Marvel’s vast universe has opened roads to multiple
comic-book movies that have so far been successful. Thor: The Dark World is yet another addition to Marvel’s line up of
superhero movies. With already three
outings in the cinematic world, Thor’s role remains obscure—leaving his
importance more comparable to a side-story. The first film in the Thor franchise was arguably a great
set-up for the character but then again it was just a “start.”
Now that Marvel has another chance to cement and redefine
Thor’s character, one would expect a strong sequel with more focus on what
makes Thor so different from all the other superheroes. But,
Thor 2 overlooks such concerns and follows
the much used to action-concentrated style. But, the question is: how does it
fare in that aspect?
Quite well. The first half of the film is close to
perfection—making a perfect blend of mystery, darkness and humor. The second
half becomes somewhat ambiguous leaving several character motivations and
plot-lines undeveloped.
Perhaps the two
most memorable and witty sequences in the movie are the London subway scene in
which Thor is forced to take the subway (“Which way to Greenwich?”) and the
hammer hanging scene where Thor hangs his mighty Mjölnir on a coat rack similar
to an umbrella. Other supporting characters also add humorous scenes but their
role only sums up to another form of comic relief without any real character
development. The effect is less than desirable but in terms of the whole movie,
the few extra laughs do make things more fun. Furthermore, unlike many other
action/superhero movies in which the “girlfriend”
is just another romantic tool, Thor: The
Dark World gives Natalie Portman’s character—Jane Foster—an integral role
in the story-line. This definitely improves the stakes and suspense of the film
since she is susceptible to real damage.
However, the most common mistake that the second Thor movie falls into is building a
plot-line on a simple and half-baked villain. But, then again, that isn't all
too bad as long as it is balanced with other interesting sequences. In this
case, the adjustment comes from one of the few complex characters in the
film—Loki. His conflicted and often comic personality adds an exciting twist to
the film. While Loki’s relationship with his “mother” is one of the more
effective parts of the movie, his true colors finally appear at the end of the
film when the audience is kept on the edge of the seat—wondering what follows.
The most recent outing of the demi-god, Thor, is neither
worse nor better than its predecessor. It excels in a few aspects but disregards
some of the underlying issues. While that doesn’t hinder the over-all
experience of the film, it surely doesn’t make it any better. With great
special effects from the spectacular scenes in Asgard and the refreshing
direction from Alan Taylor (director of one of the best episodes from Game of Thrones), Thor: The Dark World offers a more than satisfying albeit not
fulfilling 3D experience.
