Thor: The Dark World

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A new threat from an ancient foe faces Asgard as the Dark Elves led by Malekith awaken from their eternal slumber after the accidental rediscovery of the Aether by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), to whom it binds. The rare alignment of the nine realms randomly linking different worlds including the Earth has allowed such occurrence to happen. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) asks for the help of his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who has been locked away in Asgard for the crimes he committed on Earth. After his successful prison breakout, Loki, along with Jane, accompanies Thor to the dark world through his secret portal. The big question remains to be whether the mischievous frost giant would betray his adoptive brother, or is it about time for them to forgive, forget, and fight against a common foe?

This movie allows for more comedy than the first one, which was also rather funny but somehow kind of restricted. Here, it seems like the director has adapted the witty banter and comic relief style prominent in The Avengers, without necessarily sacrificing plot development and coherence. There are several loopholes, though, that somehow defy logical explanation. However, these are easily forgiven thanks to the absence of monotony and the abundance amusing chatter among the characters.

There really is no heavy acting to be expected in movies like this, but at least we get some decent acting chops from both Hemsworth and Portman, who have both had their chances to prove their acting capabilities elsewhere. Here, it seems as though everyone is just having fun, and that rapport among the members of the cast is evident in the end product. It also helps that we already know the dynamics between the characters thanks to the movies that came before this sequel. As such, no further familiarization with either their universe or their intentions appears to be necessary.

In terms of CGI, there has never been a problem with this franchise. In fact, the first movie has been praised to the high heavens for the seamless convergence between reality and magic, which in the case of Asgard is just regarded as advanced science and has no mystical overtones whatsoever. That good CGI tradition continues in this sequel, promising a visual spectacle that is just pleasing to the eyes.

Needless to say, this movie benefited well coming on the heels of The Avengers. Although it could not compare to the stellar box office performance of Iron Man, it has reached a decent level of cult following well reflected in its very own not so disappointing box office run. A third movie would most likely be welcomed with open arms by both fanatics and general moviegoers, if the style used for this sequel is maintained, that is.