Just the Ticket #72: It's Thor's Day!

It's a two-for-one sale on superheroes today, Ticketholders! Earlier today, I gave you a not-so-super review of Man of Steel, and I just recently got home from the Lee Theater here in town, where I happened to watch Thor: The Dark World on Thor's Day (or Thursday, as we call it here in Midgard). So again, without further ado, I present to you another foray into the realm of Sequelheim, as we answer Thor's third cinematic appearance with a follow-up to my own post of a few years ago. Welcome to "Deus Ex Machina II: It's Thor's Day!"

Following previews for Captain America: Winter Soldier and the Need For Speed movie, we are immediately thrown into a Marvel-interpreted mythology lesson on why the second Thor film is subtitled The Dark World. It seems you can't have an epic, Universe-spanning story these days without incurring the wrath of some "time before time existed" big-bad from beyond the stars. The big-bad here is Malekith (played by an unrecognizable Christopher Eccleston, of Doctor Who fame), king of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, an alien race who look like Jason Voorhees attending a Lord Of the Rings cosplay party with the cast of Hellraiser. His goal: not that much different from General Zod. He misses his land of eternal darkness, and plans to obliterate nine entire realms so he can rule over the ashes. In a most cosmic of coincidences, both the requisite doomsday weapon and the simplest point of access to the nine realms just happen to be on Earth. A heist, an uneasy truce between brothers Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), several dogfights, sword fights, fistfights, and any other manner of fighting I neglected to mention, ensue to cosmic and comic effect (thanks in no small part to Broke Girl Kat Dennings, a pantsless Stellan Skarsgard, an ass-kicking, show-stealing Zachary Levi, and a magic hammer that can't quite seem to make its way to Thor's beckoning hand as he falls through dimensions). Hemsworth and Hiddleston trade charismatic quips with all the good-natured, ill-mannered intensity of true brotherhood. The fighting is epic--intergalactically so--but with a concern for the little guy that Man of Steel was sorely lacking, and all the lighthearted flare I've come to expect from a Marvel Studios production. Stay through the credits for a Guardians Of the Galaxy promo featuring Benicio del Toro as "The Collector," and a positively ominous declaration that "Thor Will Return," also hinting at an upcoming Avengers sequel, and possibly a third Thor.

Describing a film with an air of apathetic monotony doesn't really do it justice, so let me just say that the film's only real flaw was that it left me unfulfilled. I would have had no problem watching Thor: The Dark World for another hour and a half, provided the ending wasn't quite so cliffhanger-y.

*lapses into chatroom speak*

*takes to the streets, brandishing picket sign*

Hey, Thor! We want more!

Hey, Thor! We want more!

*continues to pace and chant*

*grades Thor: The Dark World with an*

A-

Dealin' with superheroes is exhausting work, especially when you have to go to a real job between the two like I did today. Stay tuned as I spend next issue of Just the Ticket Dealin' With Idiots instead. Goodnight.