Thor: The Dark World - 9/10
Must watch movie for superhero movie fanatics and Marvel Cinematic Universe junkies. I am both.
My views -
As with every superhero movie everything is over the top, be it the action, the acting, the direction, or the SFX. Imagine a world where right after defeating hordes of demonic herculean enemies with swords and fire, there is a sudden return to peace and little kids start playing and running around amidst the elders cleaning up the massacred dead. Yeah, not gonna happen in any world that has some semblance of realism. But it WILL happen in a superhero movie.
Then talk about destroying every major city on Earth. It was New York in The Avengers, it's London this time. Mass destruction, tall buildings falling in the streets without hurting even one human body, tons of cars flung about carelessly which land safely in the middle of a group of people. Like I said, over the top.
Then why the high rating? Because isn't that also the best part of a superhero movie? I dig it. Coming to the movie itself, it's a fun two hour ride with never a moment that strays away from the plot. As many of you might know that this the second movie in Phase 2 of Marvel's big cinematic plans and Phase 1 ended with The Avengers saving the world from Loki. Without dishing out any spoilers the best part about this movie is the way it has stuck to the core story line from the original comics. Movie makers take a lot of liberties while trying to make a comic/book based movie, but not the awesome guys and gals at Marvel Studios. They have done an excellent job. The representation of Asgard, golden, supreme, elegant, and heaven-like is amazing and sticks to what I always imagines Asgard would look like, and better! The wastes of the other worlds where from malevolent evil-doers rose in the past are exhibited with secrecy and minimalism, as if there is a lot more to those places that is hidden, and which is left to the movie-goers' vast imagination to fill with unspeakable horrors and demons. The story reveals all that is essential to the plot yet gives out shout-outs and tidbits for the discerning comic book reader who will recognize the presence, identification, and purpose of the items and characters shown. It is no means a secret wink at the comic fans but essential parts to the overall story and everyone can enjoy the movie without feeling left out or out of place as they will understand everything by the end. The bit that has got me this excited, that I wrote such a long post reviewing a movie, is the short post-credits scene, which lays out the beginnings of the massively awesome plans that Phase 2 of Marvel's Cinematic Universe have in store for us.
Tom Hiddleston's Loki is tremendous as always with his tongue-in-cheek humor, a third angle view of leadership, and on-screen sorcery. Chris Hemsworth's Thor does what he did best in the previous movies, that is, fly around and smash bigger and stronger enemies with that hammer of his. Most other characters did what was asked of them, and very well at that. Just one small gripe I have is that they have under used Idris Elba as Heimdall. He is a character from Norse Mythology that we have the least information on and more of an enigma. This is where the script and direction could have taken some liberties and given him and his character a bigger role and set up some mythos of their own.
To round off, yes, I am biased towards this movie because I love Marvel comics and already see the direction in which Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading. I was eagerly waiting for this movie, just like I did for Iron Man 3, and boy these movies have not let me down. That being said, anyone who watches this movie need not be a comic book reader, and definitely doesn't need to know the history of the characters or story lines, as this is a standalone movie that does justice to itself by having a well rounded plot and filled out characters. A must watch for any action fan, superhero fanatic, and Thor fan (duh!).