Film: Thor - The Dark World

Director: Alan Taylor
Genre: Sci-Fi/ Superhero
Source: USA (2013)
Rating: PG-13
Location/Format: Glynn Place Stadium Cinema
Grade: B

Two Thor movies in (plus numerous cameo appearances) and Chris Hemsworth hasn't made him any more interesting--he's a God, he's cocky, he's in love, he's a fish-out-of-water (lather, rinse, repeat), but it doesn't really matter, because you probably didn't come to the movie for Thor. You came to the movie for Loki.

And Loki is interesting. And Loki is fun.

Thor: The Dark World gave me the same general viewing experience as the first Thor film. First, eye rolling at the deep mythology, then entertainment when a few interesting supporting characters show up, followed by eventual delight and pleasure in the adventure on screen and the clever quips that keep on coming--thanks, once again, to Loki, as well as a handful of others. 

Is there character development? Not really. Is their anything really at stake. Again, not really. The downside of this giant Marvel universe is that we know the status quo will remain mostly the same so that we can get to the next big Avengers movie where "everything will change." It's the downside of the success of the franchise, I guess. Maybe you could kill off a supporting character or two to give one of the heroes some emotional depth, but really change things? Really have a dark chapter (like, say, The Empire Strikes Back, for example)? Not too likely.

Still, this is fun popcorn. Christopher Eccleston (unrecognizable in all that make up) is a fine, but almost entirely forgettable villain, but his character allows for some nice big battle sequences, and who cars anyway, because it's really Loki that we care about as antagonist to Thor anyway.

And Loki is here. So it works.