Zachariah Swope
Staff Writer

Ever since “Iron Man” came out in 2008, Marvel has been releasing a new film each year. This year is the first time they release two, and after fans left “Iron Man 3” disappointed in what Marvel has done with some of the most iconic characters from the comics, people looked towards “Thor: The Dark World” to see if Marvel still had that pizazz and awe to their films. Rest assured, “Thor: The Dark World” is a movie worth seeing.

“Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor. For those who don’t know, Taylor directed some episodes of “Game of Thrones,” all of which are fan favorites. Fans who are expecting more of the “9 realms” and science fiction aspect of the world of Thor, rejoice. However, even with the science fiction and fantasy elements involved, “Thor: The Dark World” feels real and gritty.

‘Thor: The Dark World’ is the sequel to the action-adventure comic book movie. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston return to reprise their roles.
‘Thor: The Dark World’ is the sequel to the action-adventure comic book movie. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston return to reprise their roles.

“The Dark World” has a fast paced, action packed story, which is complemented by its stellar cast. Chris Hemsworth is better than ever as the buff hero Thor while Anthony Hopkins adds a stricter yet collected Odin. Natalie Portman was forced to come back to do this film because of contract, and that shows with her not-so-great performance. It seemed as though she did not want to be part of the film at all.

Tom Hiddleston steals the show as the fan favorite Loki. So as to not spoil the film, let’s just say Loki has many tricks up his sleeve that will even surprise those who think they saw what’s coming.

Even though Loki is back, he is not the villain of “The Dark World.” That title goes to Malekith, a dark elf played by Christopher Eccleston. Malekith has little screen time and is a character people will want to see more from. Unfortunately, the story of Malekith and his motivations are very unclear in the film. There is some back-story to his character, but even then we don’t see what drives him. All we know is that he is looking for is something called the Aether. Speaking of the Aether, expect a huge set up for future Marvel films, most importantly the “Avengers.”

There are cameos to be seen, one of which people will get a laugh out of, and it is not one you will expect. The set up is pretty obvious and seems to be the driving point of “Thor: The Dark World” by the film’s end. As always with a Marvel film, stay for the credits because there isn’t just one credit scene but two!

“Thor: The Dark World” is a decent sequel and a nice fix for Marvel and Thor fans. With the exception of some issues with the story, the film itself is worth a watch.

GRADE: 8/10