"Thor: The Dark World" - directed by Alan Taylor
Imagine the pressure that each new director must feel in bringing a Marvel property to the screen.
With huge hits like the Iron Man films and in particular "The Avengers" - the third most financially successful film of all time- duds stick out like ringing cellphones in a darkened theatre.
(I freely admit that I could justify homicide when this happens)
"Iron Man 2", "Ghost Rider", "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance", "Spider-Man 3" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" - all less than great.
However Kenneth Branagh turned the first Thor film into a $449,000,000 international hit.
Now Alan Taylor takes a shot with the second solo outing for the Asgardian hero.
Best known for his work on the TV show "A Game Of Thrones" Taylor is at once a perfect choice and a slightly risky one.
Whilst "A Game Of Thrones" shares a similiar universe as Thor's a (albeit expensive) TV show is a very different prospect to a north of $200,000,000 feature film awash in visual effects.
Personally I think it is admirable that Marvel Studios choose the directors that they do.
Branagh was an interesting choice for the first Thor film.
The Iron Man movies were helmed by Jon Favreau and Shane Black- directors who had a few middle budget, minor hits and a single brilliant but under appreciated debut feature respectively.
And of course Josh Whedon himself only had one feature film under his belt (the truly great "Serenity") and a host of well regarded tv shows to his name when he was handed the Marvel Mother lode with "The Avengers".
But each choice turned out to be inspired.
Which brings us to Alan Taylor's "Thor: The Dark World".
As a Marvel character Thor has always seemed the odd man out for me.
He fit into "The Avengers" very well but even then Josh Whedon's script singled him out as something of an anomaly what with his being "basically a God" to paraphrase Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and that whole Shakespeare in the Park Tony Stark jibe.
In his first solo outing Thor took some time to get used to for me.
Once he was on Earth it was easier but the Asgard set sequences were jarring in how far removed from 'normal' Marvel locales they were.
Still- it was a solidly entertaining movie.
It didn't suffer from the pressure that the sequel does coming as it does after the juggernaut "The Avengers".
Starting with an oh so serious Odin (Anthony Hopkins) narration about the five worlds aligning and some sort of dark matter called aether bringing an end to light in the universe, "Thor: The Dark World" quickly moves to a battle sequence in which Thor puts in some decent hammer time.
All the old crew are re-introduced- Sil (Jaimie Alexander), Volstagg (Ray Stevenson) and Fandral (now played by "Chuck" star Zachary Levi)
Back in Asgard we are treated to much improved visual effects and production design as Odin and wife Frigga (Rene Russo) cast the villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston) into a prison for his crimes - refer the events of "Thor" and of course "The Avengers".
And then the movie starts to bog itself down with a series of sequences that feel out of step with what has come before it.
Chris O'Dowd appears as a suitor to Natalie Portman's Jane Foster in the first of many scenes designed more for laughs than plot advancement.
I confess that I was starting to worry at this point. I like a laugh as much as the next guy and Chris O'Dowd is great but tone is a delicate thing to balance.
It didn't feel much like "Thor" to me - more like a person unfamiliar with the character's attempt at it.
But then it kicks itself up a gear and finally introduces the central plot properly.
The evil Malekith (a suitably sneering Christopher Eccleston) is waiting for the alignment of the five worlds in order to use the dark matter to bring about darkness to the entire universe- just as Odin described in the opening.
I don't understand why he wants to do this beyond revenge for a prior defeat when he tried to do the same thing but really it isn't too important.
He's the bad guy.... he's evil.... enough said.
I also don't understand how Thor is suddenly able to flit back and forth from Asgard to Earth.
Previously this was set up as a very rare trip but now he is able to hop down to save love interest Jane Foster like you and I would skip out for bread and a paper.
Mind you with the improvements to the visual effects provided by a couple of years of advancements and a beefed up budget since the first film who minds such discrepancys?
"Thor: The Dark World" is quite the treat for the eyes with impressive particle and physics effects, lush vistas awash in light and colour and flawlessly rendered digital beasts and surprisingly- dogfighting spacecraft.
Yes- you read that right- spacecraft.
There are a couple of scenes worthy of a Star Wars film with ships swooping in and out of impressively rendered scenery and buildings.
It may take a little while to get going and might appear a little shakey in doing so but once "Thor: The Dark World" hits its stride it is a hugely enjoyable ride.
The humour that had at first seemed out of place becomes a welcome counterpoint to the high stakes plot.
It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the actor and the character that Tom Hiddleston's Loki all but steals the film.
There is one sequence that not only has a stack of action but no less than a dozen one liners from Loki that all hit the mark superbly.
My favourite is a delightful swipe at none other than Captain America.
I love it when these movies take the time drop an in joke or two in for the fans and this one doesn't disappoint.
Rene Russo is thankfully given much more to do than in the first movie and she and Hopkins admirably handle the heavier moments although Sir Anthony does have a rather awkward line delivery at one point that had more than few in my screening a little taken aback.
Christopher Eccleston is all but unrecognisable as head bad guy Malekith but his Nosferatu like creation is a suitably evil villain if not a tad one dimensional.
It was a surprise to comedic actor Chris O'Dowd pop up in a couple of scenes but he is always welcome.
Kat Dennings has also stamped her name on the Darcy character. She has some nice scenes and even gets some romance, laughs and action in along the way.
All in all this is a very well acted little tale with an exceptionally likeable cast.
Director Taylor proves himself remarkably at ease with the large budget spectacle that is required and delivers it in spades.
Hemsworth owns the title character, Portman and Alexander are beautiful beyond description and there is enough humour, action and spectacle to keep a full house entertained for all of its 112 minutes.
When a normally reserved Kiwi audience sees fit to clap as a movie ends you know it is on to something.
The post processed 3D is solid without being amazing so pick your poison on that one - I'd say that you will be happy either way.
"Thor: The Dark World" builds upon the first movie to prove that this character deserves his own franchise and can exist perfectly well without The Avengers help.
If this is a sign of what is to come I say bring it on.
Terrific fun and terrific entertainment.
And make sure that you stay for the credits- there is a mid credit sequence with a certain Oscar winning Puerto Rican.
With huge hits like the Iron Man films and in particular "The Avengers" - the third most financially successful film of all time- duds stick out like ringing cellphones in a darkened theatre.
(I freely admit that I could justify homicide when this happens)
"Iron Man 2", "Ghost Rider", "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance", "Spider-Man 3" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" - all less than great.
However Kenneth Branagh turned the first Thor film into a $449,000,000 international hit.
Now Alan Taylor takes a shot with the second solo outing for the Asgardian hero.
Best known for his work on the TV show "A Game Of Thrones" Taylor is at once a perfect choice and a slightly risky one.
Whilst "A Game Of Thrones" shares a similiar universe as Thor's a (albeit expensive) TV show is a very different prospect to a north of $200,000,000 feature film awash in visual effects.
Personally I think it is admirable that Marvel Studios choose the directors that they do.
Branagh was an interesting choice for the first Thor film.
The Iron Man movies were helmed by Jon Favreau and Shane Black- directors who had a few middle budget, minor hits and a single brilliant but under appreciated debut feature respectively.
And of course Josh Whedon himself only had one feature film under his belt (the truly great "Serenity") and a host of well regarded tv shows to his name when he was handed the Marvel Mother lode with "The Avengers".
But each choice turned out to be inspired.
Which brings us to Alan Taylor's "Thor: The Dark World".
 |
| Visually "Thor: The Dark World" is wonderfully varied - darkly dense one moment - lush and awash in colour the next. |
He fit into "The Avengers" very well but even then Josh Whedon's script singled him out as something of an anomaly what with his being "basically a God" to paraphrase Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and that whole Shakespeare in the Park Tony Stark jibe.
In his first solo outing Thor took some time to get used to for me.
Once he was on Earth it was easier but the Asgard set sequences were jarring in how far removed from 'normal' Marvel locales they were.
Still- it was a solidly entertaining movie.
It didn't suffer from the pressure that the sequel does coming as it does after the juggernaut "The Avengers".
Starting with an oh so serious Odin (Anthony Hopkins) narration about the five worlds aligning and some sort of dark matter called aether bringing an end to light in the universe, "Thor: The Dark World" quickly moves to a battle sequence in which Thor puts in some decent hammer time.
All the old crew are re-introduced- Sil (Jaimie Alexander), Volstagg (Ray Stevenson) and Fandral (now played by "Chuck" star Zachary Levi)
Back in Asgard we are treated to much improved visual effects and production design as Odin and wife Frigga (Rene Russo) cast the villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston) into a prison for his crimes - refer the events of "Thor" and of course "The Avengers".
And then the movie starts to bog itself down with a series of sequences that feel out of step with what has come before it.
 |
| There is much humour amidst the often dark moments but it works after some earl worries |
I confess that I was starting to worry at this point. I like a laugh as much as the next guy and Chris O'Dowd is great but tone is a delicate thing to balance.
It didn't feel much like "Thor" to me - more like a person unfamiliar with the character's attempt at it.
But then it kicks itself up a gear and finally introduces the central plot properly.
The evil Malekith (a suitably sneering Christopher Eccleston) is waiting for the alignment of the five worlds in order to use the dark matter to bring about darkness to the entire universe- just as Odin described in the opening.
I don't understand why he wants to do this beyond revenge for a prior defeat when he tried to do the same thing but really it isn't too important.
He's the bad guy.... he's evil.... enough said.
I also don't understand how Thor is suddenly able to flit back and forth from Asgard to Earth.
Previously this was set up as a very rare trip but now he is able to hop down to save love interest Jane Foster like you and I would skip out for bread and a paper.
Mind you with the improvements to the visual effects provided by a couple of years of advancements and a beefed up budget since the first film who minds such discrepancys?
"Thor: The Dark World" is quite the treat for the eyes with impressive particle and physics effects, lush vistas awash in light and colour and flawlessly rendered digital beasts and surprisingly- dogfighting spacecraft.
Yes- you read that right- spacecraft.
There are a couple of scenes worthy of a Star Wars film with ships swooping in and out of impressively rendered scenery and buildings.
 |
| Jaimie Alexander as Sil, Natalie Portman as Jane and Chris Hemsworth as Thor- love triangle? |
The humour that had at first seemed out of place becomes a welcome counterpoint to the high stakes plot.
It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the actor and the character that Tom Hiddleston's Loki all but steals the film.
There is one sequence that not only has a stack of action but no less than a dozen one liners from Loki that all hit the mark superbly.
My favourite is a delightful swipe at none other than Captain America.
I love it when these movies take the time drop an in joke or two in for the fans and this one doesn't disappoint.
Rene Russo is thankfully given much more to do than in the first movie and she and Hopkins admirably handle the heavier moments although Sir Anthony does have a rather awkward line delivery at one point that had more than few in my screening a little taken aback.
Christopher Eccleston is all but unrecognisable as head bad guy Malekith but his Nosferatu like creation is a suitably evil villain if not a tad one dimensional.
It was a surprise to comedic actor Chris O'Dowd pop up in a couple of scenes but he is always welcome.
Kat Dennings has also stamped her name on the Darcy character. She has some nice scenes and even gets some romance, laughs and action in along the way.
All in all this is a very well acted little tale with an exceptionally likeable cast.
 |
| The villians - the hilarious and twisted Loki (the awesome Tom Hiddleston) and Christopher Eccleston as Malekith |
Hemsworth owns the title character, Portman and Alexander are beautiful beyond description and there is enough humour, action and spectacle to keep a full house entertained for all of its 112 minutes.
When a normally reserved Kiwi audience sees fit to clap as a movie ends you know it is on to something.
The post processed 3D is solid without being amazing so pick your poison on that one - I'd say that you will be happy either way.
"Thor: The Dark World" builds upon the first movie to prove that this character deserves his own franchise and can exist perfectly well without The Avengers help.
If this is a sign of what is to come I say bring it on.
Terrific fun and terrific entertainment.
And make sure that you stay for the credits- there is a mid credit sequence with a certain Oscar winning Puerto Rican.
| Rated | M for fantasy violence |
| Running Time: | 112 minutes (1 hr, 42 mins without end credits but stay for a mid credit bonus) |
| Starring: |
| Chris Hemsworth | --- Thor |
| Natalie Portman | --- Jane Foster |
| Tom Hiddleston | --- Loki |
| Stellan Skarsgard | --- Erik Selvig |
| Idris Elba | --- Heimdall |
| Kat Dennings | --- Darcy Lewis |
| Christopher Eccelston | --- Malekith |
| Ray Stevenson | --- Volstagg |
| Jaimie Alexander | --- Sif |
| Sir Anthony Hopkins | --- Odin |
| Rene Russo | --- Frigga |
| Chris O'Dowd | --- Richard |
| Zachary Levi | --- Fandral |
| Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje | --- Algrim / Kuse |
| Jonathan Howard | --- Ian Boothby |
| Alice Krige | --- Eir |
No comments:
Post a Comment