Many years ago, an evil race of beings known as the Dark Elves sought to bring darkness to the universe using a powerful weapon known as the Aether. A great battle ensued, the elves were defeated and the Aether was hidden away, never to be found. Until now.
When the Aether is unwittingly released, Thor, facing his most powerful enemy yet, is forced to seek help from an unlikely ally – his fallen brother Loki. But can the two trust each other long enough to succeed, or will the universe once again be plunged into darkness?
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor, the sombre-faced Norse God of Thunder, and he clearly relishes this action-packed part. His chemistry with Natalie Portman, who once again plays love interest Jane Foster, is electric.
Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard provide much of the film’s comic relief, as Jane’s street-smart intern Darcy Lewis and fellow scientist Dr Erik Selvig, while veteran actor Anthony Hopkins delivers a stern performance as Odin, Thor’s father and King of Asgard. There is something charming about Tom Hiddleston’s performance as Loki, the silver-tongued prince of Asgard, and, despite his villainous intentions, he is fast becoming one of my favourite Marvel characters. Other fan favourites including Heimdall (Idris Elba), Asgard’s gatekeeper, also return in The Dark World.
Expertly crafted special effects bring the majestic Kingdom of Asgard to life in stunning detail and create epic battle scenes which get the adrenalin pumping. The dark elves are truly frightening in their porcelain white, featureless war masks, and Christopher Eccleston’s transformation into Malekith, their leader, is impressive.
Directed by Alan Taylor, Thor: The Dark World follows on from the events of Thor (2011) and The Avengers (2012), and those who have not seen either movie may struggle to understand the references in this film. The Marvel universe is incredibly complex, but for the uninitiated, this snapshot may help: in 2011, Thor fought his jealous brother Loki, who sought to plunge the nine realms (including Earth and Thor’s home planet Asgard) into darkness. To stop Loki, Thor destroyed the Bifrost – the magical gateway linking the nine realms together – and Loki fell from grace (only to wage war on earth in The Avengers). With the Bifrost destroyed, the realms erupted into war and as The Dark World begins, we see Thor trying to return order.
With non-stop action sequences and an impressive cast, Thor: The Dark World is a must-see for fans – but make sure you stick around for the two additional scenes hidden within the final credits.
