Following on from the events of Thor and Avengers Assemble, we're back in Asgard: Thor's fighting for peace, Jane's still waiting for his return to Earth, Loki is shacked up in prison and Odin's still a massive dick.
Thor, as a character, is undeniably a bit bland but Chris Hemsworth manages to, thankfully, make the eponymous muscle-bound dumb blonde more likeable this time round but it's the silver-tongued Loki, complete with daddy issues and increasingly Snape-like hair, that steals the show, yet again. Tom Hiddleston has a way of delivering every line as if he were performing Shakespeare and manages to inspire sympathy for a character that by all rights should have most people shouting, 'get over it!'. The film's strength lies in the warring relationship and chemistry between the 'brothers', Thor and Loki. Cinematography, again, is gorgeous: from Mario's Rainbow Road to Asgard to the towering golden citadel.
Apparently during post-production, scenes in which villain Malekith's back-story was further explored were exchanged for extra scenes starring Loki. Christopher Eccleston certainly succeeded in looking and sounding malevolent but without the extra scenes his character was conspicuously motiveless beyond 'make world dark, bad world better ...for some reason'.
Oscar-winning actress, Natalie Portman, who plays Thor's love interest, scientist Jane Foster is gorgeous as over albeit underused spending half her time fainting and collapsing like a Victorian gentlewoman.
Stand out scenes include a certain someone's funeral, hilarious unexpected Captain America cameo (almost) and the final, cross-dimensional, battle between Thor and Malekith.
Although the the film starts off rather slow it certainly picks up by the second half.
If you're off to see the film remember to stay until after the credits.
Words by Juliette Curran
Words by Juliette Curran
