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Created Nov 11, 2013 12:14AM PST • Edited Oct 21, 2023 07:05AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Great 4.0

   A ton of fun, notwithstanding its fashionably dark title, Thor: The Dark World features great baddies, ample turnabout, strong women and one mighty powerful hammer. My theater really enjoyed it, dates even more than dudes, judging from all the female laughter. That was mostly triggered by two terrific female characters and the relationship one has with what can only be described as The Ultimate Boyfriend.

   That would be Thor, God of Thunder and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Asgard, the most bitching celestial realm imaginable. IOW, quite a catch for an Earth girl, even one played by Natalie Portman.

   Thor himself doesn’t appear for damn near the first half hour, then gets only a quarter of the screen time. That’s OK, since the supporting cast are almost all terrific, starting with Portman’s astrophysicist/girlfriend, who must deal with Anthony Hopkins’ King Odin as her potential father-in-law; Kat Dennings as her sassy intern; Chris O’Dowd as her comically lame suitor; and Tom Hiddleston as a deliciously venal baddie.

   Robust praise aside, Thor 2 obviously isn’t for everyone. It’s really great for Thor fans like me and great for general Marvel fans, but not so great for those who think Marvel movies aren’t worth watching if Robert Downey Jr. isn’t in them. However, if you fall into one of the first two groups, it’s hammer time!

   PS – This marvelous Marvel movie ups the end-credit ante by delivering several post-script scenes, one of them teeing up next year’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Entertainment Weekly has a detailed ending analysis of all the last minute moving parts, albeit it includes several spoilers. Beware.
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   Saw it in downtown San Jose at Camera 12 from row 5 up in a third floor theater for the 3D showing.
   Felt kinda like a superhero vaulting up those long escalators to make it in time.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins and the rest of the core cast reprise their roles in fine fashion, with Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston being significantly better than in the origin story. Perhaps that’s because they have more and better lines this time out.

   For instance, Hiddleston is given the richest trove of fun lines and doesn’t fumble a single one. Heroic action movies rise only as high as their villains are low down. Hiddleston’s Loki, along with some evil-incarnate characters, more than hold down their end of the bargain.

   Portman once again strikes an ideal balance as a highly capable woman who nonetheless pines for the perfect man. Her scene reuniting with Thor captures this perfectly, as shown in the nearby video.

   Regular Supporting Cast

   • Kat Dennings jumps off screen once again as a sassy intern. No wonder she’s a sitcom TV star.
   • Stellan Skarsgård has the ability to debase himself good humoredly
   • Tadanobu Asano and Ray Stevenson get brief appearances as Thor’s merry men. One senses we’ll see more of them in future episodes.
   • Idris Elba is stout and dignified as the all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the bifröst bridge.
   • Rene Russo is less than distinctive as the Queen of Asgard, but acquits herself well in the end.
   • Jaimie Alexander cuts a gorgeous figure as an Asgardian warrior princess.

   Episode Specific Supporters

   • Christopher Eccleston is suitability scary as king hell Dark Elf.
   • Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is plenty grim as his chief henchman.
   • Chris O’Dowd charms as the lame human competing for Portman’s affections vis-a-vis Thor. O’Dowd looks much better clean-shaven, vs his scruffy look in The Sapphires.

   Cameos

   • Stan Lee is witness to Stellan Skarsgård’s ravings, finally asking “Can I have my shoe back?”
   • Benicio Del Toro gives us a taste of The Collector from next year’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
   • Chris Evans is very funny as a self-abasing Captain America.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Great 4.0

    One mainstream critic damned The Dark World for having nothing to say, meaning it doesn’t have much to say about our world. Most of it takes place in Asgard and other heavenly realms, visiting Earth only briefly towards the beginning and then cataclysmically at the end. Instead it says much about Thor’s world, making it intensely interesting to we fans of Thor and his insanely heroic existence. Not a fan of insanely heroic existences? Thor 2 is gonna top out disappointingly low for you.

    Marvelous Marvel proves once again that they know how to tell marvelously entertaining stories, including mixing in plenty of humor. For instance:

    • Thor rides the London Underground, entering at Charing Cross station. A girl next to him sneaks a hug. Who can blame her?
    • Loki’s funny walk with Thor gets more and more interesting as he switches into different characters.
    • Natalie Portman’s human girlfriend goes through a particularly rigorous Meet The Parents episode … on Asgard.

11. Direction Great 4.0

    Alan Taylor, welcome to the world of big time movie directors.

12. Play Great 4.0

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Really Great 4.5

    Asgard is once again beautifully rendered. However, the subtle 3D didn’t seem necessary.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.0

17. Sex Innocent 1.3

18. Violence Brutal 2.8

19. Rudeness Salty 2.0

21. Reality

    Fantasy 4.1

    A cast of dozens and crew of thousands is what it takes to bring fantasy alive. The latter includes hundreds of stuntmen and thousands of artists.

    The movie is presented with such good cheer that we can forgive it for mixing swordplay with laser guns. What!!

22. Circumstantial Supernatural 3.8

23. Biological Fantasy 4.1

24. Physical Fantasy 4.5