I give the Thor films a bit more leeway than most when it comes to mythology, especially as the first Thor made back story entertaining by giving it a Shakespearean flair. Thor: The Dark World is a bit more of a chore. The movie opens with lore about “dark elves” and an all-powerful weapon known as the Aether, all of which laboriously works to reunite Thor (Chris Hemsworth, once again light on his feet and his biceps) and his earthly love Jane (Natalie Portman, looking less enthused to be back). There are battles and feats of strength – much of it involving impressive if clinical CGI imagery – yet too little of the hammy delight of the original. The unsung anti-hero, as he was in The Avengers, is Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, here causing mischief even while imprisoned in the dungeon of Asgard.
