Thor : The Dark World [ spoilers will be covered]

[mr friendly guy]

Apparently this isn't released in the US until November 8. Just came out today in Australia and I apparently missed the second ending post credits scene (there was a scene mid credit which I thought was the end and then left after that). Oh well, I didn't miss much according to wiki.

So some interesting stuff which most probably won't be considered spoilers.

Weapons and technology (well this is a site dedicated to such)

The Dark Elves have guns and a "vortex grenade". Which sucks you into a vortex and goodness knows what it does after. The Elves also have a ship armed with a cloaking device. Heimdall managed to sense one of them though.

Among the Asgardians, only Odin has the equivalent of a fire arm. His spear which shoots energy beams. However the Asgardians have anti aircraft guns and mention artillery and also their own equivalent of jet fighters, which engage the Dark Elves ships.

Motivations

The motivation of the bad guys were to bring about the return to darkness, which the Asgardians think is to change normal matter into dark matter. Geez, what 96% of the universe is dark matter and these guys bitch about the remaining 4%. What selfish gits.

Loki's motivation to help Thor is revenge. Given that in adverts it already shows Thor seeking Loki's help, this isn't spoiling it.

The Dark Elves
Its nice to see that the Dark Elves have their own language. The only time they speak "English" is when they interact with others.

Their costume is also nice indicating how "alien" they are. Further more when they fight they wear masks, which I feel captures the feel of how alien they truly are.

Oh, and in the comic Malekith needed a great spell to turn Algrim into Kurse. In the cinematic universe they could turn any elf into a Kurse. They don't seem to be able to do more than one at a time, maybe the method is limited or its very hard to do 2. We see them do it when Odin recounts the old battles between his father Bor and the Dark Elves, where the Kurse then is overwhelmed by several Asgardians.

Christopher Eccleston has starred in some stinkers, even though he was allowed to shine in those. I am mainly thinking of the Dark is Rising and GI Joe. He does a fair job as Malekith in this, although his charisma doesn't shine through, because of how Malekith is, well cold.

Spoilers

Thor and Loki's interaction Spoiler

It seemed pretty good especially when it looked like Thor got the better end of the bargain. From simply stating that all he will give Loki is a chance for revenge to handcuffing him, and not telling Loki his exact plan to elude Odin so he can carry out his suicidal plan. Then it looked like Loki betrayed Thor only for us to find out it was all a ruse to lower the Dark Elve's guard. They worked well as a team and it looked like Loki died heroically. Only of course Loki is still alive and somehow ursurped Odin's throne will masquerading as the guard searching for Thor and Loki. So it appears Loki got the better end of the bargain.

End credit scene one Spoiler

This ties in to the Guardian of the Galaxy movie where the Asgardians give the aether device to the Collector. Who mentions that he has one of the infinity gems, er I mean infinity stones. Maybe Thanos will be the villain in the next movie.

Overall I might get the blu ray. I certainly enjoyed it, and it was more action packed than the first Thor. It didn't seem to have the same character development as the first one though, which I must admit was one of the strengths of the first movie. Seeing Thor go from a "thoughtless man into a thoughtful one."

[Crown]

One question; to 3D or to not 3D?

It's out in the UK as well.

[mr friendly guy]

I saw the 2D version because my friend wanted to see a movie on short notice. Can't comment on the 3D. I have a feeling it won't make much difference except in some of the fight scenes.

[Grumman]

One question; to 3D or to not 3D?

I haven't seen the new one yet, but the original would have been much, much better if I'd seen it in 2D.

[Crown]

To answer my own question; I saw it in 3D and it wasn't 'worth' it (if the expense is greater than a normal 2D ticket), as the movie was shot in 2D and then ported to 3D.

It wasn't horrible in 3D by any means, but it wasn't specifically giving you set-piece moments where you think 'lucky I saw this in 3D because this is the shizzle!'

Good movie, I liked it. Was entertained and I really must commend the plot writing in setting up a premise early on and then it paying off later. I really like it when movies do that internal self consistency thing that a lot of action movies just go 'look shiny' thinking it will distract the viewer.

[Gandalf]

I liked it. It was fun, and the two hours went by quickly.

Did anyone else think it looked a lot like Star Wars in places?
Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

[Bedlam]

I liked it. It was fun, and the two hours went by quickly.

Did anyone else think it looked a lot like Star Wars in places?
Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

Spoiler

I'd say no if for no other reason that if Loki was going to shank his 'father' they'd show it on screen. The question is whether Loki has him hidden away and will continue to impersonate him or whether the disguise was solely for Thor and he'll return to hiding once he leaves (or maybe take his place). I know if the saga's Loki slept with Sif now would be a good chance for that to happen while Thor's off protecting the universe, not sure if they would go that far though.

[Dass.Kapital]

Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

Spoiler

Well...the all father could be off turning the wasteland that was the Dark Elves initial defeat (and the place where a certain guard said there was an Asgardian body) upside down? You know, be off looking for said remains of his fallen son Loki? Hence, while Odin's off trying to find said no existent body (It didn't look like Thor took time out to erect a cairn or anything like that. Thor didn't walk back into Asgard carrying Loki's body. Just raced off to continue/finish the fight with the Dark Elves) Loki has plenty of time to screw around in Asgard, pretending to be who ever he wants.

In all a good movie that I think one could get a kick out of watching multiple times. Up there with Iron Man 1, Captain America.

[Omeganian]

I liked it. It was fun, and the two hours went by quickly.

Did anyone else think it looked a lot like Star Wars in places?
Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

Spoiler

Well, the opening monologue, as far as I understand, is by him, but he doesn't seem to be aware of the Dark Elves' survival until they attack, and probably didn't have time to talk about it afterward. Therefore, Odin is telling that after the events of the movie.

[Crazedwraith]

just got back from it and my entire opinion on the film can be summed up as: Best Cameo Ever.

The rest was merely alright.

[LadyTevar]

That was awesome beyond words. Cameos and all. I adored it.

[Vendetta]

End credit scene one Spoiler

This ties in to the Guardian of the Galaxy movie where the Asgardians give the aether device to the Collector. Who mentions that he has one of the infinity gems, er I mean infinity stones. Maybe Thanos will be the villain in the next movie.

Spoiler

Given that Thanos was in the end credit scene of Avengers and also is in the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy I'd say we're in a no shit sherlock situation there.

[LadyTevar]

Spoiler

As yes... "Items from beyond the begining of the universe. Most of them are stone, but Ether is liquid."
"The tesseract is in Asgard, and it is not wise to keep two of the Infinity stones in the same place"

Tesseract is one of the Infinity Gems. Ether may or may not be another.

[Tsyroc]

I liked it. It was fun, and the two hours went by quickly.

Did anyone else think it looked a lot like Star Wars in places?

I thought it sounded too much like Star Wars in places. The Asgardian skiffs were the biggest offenders IMO.

Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

Spoiler

I don't think he's dead. I'm not even sure he's indisposed somewhere. He might just be somewhere else at the time that Thor is in the throne room. While it would be perfectly in character for Loki to have Odin imprisoned somewhere and impersonating him, it is also in character for him to briefly do what he did at the end of the movie so when Odin comes back he'll be pissed, and "WTF is Thor doing off on Earth, abandoning Asgard etc...." and there will be a nice wedge between Thor and Odin. Something that happens way too often in the comics. Since Loki is supposed to be dead it will take them even longer to figure out that someone played them.

One ting I especially liked about the throne room scene. Is Thor offering up Mjolnir and Odin/Loki telling him to keep it for as long as he's worthy. Sound good on the surface, but Loki couldn't accept it from Thor because it would have spoiled his disguise since he can't lift Mjolnir and Odin can.

[AniThyng]

I liked it. It was fun, and the two hours went by quickly.

Did anyone else think it looked a lot like Star Wars in places?

I thought it sounded too much like Star Wars in places. The Asgardian skiffs were the biggest offenders IMO.

Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

Spoiler

I don't think he's dead. I'm not even sure he's indisposed somewhere. He might just be somewhere else at the time that Thor is in the throne room. While it would be perfectly in character for Loki to have Odin imprisoned somewhere and impersonating him, it is also in character for him to briefly do what he did at the end of the movie so when Odin comes back he'll be pissed, and "WTF is Thor doing off on Earth, abandoning Asgard etc...." and there will be a nice wedge between Thor and Odin. Something that happens way too often in the comics. Since Loki is supposed to be dead it will take them even longer to figure out that someone played them.

One ting I especially liked about the throne room scene. Is Thor offering up Mjolnir and Odin/Loki telling him to keep it for as long as he's worthy. Sound good on the surface, but Loki couldn't accept it from Thor because it would have spoiled his disguise since he can't lift Mjolnir and Odin can.

Spoiler

It's also nice that if Odin was imprisoned somewhere, with Thor and Frigga out of the picture, most people could reasonably chalk any changes in Loki!Odin's behavior as a natural consequence of losing his wife and a son. On that note, I do wonder how much, if any, guilt Loki feels for being the one taht directed the Kursed to the shield generator room...

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Spoiler

I just saw it earlier today, loved the cameo by Captain America and how the illusion trick is not unique to Loki

Anyone notice how the Asgard fighters had a distinctly SW-esque sound to them?

The collector said, "one down, five to go" re: the eitr. The Tesseract is another Mcguffin"infinity stone", so there are 4 others out there.

I saw the 3D version, it didn't make a great deal of difference. And I loved Kat Dennings presence

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Spoiler

I liked it. It was fun, and the two hours went by quickly.

Did anyone else think it looked a lot like Star Wars in places?
Spoiler

Is Odin dead or what?

Spoiler

It certainly sounded like it in a couple places. I was just disappointed that Odin didn't arrive on the scene during that skirmish until the end, I mean the bad guys had guns and grenades vs the good guys swords and shields. What must that fighter been made of to crash into the palace and be completely undamaged though? And that no-one thought to secure the crash site or remove the thing?

Nice lampshade hanging they did with the two years comment near the end. And I couldn't help but laugh when Thor hung the hammer on a coathook It certainly spent plenty of time flying around. It was cool that one of the beasts from the first film put in an appearance to eat one of the mooks

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Did anyone else find it poetic that Spoiler

Loki was impaled in the same place he stabbed Coulson

by the Giant Mook?

[LadyTevar]

Was I mistaken during Thor's last talk with Odin, or did he say Loki would make a better king?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Was I mistaken during Thor's last talk with Odin, or did he say Loki would make a better king?

I think he just said 'One son who wants the throne too much and one who wants it not at all' or something to that effect.

[phongn]

Skywalker Sound did quite a bit of the audio effects, so it should be no surprise that it sounds like Star Wars.

[Replicant]

During their conversation Thor did state that Loki would make a better king than him. That is a simple statement that Thor likes things black and white while Loki would better understand the complexities of politics and the grey areas.

Odin is likely locked up somewhere. When Loki removes his illusion after Thor leaves he is still holding Odin's spear. This to me indicates it is the real spear not a prop. While I can see Loki doing a 2 minute impersonation while Odin is crying in his room there is no way Odin would let the spear out of his sight for that long, the only time he is not holding it is when he is in the Odin sleep.

One thought, Odin did look weakened at one point and grimaced which was never explained but did cause a look of concern on Thor's face.

Maybe two years of war, sending Thor to places using dark energy when the Portal was not yet rebuilt, etc, greatly drained Odin and forced him into another sudden sleep and that is how Loki has the run of the place.

One thing struck me.

Asgardians are fucking stupid. I know they have been gone a long time but no one recognized the Dark Elf taken prisoner and no one bothered to search the prisoners, yes the Kursed stone was stuck in his body but that wouldn't help if he has been thrown into a modern US prison so why did it work when thrown into a much more high tech Asgardian prison.

The grenades used appeared to create small area singularities. They drew everything in and crushed it in what appeared to be a very painful process. I know the Kursed were supposed to be special forces style super weapons from the Old Times but I found it rather lame that Mjolner couldn't do squat to one of them yet the thing is easily wiped out by one of its own grenades.

[Tsyroc]

Spoiler

It was cool that one of the beasts from the first film put in an appearance to eat one of the mooks

Spoiler

Did you see it still on Earth and trying to catch the Starlings at the very end of the credits?

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Spoiler

It was cool that one of the beasts from the first film put in an appearance to eat one of the mooks

Spoiler

Did you see it still on Earth and trying to catch the Starlings at the very end of the credits?

I knew there would be a post credits scene but didn't have the patience to sit through all the credits, even though being a Tuesday afternoon there was only half a dozen other people there I read about it after, it did say something about it still running amok I could have sworn the one in Thor 1 was bigger though
Spoiler

And the new guy dropping a car on a group of mooks, so Darcy jumped on him

What can I say, I find Kat Dennings to be more attractive than Natalie Portman

[Kojiro]

Spoiler

We have a rough idea of Asgardian lifespans now too. Loki implied the difference between humans and them was 'give or take five thousand years'.

I must say I do like Kat Dennings but damned if her characterisation wasn't ripped straight out of 2 Broke Girls, which made it somewhat noticeably different to Thor 1 Darcy.

The Kurse was really odd. First up, if you're invulnerable (to the point Thor and Mjolnir aren't a threat) do NOT carry the only weapon that can kill you into battle (this reminds me of Skynet creating human usable plasma weapons). That a minor gripe though. That guy was just insane and both he and Thor displayed some major endurance.

Also this is the first time we've seen Mjolnir move contrary to its intent. The Kurse slaps it away at least twice. Mjolnir also seems to have a literally astronomical range for finding Thor. When he skips to the Dark World it immediately heads into space, apparently intent on getting back to him the long way.

Loki's illusion powers are significantly expanded on here and a lot more formidable than previously seen. Most importantly he seems to be able to do really complex illusions (such as Thor's arm).

Assuming Loki has replaced Odin the Infinity Gauntlet and at least one Infinity stone/gem are now in Loki's possession. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Thanos' flunkie claimed there was no where safe for Loki if he didn't live up to his end of the bargain. I wouldn't put it past Thanos to 'ask' for access to the weapons vault if he knows Loki is in charge. Loki may even give it to Thanos to complete their bargain or barter with it for more power. Either way Thanos is a step closer to the gauntlet and a gem.

I really liked the 'fighter' bits but I have to admit the jet boats are silly. I can't help but feel they missed the target with them. I'm not sure how they should have been done exactly but the flying boat seemed too far, at least for me.

Overall though I thought it was great and I'll be going to see it again.