The Dark World - A sort of review

I managed to catch 'Thor The Dark World' in Midvalley last Friday midnight. Having rushed straight from the airport thanks to a delayed flight, there was no tingling anticipation of watching the long haired sledgehammer-wielding demigod fight an army of dark elves from Svarthalfheim. Instead, I was tired and rather sleepy. It didn't help that the first thing that came to my mind when we found our seats was that I can sleep for the next two hours. That didn't happen, not when I was flanked by sisters who are ardent fans of Marvel comic-based movies. While one sister is watching the movie for the second time, the other could hardly contain her excitement that the sequel is finally here. Just as the movie was about to start, I casually asked 'So, what was Thor 1 all about?' The darkened hall spared me from their incredulous stares.  

 

It turned out that I didn't need much explanation. For a two hour tutorial, I think I understood the whole semester's syllabus. There was Thor, there was his ever present sledgehammer. Throw in a slightly broader Sir Anthony Hopkins, a Rene Russo that can pass off as a mortal version of Liv Tyler's Arwen, some dark elves who looked like they've just escaped from a recent Halloween shindig and impressive (but expected) computer graphics for us to gape at. As for Natalie Portman, I'm always at crossroads when she's involved. I think she's a good actress but what spooked me when she was the Black Swan was somehow missing from Thor. That's regrettable, especially when she had the all-powerful Aether running through her veins.  

 

And then, there was Loki. I never thought a villain could look this good. It could be his jet-black tresses which honestly speaking, left me confused. Beyond the cinema hall, I have never thought men with long hair as appealing. Not when my current hair cut is shorter than theirs. If it's not the hair, I must have been mesmerized by his eyes. No doubt, he was incarcerated in a cell for most parts of the movie but how was it that I (and come on, so would you if you've watched the movie) felt his contemptuous affection for Thor with a slight raise of the eyebrows? Or the measure of his grief when told that their mother was killed? I even felt sorry for Malekith when Loki's steely stare accompanied his words that nobody will understand his rage. Coincidentally, there was a speck of dust in my eyes when I thought Loki had died. Well, let's not deliberate on this point further. Anyway, the best part would be Loki's lines. I'm unsure whether I should thank the scriptwriter or the actor. Either way, they definitely delivered me some much needed sanity boost from the doldrums of everything Thor.         

 

After an onslaught of Marvel movies these past few years (you name it, I've watched it all. Whether I actually remembered the plot is of course, secondary), I thought it's finally time for a breather. You know, to get back to the time of simple movies - boy meets girl, fall in love, face major crisis along the way and still live happily ever after - without having buildings blasted to pieces every 5 seconds or weird looking creatures spewing even weirder sounding languages. I almost got that relief when the credits started to roll, and that's when I saw a bluish-green Benicio Del Toro. 

 

All he said was 'Four more stones to be recovered'. That's when I know I'm doomed for yet another round of Thor. But wait a second, did I just see Odin transforming into Loki??? With the heaviest of heart, I know I've a task to complete. I have no choice. The saga continues.