We saw Loki begin to fray in Thor and unravel across Avengers now, returned to Asgard and incarcerated for what is meant to be eternity, he clings to arrogant indifference over a profound pathos that surfaces only during a visit from an illusory projection of Frigga – though whether she's a projection of Loki's actual adopted mother or a figment of his own conjuring is never clear.ĭuality is a recurring theme in The Dark World, but never more than in the relationship between Thor and Loki. Tom Hiddleston is justifiably the break-out star of the last several years of Marvel movies, and his performance as the embittered trickster god in The Dark World is his best yet. The silver lining, of course, is more Loki. He's roughly analogous to Nero, the Romulan commander from 2009's Star Trek: a credible threat, but never really an interesting one. Rumor has it that several of Malekith's scenes were cut to make more screen time for fan-favorite Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston and while Eccleston performs admirably, Malekith and the Dark Elves as a whole remain badly underdeveloped, as does the mysterious Aether, a MacGuffin that Malekith needs to conquer the nine realms. Unfortunately, the vehicles for that deconstruction – the ancient and deadly Dark Elves, led by Christopher Eccleston as Malekith – don't get the same chance. The Dark World, then, is in a prime position to shake Asgard's literal and figurative foundations, and allow its characters to develop depth and complexity far beyond Thor.

Thor, which came out in 2011, was essentially a prologue, concerned primarily with establishing a sprawling cosmology and depositing the principal players of its colorful cast in their defining roles and rivalries. If you're new to the Thor film franchise, however, or to Marvel movies in general, you'll want to make a point of watching at least Thor before heading to The Dark World, as the latter is very much a sequel. It's a tradition that The Dark World embraces enthusiastically, from the awkward culture clash of inserting a Norse god into modern America to an epic battle that plays out like a mix between a boss level from the video game Portal and a Dungeons & Dragons teleport puzzle, and even an unexpected Chris Evans cameo as Captain America (sort of). Thor, at its best, has always blended epic gravitas with humor, so prepare to laugh – a lot. If you're already a Thor fan courtesy of either the comics or the first film, it's a safe bet that you'll enjoy The Dark World. The second chapter (third if you count Avengers) of Thor's story, The Dark World is by no means a perfect movie, but it really doesn't need to be: It's tremendously fun and eminently worthwhile, warts and all. IF YOU CAN SEE THIS SENTENCE, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE SPOILERS._Tonight, not even the gods are safe as Thor: The Dark World debuts in theaters. You can reveal spoilers by clicking the button to the left or highlighting.

_The following contains spoilers for Thor and Thor: The Dark World.

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