Evan Fox
Reporter
After “The Avengers” swept audiences away, Marvel Studios has been hard pressed to deliver films that can live up to rising expectations. Thor’s latest adventure does not disappoint.
The original cast returns, with the exception of Joshua Dallas in the role of Fandral. Dallas was replaced by Zachary Levi (“Chuck”). Hemsworth, Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins are in top form, with the Shakespearean undertones in full swing. The dynamic between Thor, Loki, and Odin is as compelling as ever, and the fallout from the events of “The Avengers” weighs heavily on them all.
The remaining cast does well, with Sif and the Warriors Three stealing the screen in the few scenes they have. Christopher Eccleston (“Doctor Who”) appears as the new villain Malekith, but his performance is somewhat stunted due to heavy prosthetics and a computer-amplified voice. There is a big cameo that was a great nod to fans.
The story itself effectively ramps up the threat, with all nine realms in danger of being eradicated. The new threat comes from an ancient substance known as “the Aether” that could plunge the universe into darkness. What follows is the classic “stop the villain from getting the weapon or everyone will die” scenario.
The plot really only seems to serve as an excuse to see how Thor’s family reacts to Loki, and eventually Jane. As anyone would expect, the scenes between Thor and Loki are the highlight of the film and make up for the basic plot.
The battles are gratifying and epic, as would be expected from director Alan Taylor, who was responsible for the some major battles in “Game of Thrones.”
The CGI work is on par with all the other Marvel films and the musical score is what the audience would expect from a film such as this. The 3D version is worth seeing, not only because they did a good job of it, but it comes with a five-minute section from “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
In all, “Thor: The Dark World” is a good Marvel film that sets up Thor’s role the next Avengers film well. There are two post-movie scenes, so stay throughout the credits.
Score: 8/10