Superhero Media: Thor - The Dark World

When I discuss the MCU films with people I meet, Thor - The Dark World is most often singled out as the "worst" one. Now, as I've mentioned before, I don't honestly believe that there are any "bad" MCU films; the scripts, acting, directing and props all make sense and look good, even if they're not "great" or not up to one's expectations. I'll stick by that assessment for The Dark World, which, whilst failing to be really engaging, is well-made and still has the strong cast of the previous film. There are a couple of elements that really could have been better, like Malakith and the Dark Elves, who look great, but spend most of the film being translated through subtitles, which makes them hard to grasp and identify with. Also, although the Warriors Three have more rounded personalities, they get even less screen time and don't contribute a great deal. Those nit-picks aside, however, I find The Dark World to be an enjoyable watch, with decent pacing and plenty of enjoyable moments throughout, even if the whole is a tad lacklustre.

Though there is plenty in Captain America - The First Avenger and The Avengers, The Dark World is the first MCU film with sequences noticeably dedicated to world-building, with the first real explanation of the Infinity Stones, flashbacks to Bor and a brief tour of the Nine Realms, not to mention the post-credits scene with The Collector. These sequences tend to get negative feedback, be they in the MCU or other films, but I love them; maybe I'm just that big a nerd? Like the battle scene at the start of the film, were Thor defeats a Kronan, years before Korg arrived on the scene, or Jane Foster slapping Loki for the attack on New York depicted in The Avengers, these things make the world more coherent and real when they're done well. The secondary cast, Erik and Darcy especially, continue to be great, with Stellan Skarsgard getting to bring more of his range to bear this time out. And then there's Loki, still very much the star of this outing, with moments of pathos, grief and impersonating Captain America to keep us enthralled. 

As much as I enjoy it and find it unfairly maligned, I don't believe time will be kind to Thor - The Dark World. I have a feeling this film will be quickly forgotten in the wake of Ragnarok and Love and Thunder, not only because of it's flaws, but because the tone is so different from what Thor films have become in the popular culture. Longtime readers will know that I started my MI-13 SuperSystem RPG campaign set in the MCU during the events of The Dark World, because I felt it was a good "in" for new characters. The action is confined to London and Thor himself is in the one location during the fighting. Also, despite two films having action in London (as of time of writing), there are no British heroes to speak of; which is, of course, a shame. I know people tend to skip The Dark World in any MCU "re-watch" they do, but I have to recommend taking another look at it as a piece of film, not just the one you find most disappointing in the series.