Thor: The Dark World is viewed unfavorably by fans and critics, but honestly, it's one of the better superhero sequels out there. However, much like the first Thor film… it’s still thor-ing. 

 

Firstly, the film unapologetically adopts a distinct, medieval aesthetic that stands out from most films, let alone MCU properties. From the epic, godly soundtrack, the shadow-based lighting, the brilliant color scheming, and the dire stakes; The Dark World feels like Game of Thrones has entered Thor’s adventures! Alan Taylor, Director, attempted to incorporate previous (mythological) history into the film, resulting in a story that encapsulates more than simply Thor, Loki, Jane, and Asgard. The utilization of previous history helped to develop the larger cosmic world, and the threat of Malekith the Dark Elf, though unfortunately, this was lacking throughout the film. 

 

The plot of the film, while generic, is intriguing. After the events of The Avengers, Loki is now a political prisoner; Thor has to bring peace to the warring Nine Realms, and the threat of the Aether (cough*TheRealityStone*cough) threatens the safety and existence of Asgard. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki absolutely shine as a result; Thor’s distrust of Loki, colliding with Loki’s resentment and rage at Thor, helps to create some of the most memorable pieces of dialogue in the MCU. The below scene is an example: 

 

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While the action sequences were forgettable, and lacking the vision that Branagh had in Thor, Alan Taylor did create one incredible sequence in this film: breaking Jane and Loki out of Asgard and into Svartalfheim. The audience truly feels the desperation and the limited time that Thor has to rescue both of them, and the chase from the AsGuards (Asguardian Guards seems a bit redundant, don’t you think?) helped to create a high-octane adrenaline rush. Not only does the scene show Taylor’s clear forte for action– it brilliantly displayed the personalities of Thor and Loki, displaying his clear strength in character development. Check it out: 

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Alan Taylor clearly did his homework in understanding the motivations of Thor and Loki. Thor, fresh of Thor and The Avengers, feels the weight and responsibility of being a ruler of Asgard; which perfectly clashes with his overzealous eagerness for power in Thor. Thor also misses his romantic flame, Jane Foster, and feels lonely in Asgard. Hemsworth's somber yet intense performance illustrates a Thor that is humanized (as compared to the first film) and the film is stronger for it. Hiddleston’s Loki is further explored in this film, and while the root of his pain is justified, this film does an excellent job at showing that justified rage does not equal the desire for power. The brilliant ending of Loki impersonating Odin, while perfectly in character, also pits the audience against our beloved trickster. I mean, we can’t condone patricide… right? (Though we learn that in Ragnarok, Loki only impersonated Odin, and didn’t kill him). 

 

However, Malekith was a massive weakness in the film. While his ruthless nature and personality is shown by murdering his own soldiers, or by murdering Frigga, much of his motivations are just… evil is cool. That’s it. The only thing great about Malekith is the CGI, and unfortunately, the character is a missed opportunity. Imagine if Thor faced a villain that was justified and reminded him of Loki? That would make the final battle a personal test for Thor, instead of the CGI cloud-fest of aether and lightning that we saw. The lack of consistent heart and emotion clearly holds this film back from its potential.

 

It doesn’t help that this movie was made to simply build up to Thanos. Without any soul, individual flavor, or introspective themes that the audience can ponder about, this film is largely forgettable by the general audience. However, this is not the fault of the brilliant Alan Taylor. In an interview with IndieWire back in 2015, Taylor stated, 

 

“The Marvel experience was particularly wrenching because I was sort of given absolute freedom while we were shooting, and then in post, it turned into a different movie. So that is something that I hope never to repeat and don’t wish upon anybody else…” 

 

The clear strengths of The Dark World, mixed with the average antagonist and flat third act, illustrates that Taylor could have created a completely unique and fresh film. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for us, Feige had a plan (Infinity War/Endgame) and this goal, most likely, resulted in nixing Taylor’s vision for a story that realigns with the MCU’s future. 

 

I gotta be fair. It’s not Taylor’s fault that the movie is average, and Thor: The Dark World is certainly one of the better MCU properties. Unfortunately, due to studio interference, it’s still unworthy to wield Mjolnir.