Thor: The Dark World (2013)

[baumer]

I wasn't being sarcastic, I'm being serious.  I apologize for my stupidity.  I guess some super hero films go over my head.  

[IndustriousAngel]

I'm with baumer here. There's always a part of your brain you have to shut down as soon as we're into fairy-tale land, but sometimes it's harder. As we "know", the Asgardians are much more advanced than the earthworms, having powers and science that seem like magic to us. That's ok with me. What's not ok for example is that, with all this science and powers, and with a lot of experience (those alignments from the movie happened every few thousand years so they must've seen dozens hundreds of them by now), the Asgardians obviously have no clue how to deal with those forces, so it's Earthworm Jane who juggles them around with some shoestringed battery-powered thingies and a remote control. wtf?!

 

A similar thing btw happened to me during Star Trek into Darkness. I can accept the concept of beaming; what is hard to accept is that the transporters never work when they would offer an easy solution to a problem. This happened a few times and this really does get annoying and takes you out of the movie's world. Or, take "Superman Returns", where a few minutes into the movie, Supes has to separate a space shuttle from its carrier plane. Now, Superman having his powers is absolutely no problem with me - I can accept that as base for a story without even any background pseudoscience - but when I see him stand on the hull and push up so mightily he breaks the heavy-duty locks - the question does arise where those thin aluminium sheets he's standing on got their sudden powers.

[Accursed Arachnid!™]

I wasn't being sarcastic, I'm being serious.  I apologize for my stupidity.  I guess some super hero films go over my head.  

 

 

I think this one goes under it. I just think you might have been expecting more than what you got. 

[Captain Craig]

I apologize for my stupidity folks.  I'm sorry that I did not understand why the glowing rock makes the Kursed invincible.  I guess I should just accept it when the explanation is that, "This ancient rock will make you invincible".  That's all that is needed.

 

And I'm sorry that I didn't pick up the part where Portman decides to use Selvig's sticks to make people go into different realms, I missed that explanation too.  

 

I guess a one line explanation is fine for you guys.  If they say, "This is going to make you invincible because that is what it is supposed to dd" I should just accept it.

 

Gotcha.

No one is being childish and calling you stupid. Actually, as your peers and online friends we've answered the questions with no animosity or slighted them for being asked. You asked and were given instances in the film where your questions are answered. You had the courage to ask and most likely someone else may have had the same question so the answers are now out there.

 

I'm not sure why you imply the answers to the questions you had need or must have a whole dissertation with footnotes and a bibliography to be adequate. Ever hear the old saying, "Often times the right answer is the easiest explanation."

 

Now I know you've seen it twice and still felt lost but I recall you being baffled with NYSM, asking questions, getting pointed out to the easter eggs and reporting back a greater sense of enjoyment. Maybe you need a third dose of TDW armed with answers going in? 

[baumer]

I wasn't talking about you CC.  

 

And with NYSM, it did make more sense the second time because I paid more attention.  It's not that I don't "get" Thor, it's that I think the explanations are ridiculous.  So if that makes me stupid for not understanding that a bunch of poles created by Selvig can make people disappear, then so be it.  I'll take the stupid monacher and have no problem with it.

[Squaremaster316]

Examples?

 

How about Iron Man running the "crashing into things" gag into the ground during the testing phases (Over abundance) and getting trapped under a Soccer Mom's car during the fight with Obediah (inappropriate timing).  This was actually one of the more reserved films.

 

How about Iron Man 2's incredibly unfunny, never ending "my bird" gag which undercuts the threat of the main villain, the consistent bantering back and forth during the climax, the forced "Kid in the mask for Tony to save" and discussing where they stand during the final confrontation.  At no point does Tony ever make it seem like he's taking the final battle seriously.

 

Hulk and Cap seem to avoid these pitfalls well enough.

 

Thor, most scenes involving the Warriors 3 and Dennings.

 

Iron Man 3: 'Whatever' scene, though that was the LEAST of that film's problems.

 

Thor 2:  The worst offender yet.  Everything involving the Warriors and the Earthlings pretty much throughout the entire film.  Denning's character was a constant irritant and Selvig's actions were right up there with John Turturro's in Revenge of the Fallen.

 

 

*snigger*

 

 

All of Alfred's and Lucius' one liners, Pencil trick, "tryouts", loitering mode, 'S'laughter, button not working, "my wife"?

 

X-Men and Batman are the sorts of properties which lend itself more to the serious side of things. Characters like Thor.... really aren't.

 

 

[acsc1312]

Meh. A solid addition to the meh-filled Marvel slate. Some funny moments, but overall just a bland story and film. The cinematography was a lot better than the horrific one of the first. 

 

B-

[rukaio101]

How about Iron Man running the "crashing into things" gag into the ground during the testing phases (Over abundance)

 

If you think that's 'overabundance' then remind me never to let you watch Airplane. Or any film with more than 1 joke in a minute.

 

 

and getting trapped under a Soccer Mom's car during the fight with Obediah (inappropriate timing).

Was that even a thing? Because I've watched Iron Man several times and I don't remember a scene like that. I remember Obadiah and Stark fighting in traffic, but I don't remember any soccer mom joke. If there was one there, it was either subtle enough for me not to notice or not to subtract from the scene for me.

 

 

How about Iron Man 2's incredibly unfunny, never ending "my bird" gag which undercuts the threat of the main villain, the consistent bantering back and forth during the climax, the forced "Kid in the mask for Tony to save" and discussing where they stand during the final confrontation.  At no point does Tony ever make it seem like he's taking the final battle seriously.

Unlike Iron Man 1, I haven't seen Iron Man 2 in ages and can barely remember any of this, so I'll take your.... somewhat biased word on that. But let me point out that Iron Man 2 is generally accepted to be kind of crap anyway. Most of us know and accept this (although quite a few people (myself included) still enjoyed it somewhat anyway).

 

 

Thor, most scenes involving the Warriors 3 and Dennings.

Except the Warriors 3 barely appear in the film and Dennings's comedy is kept to non-dramatic scenes. If you think they cause an 'overabundance of comedy' in the movie, then I can only assume that an actual comedy would cause your head to explode.

 

 

Iron Man 3: 'Whatever' scene, though that was the LEAST of that film's problems.

Sorry, I'm confused here. Are you talking about a certain scene where the characters say 'Whatever' or are you literally meaning 'Whatever scene' in the film? Either way you're wrong, it's just useful being able to tell how wrong you are.

 

 

Thor 2:  The worst offender yet.  Everything involving the Warriors and the Earthlings pretty much throughout the entire film.  Denning's character was a constant irritant and Selvig's actions were right up there with John Turturro's in Revenge of the Fallen.

See, it's rather odd that apparently the Warriors and the Earthlings were causing too much comedy throughout the entire film since.... they didn't appear throughout much of the entire film. The Warriors are very much relegated to the background throughout all the scenes in Asgard and the time they do get they spend more fighting than joking. And most of the movie takes place off earth, so the earthlings aren't much problem either (unless you're counting Jane Foster among them (because God knows she was cracking a joke a minute)).

 

As for Selvig, it really isn't as bad as Turturro in RotF for multiple reasons. Firstly, there are only the two nudity jokes. Most of his comedy comes from him having funny lines. And secondly, there's actually a good reason for him to be acting that way.

 

 

 

All of Alfred's and Lucius' one liners, Pencil trick, "tryouts", loitering mode, 'S'laughter, button not working, "my wife"?

The bolded jokes are the sorts of jokes I could easily see in a Marvel movie. And the button not working was due to problems with the effects and are mostly improvised on the spot by Heath Ledger.

 

 

 

I don't recall ever saying that Thor could never have serious or dark moments. I was saying that, unlike Batman or X-Men, an entirely serious approach to his character and mythos as a whole would never work without some really outstanding writing. Especially for the general filmgoing audience.

[ladyevenstar22]

I apologize for my stupidity folks.  I'm sorry that I did not understand why the glowing rock makes the Kursed invincible.  I guess I should just accept it when the explanation is that, "This ancient rock will make you invincible".  That's all that is needed.

 

And I'm sorry that I didn't pick up the part where Portman decides to use Selvig's sticks to make people go into different realms, I missed that explanation too.  

 

I guess a one line explanation is fine for you guys.  If they say, "This is going to make you invincible because that is what it is supposed to dd" I should just accept it.

 

Gotcha.

baumer i don't think you're stupid or that you need to apologize for it either 

 

its not like you're the only person who doesnt pick up on stuff when watching movies , it happens to me esp when i'm psyched for a film my excitement doesnt allow me to take in the film as i should and i always feel like the film went by real quick ,a reason why i tend to go see such movies a minimum of twice 

 

what i did find surprising and i believe i said so is that you saw it twice and still didnt hear this or that explanation given by the characters themselves that's all , its not the end of the world either and i did forward explanations to each of your question as much as i could per memory

 

ps : very happy you did see it twice , yeah for your contribution to  thor's box office  and i really do hope you go see it a 3rd time which might be the charm

[ladyevenstar22]

wow captaincraig you and i are like on the same wavelength its surreal...

 

i saw baumer's post and immediately offered an answer hoping its not my post that made him feel that way and if it did i do apologize

[Captain Craig]

I'm glad it wasn't my post(s) that might've felt that I possibly inferred any negative connotation. If I had I just wanted to set things straight, like you ladyevenstar22. 

 

Don't feel bad Baumer, I'm glad you asked the questions. Afterall talking through a film can never be truly bad. It's no different than being at an art gallery and finding out the person next to you sees or is feeling an entirely different vibe from the work. 

[Phil in the Blank]

If this movie didn't have Loki it would had been completely generic in all ways.

 

 

God bless Loki

[ladyevenstar22]

he's awesome alright     :wub:

Edited November 13, 2013 by ladyevenstar22

[Sam]

Ok, let's see, this is gonna be a long one. Thor: The Dark World is the first MCU movie that I have mixed (and somewhat frustrated) feelings on, so please pardon the long rant. Things I like:- Tom Hiddleston was great as Loki like expected. He is Loki, simple as that. There are 3 scenes that stood out to me: 1) his whole conversation with Frigga in the prison cell, especially his facial expression after she asked him: "Then am I not your mother?" 2) The restrained but powerful reaction to hearing of Frigga's death 3) "I didn't do it for him" I don't agree that this movie is all about Loki (or that it's only about Thorki to satisfy the slash fangirls ) though.- Hems also embodied Thor like he did in the first movie. Maybe I'm biased but Thor shined just as much as Loki for me. The scenes I love most (and thought they were a nice touch) are ones that show parallels, connect the beginning with the end battle scene. Thor's confident, a bit cocky "I accept your surrender" against the stone giant and the struggled march into the Aether storm "I came to accept your surrender" towards Malekith, was the same line of dialogues, but the different feels and deliveries show characterizations done right. He's truly a hero in my eyes.- I think most of other acting performances were also up-to-par. Surprisingly (since I haven't seen anyone mention him on here) Odin is the bright spot for me among them all. Frigga is great too, she owned pretty much all of the scenes she's in.I would love to see more of the Warrior Three, Sif and Heimdall, but I'm also satisfied with the inclusion of some moments that make them shine like: Heimdall singlehandedly destroyed the invaded ship, his loyalty/care towards Thor; Fandral's "For Asgard" scene, Sif's bantering with Thor and kicking ass, etc...- Portrayals of most personal relationships were spot-on. Loki/Frigga, Thor/Loki, and Thor/Odin especially. - I like that they addressed Selvig's mental state after-effects of being messed up by Loki. Makes me curious whether Joss will touch on that in AoU with Hawkeye too (which IMO, he obviously should)- Frigga's funeral. It was emotionally moving and somberly beautiful. I did cried a bit admittedly.- Pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but I enjoyed the first arc. Things were set up and explained pretty well, moving at an appropriate-pace too.- The inventive and rather refreshing battle scenes: attack on Asgard, defeat of Kurse and Thor/Malekith's fights across realms. Thought that Kurse was a standout as far as brute-strength/henchmen kind of villains go.- The scopes and feel are grander, a step-up from Thor.- I was actually kinda baffled walking out cause I read of some opinions on here saying that the movie is full-on comedy with too much humor. And I honestly don't see that many humor in it. There are definitely some jokes that don't work for me, and I'll comment on them later, but the types of humors that I come to enjoy in MCU movies are there and worked on me like I expected.- Visuals and cinematography are mostly great. Asgard is beautifully detailed.- I have some small gripes regarding the cliffhanger, but it was an effective one that worked for audience from what I saw of their reactions.- The new Marvel logo looks sweet.- Dat cameo! I was really surprised. I didn't spoil myself before going in and I had a guess. I honestly thought that it was gonna be Hawkeye (poor Renner, lol) but this is way better definitely. Cap: "Costume is a bit tight...with confidence, I can feel the righteousness surging!" "God bless Ameri...." Things I have problems with:- The pacing and editing was disjointed and awkward. I don't have complains about the fast pace, but the ways certain scenes are cut together just didn't feel fit for me. Selvig's humorous science ranting that was awkwardly put in after Frigga's funeral and the jump back to Asgard immediately afterwards is an example of that. Or the random shot of Hogun during the final battle.- Malekith is really one-note. He has the potential to be more than that though. What the hell Marvel?- I have no problems with the movie having a commonly used plot, which in TDW's case: ancient power rise from the dead (or extended sleep) with the need for revenge and whatever else reasons to take over/destroy the world. But the way this plot is executed in TDW is mostly by-the-book standard and predictable. There were some awfully convenience plot points.- I feel that Thor lacks some needed personal developments in this. His reason for not taking the throne (unless I missed something) is basically to stay on Earth with Jane. And that's the problem, cause though the chemistry I feel between Natalie and Hems in Thor 1 was still apparent in this, their relationship saw little progress that would make Thor completely devoted to her and leaving all of Asgard behind like that. (I have a hunch I might have missed something here though so feel free to correct me)- Darcy. Ugh. A sidekick having a sidekick, seriously? She didn't annoy me in Thor, but she really didn't need or deserving of this much screen time in the movie. Most of the jokes that don't work for me coming from her cause I think they're juvenile and not well-timed. The only other joke that is out of place to me is Thor riding the train to Greenwich.- Scores has some very bright spots, but it was nowhere near Doyle's work IMO. Marvel fanfare sounds good though.Overall, enjoyed the movie, I was entertained, sometimes moved, and especially loved the acting performances. But I feel somewhat frustrated cause it could be more. Some problems that I have could be easily fixed with a bit adjustments. A few more minutes run time would do it good IMO.As a whole, TDW did something better than Thor. But I think Thor flowed smoother and story/plot execution is better as well. I would give it a B/B-Planning on catching a second viewing, let's see how it'll work out. Side note: Audience reception from my screening is positive. Laugh (or cry) at the right moments. There were excited discussions of the cliffhanger.My boyfriend thought Thor was a complete bore, but he enjoyed TDW a lot. The 3 other friends I went with seemed to love it more than me and they're just casual movies' fans. It's a good sign I suppose.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Sam

[somebody85]

Not much to say, it's entertaining enough but anything taking place outside of Earth felt like I was watching a bad version of Lord of The Rings vs Star Trek with way less convicing special effects. The Asgard attack reminded me a lot of the Star Wars prequels and the obvious green screen constantly kept taking me out of it the movie overall. The non named dark elves looked like cheap Halloween costumes and I kind of found them funny instead of threatening..but yeah, it's not without a few good comedic moments but nothing I'd rush to theaters for. The action for the most part was cool, but once again, it was like a big budgeted episode of Agents Of Shield.

 

Also this movie has one of the most misleading trailers ever. It was impossible not to see it in theaters this summer with how much they played it...and this movie is nothing like it. The plot is ridiculous but I guessed that going in (avoided all spoilers too). Regardless, I at least thought that it would feel like there would be something at stake here and that's just not the case. Still there's worse ways to spend 2 hours.

 

*I saw it in 2D.

 

C

Edited November 13, 2013 by somebody85

[Water Bottle]

A-

 

I was ready to give this movie a "B+" until the climax. The whole portal fight was simply entertaining as hell.

 

I am completely flummoxed by the first ending scene (the one I stuck around for). What the fucking hell? It literally looked like they put the two warriors in the middle of a Babylon 5 episode.

[Subzero]

Overall I did enjoy this movie, I give it a 8/10, better than IM3. MOS is still the best of the year. The only issue I had with this movie was that there's a humonguos Space ship landed and a alien invasion, yet two blocks away people are oblivious to what's going on and continue their daily routine communutor while THOR decides to hitch a ride two block back to action.....huh -- WTH ??

[4815162342]

Things I have problems with:- The pacing and editing was disjointed and awkward. I don't have complains about the fast pace, but the ways certain scenes are cut together just didn't feel fit for me. Selvig's humorous science ranting that was awkwardly put in after Frigga's funeral and the jump back to Asgard immediately afterwards is an example of that. Or the random shot of Hogun during the final battle.

 

Yeah that was kinda random and stupid. The film wanted to remind us that Hogun was alive and out there but then didn't do anything else. Since he was the only of Thor's buddies not locked up he could have helped Thor out if the portal battle came to his home.

 

Or maybe he did and Marvel forced it to be cut from the film because Marvel loved hacking this film up.

[John Marston]

I actually liked this. A very enjoyable film. It had its problems though. Whenever it cut to the characters of Darcy and Selvig on Earth it was stupid and the humor there was too much (though it was MUCH better than IM3 in that area, IM3 should be classified as comedy IMO) . Also the movie had a really rushed feel. Like you could feel it was chopped up in the editing room I hope there is an extended version or something. So it was nothing special but I liked it a lot more than Iron Man 3. 

Edited November 17, 2013 by John Marston

[DeeCee]

A- I was ready to give this movie a "B+" until the climax. The whole portal fight was simply entertaining as hell. I am completely flummoxed by the first ending scene (the one I stuck around for). What the fucking hell? It literally looked like they put the two warriors in the middle of a Babylon 5 episode.

Or someone from The Capitol in The Hunger Games.