100 Days of Marvel: Road to Infinity War - Day 17: Thor: Dark World

I forgot how, let us say, 'concise' "Thor: The Dark World" is. Essentially, it is an hour and a half, not factoring in the end credits or any post credit scenes. After a slowish start, the speed in this film picks up tremendously once Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is  "infected."

Though I like the movie, this one is certainly the "Transformers" of the MCU movies. It is mostly Action with just enough plot beats to move it forward. The start is kind of bad, and I tend to overly hate characters if they annoy me. For example, I hate, HATE, Jane's intern. When she interrupts Jane's date, I was pissed IRL because Jane fucking deserves nice things, and her intern was blocking. She didn't know it would work out for the best.

And JESUS, can Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) catch a break. He keeps catching cases instead: he was possessed in Avengers, and in this he was crazy for most of the movie. Poor guy just can't be a regular scientist / engineer.

The Dark Elves are here to kill Thor's mother, which gives Thor a reason to free and work with Loki, and to hunt Jane for she is in possession of a power they feel entitled to. That is pretty much it. As villains go, they are typically Marvel.

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is in great form in this movie. His conversations with Odin (Anthony Hopkins), his mother, and Thor were all brilliant. My favorite moments in the entire film revolve around him and his adoptive mother. Him reaching for her hand only for it to fade after he hurts her heart, and then his reaction to her death, all moments where the actor accomplished so much with little dialogue. Let's also talk about the vocal spanking he receives from Odin.

"Your birthright was to die as a child." (Odin, Paraphrased)

"If I had not taken you in, you would not be here alive to hate me." (Odin, paraphrased)

It is interesting to compare Loki and Thor to Pharaoh and Moses, because in many ways they share that dichotomy. One brother is adopted, unbeknownst to him, and the other is raised to be the "king." This creates disparities in how they value themselves and their worth, however Thor does fill the role as pharaoh in that way. But it is the idea that Loki is adopted and feels truly unloved that he fights so hard for his fathers approval, and his 'birthright' to rule, and his pride is what makes his outlook MORESO like the Pharaoh. Flashing forward a little, we even see Thor as a Moses figure when he has to save the Asgardians from Hela / Ragnarok.

It is really a shame what happens to the Warrior Three. They get so little development in the Thor films and then are simply killed off in the 3rd film. It would have been great to see them do something memorable before their deaths to Hela. At least Sif (Jaime Alexander) is potentially alive. 

Even Heimdall (Idris Elba) gets more work in this film, it seems, than what we get of the warriors 3.

Aside from Jane Foster getting Phoenix'd in this film, I would like to see a "Others of Heroes" spin off, where Jane Foster, Pepper Potts, Steve Trevor, Lois Lane, and every other hero significant other does a thing together. Play cards, Uno, Dance Dance Revolution, anything really. It would be fun, albeit stupid.

On an ending note, Thor got his ass beat by Practice-Thanos before Loki came to save him. And Thor, my man, we have to talk. You are strong enough to carry Loki's body. You care enough about your brother to Aragorn yell  'noooo" for him, but you didn't have the wherewithal to rescue his body? That is oddly convenient. And, why are the Dark Elves attacking Earth? Didn't they get their power back from Loki and Thor, or did I miss something.

And look at that...a portal in the 3rd act. Just kidding, dozens. Now THIS is how you do third act portals.