Directed by Alan Taylor, the much-anticipated Marvel sequel
reunite Thor and Loki to thwart newfound evil.
Marvel movies are like McDonalds. Both are money-making machines that
aim at the lowest common denominator; they come fast, hyper-palatable and disingenuously colourful. Much like fast food, Thor: The Dark World
thrives on creating flavours that tap directly in to our
preferred tastes and then exaggerating those tastes to the point of
ridiculousness.
Kenneth Branagh directed the original Thor in 2011,
back when the marvel franchise was proverbially just warming up. His direction
gave a distinct visual flare and Shakespearean quality to a simple story about family
feud. Three Marvel films and an Avengers entourage later comes its sequel,
which is bigger, bolder, and more action packed than its predecessor. Faced with
an enemy in the form of the elven Malekith, Thor must embark on a perilous
journey to save mankind from a dangerous weapon called the Aether (but of
course!) Few surprises are in stall here; naturally the journey will reunite
him with his mortal girlfriend Jane Foster and together with brother Loki, the
pair will thwart newfound evil.
Similar to the first installment, the real strength of
the narrative is found in the sibling rivalry, which provokes a lot of the action.
After his disappointing character turn in the Avengers, Loki once again steals
the show; most of the best lines are reserved for scenes where his teen-like
angst is at the forefront. Thespian Tom Hiddleston is deviously wicked in the
role, and delivers a wry and upbeat performance that properly matches the camp
and comic world he inhabits. Without Hiddleston’s dynamic presence, the film
would fall flat around a lead whose physicality is the only thing he has going
for him. Undeniably, Hemsworth has talent (as seen in Rush), but due to a
rather puerile script, Thor is not much more than a moving action figure.
Although at times he does posses a humorous chauvinistic quality in scenes of
competitive antagonism when sparring with his brother.
As much of a pleasure it is to see Academy Award
Winner Natalie Portman onscreen after a three-year hiatus, unfortunately the
chemistry between her character and Hemsworth’s is about as convincing as a
dead doornail.
Overall, both the storyline and visual is lacking in
real imagination. While Anthony Hopkins is a welcome presence in the role of
Thor’s father, Odin, the writer’s don’t monopolise on his formidable
experience. Supporting performances from Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsguard and
Jonathan Howard play a major entertainment factor in providing most of the
sarcastic humour. Also, a special cameo from Chris Evans as Captain
America induced a real laugh.
Evidently, my initial reaction to Thor: The Dark World was a tad
dismissive. Uniquely, on recollection I hold no grudges towards a movie whose main
villain looks like a dark elf knock off of Lucius Malfoy. Marvel may be the
cinematic equivalent of McDonalds, so it’s a good thing I was hungry for a Happy Meal.
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