Review: Thor: The Dark World

The second Thor film has come in for a bit of criticism, but I loved it

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I’ve seen quite a lot of criticism of Thor: The Dark World: it’s humourless, takes itself too seriously and is somewhat ridiculous. But I think it’s fantastic, and here’s why.

First off, it looks gorgeous. The SFX are excellent. But it’s not just that – the overall ‘look’ of the film is beautiful. It reminds me Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy II and Blade II films.

I don’t agree with the charges that it’s humourless and takes itself too seriously, either. Some scenes are hilarious: Darcy and Ian the Intern, Thor on a tube train. And while Chris Hemsworth is rather po-faced throughout, Tom Hiddleston seems to be having great fun. In fact his Loki is worth the price of admission alone.

There isn’t much of a plot – but who cares when you’ve got Tom Hiddleston in a leather coat and chains?

I admit there isn’t much of a plot. Just some stuff about invading dark elves, Earth at risk of total destruction, blah, blah. But really who cares when you’ve got Tom H in a leather coat and chains? Mostly it just seems to be preamble to the next Avengers film – a long-winded way of getting Loki where he needs to be for that film. But when the preamble is this pretty, what does that matter?

I only have two criticisms. First, Anthony Hopkins as Odin. It just doesn’t work for me. Ron Perlman would have been far more badass. Second, Greenwich is NOT three stops from Charing Cross! In fact the bit of Greenwich they go to isn’t even on the sodding Underground. This might not seem important, but it wouldn’t have taken much to get that bit right, and as London is the best city in the world they should have got it right.

I found the film highly entertaining and that’s all I ask for from a comic book film. It’s also left me thirsting for next Avengers installment.