Review: Thor

            

            “Thor: The Dark World” is a super-hero movie through and through. The directors understood this, and they used it to their advantage.

            As the years have gone by, super-heroes have been taking on bigger and bigger challenges. When many super-heroes started, they tackled low-level criminals. In current movies, they save the world. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) bests them all. In this movie, not just one but nine worlds need saving. And, predictably, he can save them all from Earth. However, in a nice break, the action centers in and around London. (New York City must still be rebuilding from “The Avengers.”)

            Watching the first “Thor” movie and “The Avengers” is helpful to understanding parts of this one, though not completely necessary. “The Dark World” does focus on Thor’s family relationships (when it’s not focused on the action). The best scenes are the ones with Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Their relationship is enjoyable to watch because it is dynamic. Loki consistently has the best lines.

            Characters who were brushed aside in both “Thor” and “The Avengers” feel more fleshed out in “The Dark World,” particularly Darcy (Kat Dennings), Frigga (Rene Russo), and Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard). However, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) fell a little flat. Maybe it was all the evil matter coursing through her, but she and Thor do not have any chemistry.

            “The Dark World” is thoroughly enjoyable, and a must-see if you are a fan of Marvel’s other new movies. If super-heroes aren’t your thing, don’t bother.

By: Emma Morrison