reader! You get the “feels” for things when they mean something to you and this movie meant something to me because there were things that could make us “feel” in the first place! You feel sadness when you see a character you’ve come to love (or hate) die. You rejoice when good triumphs over evil (for the most part). You’ll get a lot of that in this movie and it’ll all be a part of one fluid story that’ll make you “feel” satisfied or perhaps conflicted when the credits start to roll. The action certainly compliments the emotional for us and for Thor himself this time around. And that’s wonderful for you to keep in mind when you see this film.
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The Final Verdict
All that said, the storytellers at Marvel in partnership with Disney have successfully made another action adventure for us to enjoy straight from the comic book universe. The second Thor film had everything that makes a ‘Marvel’-ous film: balance of action with emotion with a great story with great visuals and capped off with an equally marvelous cast. What’s interesting to note though is that with each Marvel film, we’re slowly but ever happily becoming comic book enthusiasts ourselves. And that’s where I want to leave it. Whether or not you’ve seen the past Marvel movies or have this be your first one, you can expect to get entertained. And that’s all that matters, right mortal?
So get rid to hope into your nearest Bifrost or nearest transportation vehicle and make your way into your nearest theater when “Thor: The Dark World” thunders into theaters Friday, November 8!
All reviews are made by Lance Cruzado, Walt Disney Studios writer for DisneyExaminer.com. All reviews are personal opinions and may not reflect the attitudes of other writers for DisneyExaminer.com unless stated otherwise.
These films have been screened prior to the release date for review purposes and therefore are viewed without charge by The Walt Disney Studios.