Review by Galen Garner

Thor: The Dark World is an immensely impressive, awe-inspiring tale filled with spectacular graphics and an out of this world story that is sure to rival any other superhero movie to date. I speak these words with a great deal of bias towards Marvel Studios and why would I not? They are at the top of their cinematic game right now and my viewing experience last night of Thor left me in shock and tears throughout the entire film.

I hate to be a guy that fills a review full of spoilers, so I will do my best to fill this with expectations met to entice you to spend whatever it cost for you to see what is the best Marvel movie since the Avengers. Yes, Thor is better than Iron Man 3, The Wolverine, and The Amazing Spider-Man.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor), alongside Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Anthony Hopkins (Odin) reprised their roles with flawless ease in Marvel’s flagship movie of the fall/winter season. It is fairly obvious in Thor: The Dark World that these actors have completely embraced the character roles that they play. This movie opens up into a much deeper understanding of the world of Asgard and the Asgardian people. The relationship between Thor and Loki in this movie is really well done and heart wrenching at times. My only quarrel with the character building in this movie was Natalie Portman. I completely understand who she is and what she is suppose to be doing, but this movie swung dangerously close to reproducing scenes from Star Wars: Episode III with cheesy dialogue and up close camera shot from Portman’s character.

Thor: The Dark World is set two years after the first Thor movie and what I would guess to be a number of month’s after the events in New York City. Jane Foster has decided to move on in life while Thor has been monitoring her every move from afar in Asgard. Eventually, the introduction of the movie’s threat comes in the form of a reddish Dark Elvish substance known as the Aether. While exploring an unknown galactic phenomenon in London, Jane Foster finds herself being consumed by the Aeither and she now poses a threat to mankind and all the Nine Realms. Thor is kind enough to return to earth and the two go galavanting back to Asgard to find out what to do with Jane’s situation.

Finally, the villain known as Malekith the Accursed (Christopher Eccleston) makes his grotesque and glorious appearance on the screen. The movie gives a brief description of Malekith and his desire to reposes the Aether that will give him the power to basically black out the entire universe. Well, that obviously is not a good thing, so that is where the movie heads.

At the same time, we learn that there is a once in a few thousand years cosmic event that is about to happen where all of the Nine Realms line up. This has the potential to introduce massive problems to the world, especially if that Malekith dude gets ahold of the Aeither deal. (Spolier - He does get it and well all heck breaks lose)

If you decide to see Thor: The Dark World you should know that Thor and Loki are awesome together in this film. There is also a brief cameo of an Avenger that I refuse to tell you who it is. The last thirty minutes are so filled with Avengers movie quality fight scenes that might even be better minus the fact that there is no Hulk. The converging of worlds that you learn about throughout the movie is brilliantly encapsulated in this fight scene at the end.

That is really all I feel comfortable saying without giving away some pertinent information that would ruin your movie going experience. The key to all of this is you just have to go see Thor: The Dark World and find out what happens for yourself. I hope that I have hoped up this movie enough that you would do so.

And, do not leave at the end! It still blows my mind that people will go to a Marvel movie and leave. Last night at the theatre there were numerous people that just left. I found myself yelling, “There’s more!” and they just faded away into the darkness.  Even if you don’t understand what is happening, stay to the end. That is what message boards and blog sites are for to help you understand the extra scenes at the end.

So, Thor is a yes! I give it a healthy and wonderful BAG IT!

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