Thor: The Dark World (PG15) – starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston, directed by Alan Taylor
After the runaway success of Marvel Comics’ ‘phase one’ movie releases, which culminated in the Avengers ‘assembled’, the company’s ‘phase two’ got off to an uneven start with Iron Man 3. But with the return of fellow Avenger Thor (Hemsworth) to the big screen, for his second solo adventure, the signs are good that the Marvel cinematic universe will get right back on track.
After the climactic battle in New York, the Norse god of Thunder continues to fight the forces of darkness across the cosmos… but when a powerful ancient evil reappears, led by the vengeful Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Ecclestone), the carnage and terror unleashed is more than even the combined might of Asgard and Odin can withstand.
So the son of Odin is forced to turn to his devious half-brother Loki (Hiddleston) for help and then together, they are compelled to set out on a quest to save the universe, a journey that will reunite Thor with the love of his life, Jane Foster (Portman).
Director Taylor has previous experience melding the fantastical with compelling storytelling, having helmed six episodes of the popular HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, and that grounding serves him well here. Balancing impressive visuals, epic battle scenes and bone-crunching combat without sacrificing a strong narrative, Taylor deftly takes on the baton from the first film’s director Kenneth Branagh and keeps up the pace, banishing the memory of Iron Man 3’s muddled plot in the process. So with the hammer-wielder’s second outing nailing the right cinematic tone, the pressure is back on next spring’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Thor: The Dark World will hit cinemas this Thursday 7th November
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