Thor: The Dark World exemplifies many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s shortcomings—attempts at levity disrupt potentially strong moments, the antagonist feels generic and lacks depth, and there’s too much focus on large-scale action sequences. What doesn’t help matters is a plot that's both tangled and uninspired, especially given its role in bringing in the second Infinity Stone. Despite this, Thor: The Dark W…

Even with almost no advertising beforehand, Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World performed very well at the box office. While it didn't get as many positive reviews from critics as Captain Phillips or Gravity did, it still made a lot of money. I’ve always been open about how I think Thor is the best Avenger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so seeing a new movie starring him was something I was definitely going to see. N…

It’s interesting that Hollywood may finally be understanding something important. Typically, sequels don't improve on the original, but there’s a trend now where they do – X2 was better than X-Men, Spider-Man 2 surpassed its predecessor, and after seeing it tonight, I can say Thor: The Dark World is superior to Thor. I really enjoyed Kenneth Branagh’s direction of Thor when I first saw it just this spring, even re…

It’s just more of what we've already seen. The writing feels formulaic and doesn't offer much beyond the obvious, with a complete absence of any humor. The special effects are passable once again, but everything—the swords, axes, armor, and helmets—has that distinctly low-rent, plastic appearance.

Many films adapting classic cartoon superheroes end up being disappointing, featuring weak narratives. This one, however, manages to avoid that pitfall; it proved to be a genuinely pleasant experience, and I preferred it considerably to the initial Thor film, which I found largely frivolous. The plot is acceptable and generally coherent, keeping in mind this is based on a comic book character—the narrative operate…