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Right from the start, the film puts forth visually stunning cinematography. The special effects team for this film has either doubled in size, hours, budget, or all of the above in comparison to the first Thor film. It combines the majestic grandeur of medieval tales of warriors who find glory through riding into battle, with the sleek imagination-expanding ways of science fiction franchises that inspire new developments in technology and examine the nature of humanity from an outside perspective.
The wardrobe department and those responsible for hair and make-up all deserve tremendous praise. The intricacy of the costumes is enough to make you wonder where the hand labour ends and the CGI begins. Christopher Eccleston's Malekith was done up in such a way so as to enhance his angular features to such an extent that he looked slightly reptilian. His look meshed well with his wardrobe, Adewale's Kurse, and the entire style of the Dark Elves, their ships, and weapons. As the film went on, Malekith's becoming increasingly grey only made this viewer glad that wings were not part of his wardrobe, lest I mistake him for a Weeping Angel (and have nightmares for weeks on end). A considerable amount of cast members wore wigs for the film and viewers would be none the wiser as to certain folks' wearing them, unless they took the time to research and find out. This is the clearest indication of a job well done.
Now, let's dive into the characters. A significant chunk of the Internet has expressed their displeasure at Odin's treatment of Loki. He goes so far as to say that Loki's birthright was to die. Did we all forget about the fact that this is true? Regardless of the political incentive to save Loki's life, I'd like to think that deep down, there was some compassion behind his rescue of baby Loki. What many fail to take into account is that Odin has lived for thousands of years, fighting countless wars, and seeing many live lost in the process. He has borne witness to tremendous violence and death, which is more than what any Midgardian could ever witness in their significantly shorter lifespan. This is not an attempt to justify Odin's seemingly cold demeanour, but to bring greater understanding to it. We know he is capable of love, given his heart-breaking reaction to Frigga's death. Sir Anthony Hopkins brings even greater gravitas to Odin this time around, though perhaps this was of little difficulty to him, after sleeping his way through much of the first Thor.
When we were first introduced to Thor, he was a boisterous, swashbuckling demigod. Now, he has matured from having not only been through more battles, but ones that hit closer to him, emotionally. He has had to battle his own brother's attempts to enslave humanity, built relationships with The Avengers, fallen in love with Jane Foster, and been separated from her. The love between Thor and Jane is the catalyst for the plot of "Thor: The Dark World". Had she not been relentlessly searching for him, she would have never stumbled across the aether, and had he not asked Heimdall to keep an eye out for her (because it's only a creepy voyeuristic stalker when the person(s) involved are from Midgard), who knows how much longer it would have taken for them to be reunited? Thor and Jane are two people who came together, not because of a desperate need to have a preconceived idea of love in their lives, but out of a genuine connection to one another. The moment that Jane refers to the Soul Forge as a quantum field generator, and Thor looks lovingly upon her ("Look at how beautiful my woman is. Her mind is stronger than my biceps.") is a personal favourite of mine. Given the way that womyn in Hollywood are prone to being glorified for their figures, it is absolutely outstanding to have a heterosexual love story in which the man is truly drawn to the woman for her mind, her will, and her character. The reunion between Thor and Jane in the post-post-credits scene is yet another that had me squealing in my seat, because deep down, every closet-romantic loves a good reunion snog.
One of the things "Thor: The Dark World" does that many other films fail to do, is to truly utilise its secondary characters. Even though certain characters had significantly less screen time, they are just as necessary for the events of the plot.
- Idris Elba's Heimdall has better stunts and content in this film. Without his treason, there would be no reunion between Thor and Loki. In many ways, Heimdall is a moral compass, and for him to break his code of honour is an indication of the severity of Malekith's threat.
- Thor's band of warriors all put themselves at considerable risk in breaking Jane out from her guards and aiding her and Thor's escape with Loki. Thor is of tremendous character and honour to have inspired such loyalty and concern for him (as displayed by the repeated death threats against Loki). The bonds of friendship between them are all but unbreakable. Extra praise must be given to Zachary Levi, for swooping in as the re-cast Fandral and meshing in with ease and swashbuckling charm. (Look at my baby, all upgraded from the Intersect to fighting alongside Thor!)
- Renee Russo's Frigga is the warmth and heart of the film. Only she can touch the hearts of both Loki and Odin, and her death marks the turning point of the film. Her sacrifice to protect Jane is symbolic of the unconditional love that is her greatest legacy. She loves Loki no less than Thor, regardless of his being adopted, and she supports Thor's relationship with Jane, regardless of her being Midgardian.
- Darcy, Dr. Selvig, and Ian all keep the film grounded. They serve as a reminder that ultimately, the threat is not merely existing in a fictional realm; it is happening here, on Midgard. Without their research and scientific know-how, Malekith would have successfully brought darkness to the nine realms. Yes, Thor's strength was necessary to get the scientific equipment (literally) into Malekith, but this collaborative effort is appropriate to the collectivistic theme of the film itself. Everyone is important. Everyone matters.
Finally, we come to Loki. Fans have been campaigning to get him his own film, and rightly so. Though not the main villain of this film, Loki is a massive scene-stealer. From the cheeky grins, the one-liners that even outdo Darcy's, and the all-around mischief and mayhem, it's no wonder that Tom Hiddleston's portrayal has catapulted him into stardom and amassed him an actual army of fans. But Loki is far more than cheek and snark. Each film with him present has provided a deeper glimpse into Loki's psyche, and the culmination of this is the moment in which Thor sees past Loki's illusion, and Loki reveals his state of despair resulting from Frigga's death. His hair is unkempt, his clothing is tattered and disheveled, his feet are bloody, and his cell is a mess. His willingness to show himself honestly to Thor is not only a sign of their closeness, but indicative of his feeling he has little else to lose. Loki is wildly unpredictable, and highly enigmatic. It's virtually impossible to know where his loyalties lie, or what his greatest motivations are. Even in his "death," when he apologises to Thor for everything that has happened between them, cases can be made for the sincerity or the insincerity of that gesture. Is he bestowing a kindness on his brother because he knows he will be living with the grief of thinking his brother is dead? Is he trying to do what he thinks will sell his performance most effectively? Or does he truly wish to apologise and have a rare, honest moment with his brother? His ability to keep viewers guessing is what makes him such fun to watch. Though Loki was spurred on in the latter half of the film by a quest for vengeance fuelled by his rage, much of his behaviour shows a demigod that finds merriment in the smallest interactions and banter with those around him. His humour is highly sardonic, yet Loki's passion for theatricality divulges his true lust for life. The fact that Marvel chose to admit Loki's still being alive, and sitting atop the throne disguised as Odin as their closing scene shows that they have heard the screams of his name, loud and clear. They are well aware of who has gained the most passionate, loyal fanbase in the Marvelverse. There is no doubt in my mind that this is not the last we've seen of Loki, and he will return before long to stir up mischief yet again.
Final thoughts
Benicio Del Toro's post-credits scene was camp perfection. The eyeliner, the white gloves...
Del Toro will be playing The Collector in the upcoming Marvel blockbuster, "Guardians of the Galaxy," and if you're not already screaming in excitement, I dare say you will be.
Be sure to tune in to this week's "Agents of SHIELD" episode, "The Well," which will tie in to "Thor: The Dark World". The team will be cleaning up after some of the messes left after the events of the film.
Be sure to read my coverage on the Los Angeles premiere of "Thor: The Dark World" here:
LadyJenevia's "Thor: The Dark World" Premiere Experience!
