Thor: The Dark World

Director: Alan Taylor

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Christopher Eccleston, Anthony Hopkins

Written by: Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Don Payne, Robert Rodat (story), Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber (based on their comic)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and some suggestive content

The God of Thunder is back in his second solo outing, and while “Thor: The Dark World” is undeniably entertaining, it’s still not as strong as some of Marvel’s previous efforts.

This time Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must contend with the return of the Dark Elves, a race of creatures who are determined to return the universe to all-consuming darkness by using a weapon called the Aether, which was hidden from the Elves eons ago by Thor’s grandfather, Bor. Meanwhile, Thor’s brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is imprisoned in Asgard by their father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) due his actions in “The Avengers.”

Back on Earth, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is still looking for the hunky god that swept her off her feet two years ago and accidentally (some might say conveniently) stumbles upon a portal that leads her to the mysterious Aether, which infects her when she touches it; Because you can’t not touch a spooky, gravity-defying liquid in these types of movies.

I could go into a lot more detail just about the setup of the plot, but I’ll spare you.

The movie is constantly throwing exposition at the audience, which wouldn’t be too bad if it wasn’t a bunch of incomprehensible, pseudo-scientific nonsense. I understand that in a fantasy setting certain things need to be explained but, in this film, most things are over-explained. This actually makes the movie more confusing, less captivating and distracts us from the more compelling parts of the narrative.

Thor may be the God of Thunder but there are no sparks here.

Mercifully, the movie gives us an abundance of stunning visuals to accompany the dull stretches of dialogue.The production design is gorgeous. The aesthetic hybrid of science fiction and fantasy is endlessly inventive and always a joy to behold. I love the way that the kaleidoscopic celestial bodies intermingle with Asgard,  the Tolkien-esque city that’s been enriched by magic and technology. Without a doubt, this is the best looking film in the Marvel universe.

           

“The Dark World” shines brightest when the film focuses on the family turmoil in Asgard and the impending invasion of the Dark Elves. So, it’s a shame then that the film spends much of its first 45 minutes on Midgard (Earth to us mortals) with the bland human characters. Natalie Portman fares better in her role as Jane, but she still seems a little too ditzy and careless to be taken seriously as an astrophysicist. Kat Dennings makes an unwelcome return as the “comic relief,” Darcy, who’s almost as unnecessary as she is irritatingly unfunny. Then there’s Stellan Skarsgård as Dr. Erik Selvig, who’s so traumatized from being possessed by Loki in “The Avengers” that he spends most of his scenes …without pant… *sigh.

The funniest thing about “Thor: The Dark World” is that it tries harder than any of the other Marvel films to make you laugh, and somehow it’s the least amusing. It’s odd that they tried to wring most of the humor out of the human characters because it’s actually Thor himself that provides the most humor. Hemsworth is hysterical and his fish-out-of-water shtick surprisingly never gets stale.

There’s a lot of fun mined from Thor’s time spent with his traitorous brother as well, mostly because Hemsworth and Hiddleston are exceptional in their respective roles, but also because the jokes are grounded in a relationship that is real and gives the movie the emotional anchor that it needs.  When the sibling rivalry between Thor and Loki is finally thrust into the foreground of the story, the movie finally comes to life. Their complex love/hate relationship is the heart and soul of the “Thor” franchise. The time spent uselessly explaining the plot could have been put to better use by giving these two more screen time together.

Unfortunately, that chemistry doesn’t transfer over to the romance between Thor and Jane. It was forced in the first movie, and it doesn’t feel much more authentic here. Jane falling for Thor is understandable: he’s funny, confident, powerful and knows the secrets of the universe. His love for her remains questionable, though, because we never get to know her as a person other than she’s an intelligent goof who likes the stars. Portman is endearing, but that does little to convince me that a god can fall for this mere mortal.

Marvel doesn't have the best track record with villains,
but Malekith is one of their better efforts.

His desire to protect her from the Dark Elves though, makes perfect sense. Their motives for destroying the universe are somewhat fuzzy, but it does little to diminish their terrifying presence. Their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) is a sinister force to be reckoned with. When “The Dark World” finally gets to the otherworldly action, you’ll almost forget about the sluggish journey it took to get there. The battle scenes are elegantly orchestrated and leverage their fantasy elements to create some creatively loopy scenarios. The final showdown involves our hero tumbling with Malekith through portals to other realms. It’s head-spinning fun.

“Thor: The Dark World” is definitely an improvement over the first film, but the pull of Earth’s gravity – and especially its inhabitants – prevents it from reaching the stars. Hopefully in the inevitable third installment, Marvel will put as much care into crafting Midgard as they do Asgard. 

3.5 out of 5

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (U.S.)

Director: David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Robin Wright.
Written by: Steven Zaillian (Screenplay), Stieg Larsson (Book).
Rated R for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, and language.

David Fincher first solidified himself as a director of merit with the 1995 film, Seven (sorry, Alien 3.) The grimy, atmospheric thriller about a serial killer whose victims exemplified the Biblical seven deadly sins was both a critical and commercial success that catapulted his career into the Hollywood stratosphere. He would return to the murder mystery genre with the 2007 film Zodiac to similar critical albeit less commercial success. Now it’s 2011 and Fincher is once more dipping into the well with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Luckily for us, the auteur is as smooth as he's ever been.

His fluidity is reflected most apparently in the camera’s lens. Each shot within the film is meticulously framed and flawlessly executed, rarely relying on the modern convention of handheld cameras. As a result, the camera never bobs or shakes. An uneasy tranquility pervades each and every scene, perfectly capturing the gloomy subject matter.

Nestled snugly within Fincher’s frames is a tight and compelling mystery. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is hired by the wealthy and mysterious Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to investigate the disappearance of his niece, Harriet, who vanished some 40 years ago. And then there’s the titular girl with the dragon tattoo, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara); the woman hired by the Vangers to pull the background check on Blomkvist. Eventually, their paths converge and the mystery kicks in proper; more on that later.

Before they meet we’re treated to a lengthy expository section detailing the backgrounds of both our hero and our heroine (not to mention the loony Vanger family.) During this portion of the film their stories can feel a bit disassociated: Blomkvist is beginning his investigation, and attempting to escape from his libelous past, by moving into a shack on the Vanger family’s personal island. Salander is dealing with the repercussions of the failing health of her legal guardian. The result of which puts her in the “care” of lawyer Niles Bjurman who uses his position of power to sexually abuse her.

Like I said, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo takes longer than most films to build up its momentum but it certainly doesn’t detract from the overall story. It serves as a means to excellent characterization for all parties; the most involving of which is, of course, Salander. Rooney Mara really came out of nowhere to snag the role and it's easy to see why. She’s fierce, fearless, and nothing less than real; able to convey Lisbeth’s inner animosity and instability without sacrificing the vulnerability that defines her pathos.

Her introspection and idiosyncrasies have most likely led to her profession as a computer hacker (and an exceptional one at that.) When Mikael decides that he needs a research assistant, the Vangers naturally inform him of Lisbeth’s expertise. The two then plunge headlong into the absorbing and complex tale of murder and misogyny. It’s fairly disturbing stuff but it’s morbidly fascinating and your investment in the characters ensure your investment in their investigation, along with the dark places it leads them.

See what I mean! No cell phone coverage!

The atmosphere is juxtaposed with a very past-meets-present aesthetic. Lisbeth and Mikael work in old, weathered buildings yet have modern technology at their disposal to aid in their research. They’ll search through dusty, disheveled libraries to find documents and pictures which they’ll scan into their laptops for added utility. It works as a subtle parallel to the Vanger family history and the mystery itself (it may even offer a clue!). As more of the past is brought into the present, more of the enigma is brought to light.  From the opening credits (a visually-arresting scene that plays to Karen O and Trent Reznor's thumping Led Zeppelin cover) to the final scene, it persistently feels like the past is attempting to prevent the characters from pursuing, or submitting to, their future.

There’s an unexpectedly thrilling climax here but it’s almost undone by the prolonged epilogue. It doesn’t exactly bother me. I’m all for closure (which you don’t really get anyway) but I couldn’t help but be taken out of the experience a bit as I watched the film slowly crawl to a close. You reach a point of catharsis and then you’ve got twenty or thirty minutes to go as the movie resolves the unresolved and you twiddle your thumbs.

Minor pacing issues aside, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a thoroughly engrossing thriller. It’s the rare big-budget film that’s unapologetically made for adults. The central narrative is complex, the characters are morally ambiguous, and the themes are potentially unsettling but, like the biting cold of Sweden, it consumes you. Only in the case of Fincher’s film, you don’t want it to let go.

4 out of 5