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Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L Jackson, Clark Gregg
Director: Joss Whedon
‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ A line that has been immortalised by Spider-Man and has turned out to be the touchstone phrase of Marvel comics. It was a dream nurtured by Marvel bosses, especially Marvel Studios President Kevin Fiege, that one day, their heroes will come together in a movie. That all the standalone movies will be part of a single canon, like the comics. That they would create and nurture a Marvel Cinematic Universe. After introducing the main characters that would become the Avengers they decided it was time. The great responsibility and the power that came with it was handed over to super-geek Joss Whedon.
The nerds rejoiced. But look at that decision closely. Whedon had directed one – just one – movie. And you are giving him the key to the biggest movie you are making? In any sane universe that would be the definition of ‘With great power comes great stupidity.’ Sure, Whedon had small screen success with Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but let’s get real. What happened after that?
When Marvel hired Joss Whedon as a director, they were really pinning their hopes on Joss Whedon the writer. And he delivered. In spades.
The Tesseract, that cube with unlimited and unexplained powers that we first encountered in Captain America: The First Avenger, started ‘misbehaving’. It opened a portal and onto earth came Loki (Hiddleston). He came with a single purpose: conquer the Earth. Even though the SHIELD headquarters was destroyed, Director Nick Fury (Jackson) decided to call in the reinforcements that he had kept away for a rainy day. The arrogant Iron Man (Downey Jr), the out-of-time Captain America (Evans), the secretive Black Widow (Johansson), the high-and-mighty Thor (Hemsworth) and the reclusive Hulk (Ruffalo) all answer the call, but can they really work as a team?
After a brief skirmish in Berlin, Loki is captured. But is it really a capture when he wants to be held captive? In the meantime, Hawkeye (Renner) and the scientist Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) have been brainwashed to do Loki’s bidding. Whose bidding is Loki following?
The Avengers don’t want to be together. But we need them to. That is the crux of the story and Whedon deftly weaves a tale that pits unlike forces against each other before bringing them together for a common goal. Sure, there is a big, messy climactic fight. But what people will talk about while exiting the theatre is what happened before that.
Our heroes may have had entries before. But it is in this movie they appear the rawest. Downey Jr plays Iron Man starting off as truly irritating and unlikeable character, who then bats for the common good. The Stark Tower with the name visibly etched on the top, and what happens to it later is exactly what happens to Iron Man. Chris Evans allows himself to be the butt of daddy jokes before assuming the leader role. Thor continues on his earnest Shakespearean avatar. Even his quips are theatrical. Mark Ruffalo firmly imprints himself in our minds as the definitive Hulk. This is the Hulk of yore, who smashes first and then smashes second. It is to Ruffalo’s credit that he makes a personality out of this one-dimensional character.
Before he was outed as a philandering bastard, Joss Whedon was defined by his strong female characters. Scarlett Johansson stood out more in this movie than anything else she has played Black Widow in. Jeremy Renner has such a strong role and he relishes the complexity. Clark Gregg proves to be the fan favourite as Agent Coulson. Unfair that he didn’t appear in the other Avengers movies, Tahiti or not. Samuel L Jackson shines in an extended role as the multi-faced Fury. Proof why you always hear me say that the MCU could use a lot more Jackson.
In my review, immediately after I saw the movie for the first time, I mentioned that Tom Hiddleston was not a very good villain. He just didn’t arouse any fear. Further viewings changed my mind. I realised that Whedon was looking for a Machiavellian bad guy, not a Thanos type. And that is right up Hiddleston's alley. In fact, Loki is easily immobilised in the climax as his role was everything leading up to that.
The great critic Roger Ebert used to say that every great film should seem new every time you see it. That is the major reason why The Avengers is on top of this list. You can see it umpteen times and still not be bored because you figured something new about it. For instance, it was only two days ago that I realised how much of the total movie takes place on the Helicarrier.
Joss Whedon was always known for his dialogue and in Robert Downey Jr and Tom Hiddleston he found two perfect vehicles. Everyone else was the straight man for these two to go ballistic. There are so many quotable lines that it is unfair to every other movie. The jokes, compared to the ones in the Russos’ movies, are much deeper and longer-lasting. The fan service never seems thus and the goosebumps creep up without you knowing.
The Avengers humanised the Avengers. That is what brought us closer to these characters. This is the movie that set the bar that has still not been breached. This is the perfect mesh of screenplay and visualisation that Infinity War just missed. To paraphrase Thanos, it was inevitable that The Avengers would end up as the Number One.
Stan Lee cameo: You really have to be alert to catch this. Blink and you miss it.
Post-credits scene: The first one is hands down the best ever. You realise that it is part of the movie. The strange opening sequence suddenly makes sense. The second one, unfortunately, started the trend of silly post-credits sequences.
Fun Fact: Do you know the state of Kerala once banned the sale of Shawarma?
The Complete List
01. The Avengers
02. Avengers: Infinity War
03. Guardians of the Galaxy
04. Endgame
05. Captain America: Civil War
06. Iron Man
07. Captain America: Winter Soldier
08. Spiderman: Homecoming
09. Captain America
10. Black Panther
11. Thor:Ragnarok
12. Thor
13. Captain Marvel
14. Doctor Strange
15. Ant Man
16. Spiderman: Far From Home
17. Iron Man 3
18. Antman and the Wasp
19. Avengers: Age of Ultron
20. Guardians of the Galaxy 2
21. Iron Man 2
22. Incredible Hulk
23. Thor: Dark World
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, Karen Gillan, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Chadwick Boseman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Josh Brolin, Paul Bethany, Elisabeth Olsen
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
It is Screenplay Lesson One. You cannot have resolution without conflict. No gain without pain. Good exists only in relation to bad. Your hero’s mettle increases in direct proportion to the villain’s competency. If there are a group of heroes, they should either battle a villain team-up or a single villain stronger than each of them.
Ever since The Avengers end credit scene revealed him, Thanos was going to be the ultimate challenge for the Avengers, Credit to the Marvel top brass for teasing us just enough. We kept getting hints, while each of the heroes kept battling lesser evils in their standalone movies. Finally, the time was right to unleash the Mad Titan on the universe. Boy, did he not disappoint!
We start from the end of Thor: Ragnarok, when the Asgardian ship crossed paths with Thanos (Brolin). There is no easing into the story. Thanos wants the six Infinity Stones and he is going to get it, come what may. The mighty Thor (Hemsworth) and the Hulk (Ruffalo) are tossed away like rags. We get to see the sheer strength and single-mindedness of Thanos. You see, he happens to believe that the resources of the Universe are finite and there are too many mouths to feed. He wants to restore the balance by eliminating half the population; albeit randomly.
On earth, Iron Man (Downey Jr), Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch), Spider-Man (Holland) and Hulk meet to make sense of a ring-shaped battleship that just appeared over New York. In Scotland, the Scarlett Witch (Olsen) and the Vision (Bethany) try to fight off some aliens who are trying to get the stone on Vision’s forehead. Luckily, they have help. The gang on the run after Civil War – Captain America (Evans), the Falcon (Mackie) and the Black Widow (Johansson) – come out of the shadows. Before the Avengers get together a few of them decide to take the battle to Thanos in his home planet of Titan. In other space news Thor meets with the Guardians of the Galaxy. There is the small matter of getting Thor a new hammer, the Thanos-killing kind.
Slowly, but surely, Thanos acquires the stones, one by one. Will he be able to get them all? Will he snap his fingers and decimate half of life? The only hindrances in his way are the Avengers, half of them in Titan and the other gathering for the battle of their lives in Wakanda, where the Black Panther (Boseman) and his soldiers make up the numbers.
Along with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the director duo set about crafting a simple hide-and-seek tale. But it is in the details that they excel. Each stone has to be wrenched away. There is a steep price that someone pays. Each stone adds to Thanos’ strength. He is able to get away from situations he otherwise wouldn’t have because he is aware of the new weapon in his arsenal. The fights happening in multiple planets is smartly done in a way as to seem organic. It was literally only while watching Endgame that I became aware that the groups who split in Civil War didn’t completely come together in this movie.
The quips come fast. Some stick and some don’t. But the Russo brothers have been learning from each movie. They have improved by leaps and bounds in the emotional quotient stakes. The Vormir sequence has to be one of the most moving that they have done. The editing gives a fast pace to the story and we don’t pause to question the physics of it all, at all. A decision I will question is the one to keep one of the original Avengers away from this installment. It makes no sense. Of course, they made up for it in Endgame, but still it irks.
The top guns bring in their top game. There is no slacking anywhere with regards to their performance. Robert Downey Jr continues on his conquering run, while being irritated by his young ward Spider-Man, and the new magician who he doesn’t trust. Benedict Cumberbatch takes to playing second fiddle rather too well, but the writers make him an able foil to Iron Man. Josh Brolin is up front and centre and doesn’t disappoint. “I am inevitable,” just made into the cultural lexicon. Chris Evans made more people quote Walt Whitman than ever before in history. Well, they stopped at “Oh Captain, my Captain” after seeing him with a beard, but still…
The action sequences are well-done and induce more than their fair share of goosebumps. The scene where Thor arrives in Wakanda has to be, hands down the most Wow moment in the MCU. Don’t take my word for it, ask the Russos. They watch a video of the euphoric reaction to that in a Mumbai theatre as a pick-me-up. Whatever happened to not shooting videos in a theatre?
But what really sets Infinity War apart is its ability to hook the audience. Pretty much everyone who saw the movie knew that this was just one part of the story. The conclusion would come the next year in Endgame. But right through the movie, that bit of information is the last thing you think of. Especially in the final battle in Wakanda you are waiting for the killing blow (bad pun) that would lay Thanos low. This is the near perfect mesh of screenplay and visualisation in a popular movie. One that leaves you wowed and yet screaming for more. This, probably, will remain the pinnacle of the Russos' career.
Stan Lee cameo: Stan the bus driver who can’t believe that the kids haven’t seen a spaceship before. He probably got this job after being fired from the guard role in the Captain America museum!
Post-credits scene: Fabulous! Well, fabulous marketing for the new character they were bringing to the screen in a few months, it turned out to be. But if post credits sequences were not meant to be just a gag, then this is how you do it. Samuel L Jackson almost uttered his catchphrase in a PG13 movie. Almost. Damn Thanos!
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, Karen Gillan, Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Remember Sachin Tendulkar? At one time the biggest cricketer in the world? The one who united a country when he played and also when he wouldn’t stop playing? He ended a storied 24-year career with a home series against West Indies. His many detractors went to town about how he didn’t deserve a farewell series and how he should have retired 25 years earlier. What they misunderstood was this was a series for Sachin’s benefit. No, it wasn’t. Sachin was a great cricketer who had the single biggest influence on cricket in his country and, by extension, the world. He had a fabulous journey. The series was for those who went on that journey with him. It was nostalgic. It was cathartic. It was an end. Avengers: Endgame is a vote of gratitude for Marvel fans. For believing in a dream for over 11 years.
Endgame would not be the Number One for the basic reason that it has to cheat. The Thanos Snap has happened. The world is irrevocably changed. Yet, we need all the Avengers back to fight Thanos. So the Russos had to cheat. This was expected. The only question was how. To their credit they, along screenwriters with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, still managed to surprise. But then they had to take the sheen out of Infinity War to do that.
The success of the MCU meant there were too many heroes over the years. In Thanos (Brolin) they had a villain for the ages. At the same time, for the audience to be truly invested, the number of heroes had to be restricted to just a handful. At the end of Infinity War that handful would turn out to be the original Avengers. We were back to the start, with the people we loved, waiting for an absolution that may never come.
Hawkeye (Renner) and Ant-Man (Rudd) weren’t in Infinity War. So, it was gratifying to note that they had pretty plum roles this time around. As did Nebula (Gillan). Iron Man (Downey Jr), Captain America (Evans), Thor (Hemsworth), Hulk (Ruffalo), Black Widow (Johansson) and Hawkeye (Renner) lead the fightback, with a few pals. But is it enough?
Endgame is divided into two parts. The first one ends in half an hour and we stare at the screen in disbelief. And then the most surprising letters appear on the screen. A sign that the Russos are up to the task of upending our expectations and theories. And that is precisely why this movie goes so high up in this list.
And then begins the fan service. I do not mean it in a derogatory sense, by the way. Fan service, when done right, is the reason fans exist. The plot smartly adds in sequences from various movies over the past eleven years and some new ones also. There are some hilarious dialogues and some really touching homages. America’s ass, anyone? You can’t have an entire movie on nostalgia, so things do go wrong. You do get the feeling that plot points were manufactured rather than formed in someone’s imagination. But you don’t care because it is so much fun.
The final battle is remarkable for being unremarkable. It doesn’t reach Lord of the Rings level, but instead every action is a call to the crowd to cheer. There is a hilariously silly plot point where an important item is being transferred to a part of the battle field. It becomes an excuse to showcase all the heroes. A relay that just doesn’t reach the end. There is a scene where the baton is taken by all the women. While it was fun in Infinity War, here it is actually irritating and proves how misogynistic the Marvel Universe is.
The supporting cast did their job admirably. Especially the ones that were thrown into the limelight like Karen Gillan and Paul Rudd. We have to pause and admire Josh Brolin for once. Despite being mostly CGI and motion capture he still managed to hold his own. We are convinced that the only way to beat him was all the heroes getting together. His voice has such gravitas that it almost needed another credit on its own.
The movie falls another spot because of too little Samuel L Jackson. Nick Fury is the reason these guys came together. He should have shown up at least in flashback scenes.
At the end it was all about the old guard. Sure, some of them will have sequels coming after this, but nothing like this. Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner will be with us, whether we go to Budapest or not. Mark Ruffalo will continue to be the fan favourite Hulk. Chris Hemsworth proves he can charm the living daylights out of anyone, dad bod or not! Endgame misses the third spot because they made Chris Evans shave. It is a truth universally acknowledged since Neanderthal times that a good beard is all the adornment a man needs! And there never will be a doubt that Robert Downey Jr is the living, beating heart of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It has only been 11 years since Iron Man came out. But it seems the journey was much longer. Endgame is not the last movie in the MCU. There will be more movies; some better, some worse. But that will be a journey I may or may not take. I wouldn’t want to have lived in an era when Sachin Tendulkar didn’t play cricket. I wouldn’t want to have not have experienced the Marvel journey in real time.
Stan Lee cameo: Thank you Stan, for all the memories. Though not particularly memorable, we get to see a de-aged Lee driving away to the distance, a babe by his side.
Post-credits scene: This is supposed to be the end. How can you have another scene? Well, it invites you to listen and not watch. Brilliant. (PS: Marvel cheated and re-released Endgame just so it could beat Avatar in gross box office. They apparently added a couple of silly scenes. Thankfully, I didn’t see it.)
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch
Director: Taika Waititi
When you hit rock bottom, the only way ahead s up. And that will make for a great story. These are the stories that become crowd favourites. Unfortunately, the euphoria over the upward swing often masks the miles that need to be tread before reaching the top. Remember the first movie you read about in this series. It was the worst. The legend of Thor was in danger of dying. Even though Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston were among the most-liked actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it didn’t seem like they could headline a movie on their own.
Nobody was looking forward to another Thor movie. The hiring of indie director Taika Waititi raised a few eyebrows, but it seemed he would be a big budget casualty. Then the first trailer landed. Suddenly, Thor Ragnarok was the most awaited movie of the year. For most of us. The film couldn’t come fast enough. Of course, it was a crying shame that Natalie Portman was no longer in the picture. But were we looking at something that would top Guardians of Galaxy in pure fun quotient?
Thor (Hemsworth) finds out that his father Odin (Hopkins) is no longer in Asgard. He catches his brother Loki (Hiddleston) in charge. The two of them seek out Odin. With a little help from Dr Strange (Cumberbatch) they find him in, of all places, Norway. Odin knows his end is near. He also reveals the existence of an elder sister Hela (Blanchett) to them. His death would free her from where she was imprisoned and she would come to lay claim to Asgard. The prophesied Ragnarok or End of Days was coming.
After a brief, shattering battle with Hela where he loses an eye and a hammer, Thor finds himself in the wasteland of Sakaar. He is captured by a drunken slave trader (Thompson) who sells him to the Grandmaster (Goldblum), who, in turn, sends him to fight in an arena. Clearly, the Grandmaster has seen Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. But guess the joy (albeit short-lived) when Thor discovers his opponent is a friend from work!
Meanwhile, in Asgard, Hela enlists Skurge (Urban), an Asgardian version of the Punisher, to take over the planet. Heimdall (Elba) the former gatekeeper of Asgard is now working as a guerrilla warrior, saving as many people from Hela’s wrath. Will Thor return in time to save his people?
Getting Cate Blanchett was a coup on par with getting Robert Redford. Unfortunately the character is so one-dimensional that one of our greatest actresses is reduced to hamming. Idris Elba has a much meatier role and that is definitely a plus. Tessa Thompson is great. A scene during the climactic battle where she swaggers to the enemy with a sword in her hand and fireworks bursting behind her is probably the sexiest in the MCU. The rehabilitation of Loki continues as he moves more to the side of the good guys. Unfortunately, this is lessening what we loved about Tom Hiddleston in the first place.
Ragnarok has a lot going for it. It is funny in most part. It’s not remotely as bleak as the Dark World. I guess not being in London has its benefits! The performances are breezier. The plot has parts lifted from multiple comics storylines. It introduces a few memorable characters, not the least is Korg, an alien version of The Thing from Fantastic Four, voiced hilariously by director Waititi. The bright palette of colours gives a vibrancy that was missing in the earlier movies.
Unfortunately, the story is not as extraordinary as the stylistics are. Ragnarok is good, but it is not as good as the reaction to the movie indicates. The Last World was the worst Marvel movie till date. Anything better than it has a lot of other movies to cross before reaching the top echelons. Ragnarok tries, but it doesn’t quite reach there. It maybe the end of days, but definitely not the end of the list.
Stan Lee cameo: Stan the barber! Breaking a million hearts.
Post-credits scene: The first one is scary. For those who were following the series, this was proof that the real end of days was near. Rarely has a spaceship been this scary. Then they had to spoil the effect by inserting a really useless scene. Marvel is really testing our patience.
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Thor was always going to be the trickiest movie to make. How do you show a god on screen? Which is why it was very surprising to find that Thor came before Captain America. But Marvel did it right by treating the story based on Greek mythology as a Shakespearean drama. And who better to make Shakespeare than Kenneth Branagh?
King Odin (Hopkins) rules over Asgard, one of the nine realms. He has two sons, Thor (Hemsworth) and Loki (Hiddleston). One a boisterous and arrogant, the other devious and scheming. A sneak attack by the villainous Frost Giants causes a rift and Thor is sent into exile in Midgard, also known as Earth. His weapon, the mighty hammer called Mjolnir, is also exiled. A powerless Thor joins forces with astrophysicists Jane Foster (Portman) and Erik Selvig (Skarsgard) and tries to find his way around and discovers he has no powers. In the meantime, Loki has gained control of Asgard and sends the iron-armoured Destroyer to earth. Can Thor save the planet?
Chris Hemsworth inhabits the role in such a jovial and goofy manner that it is hard to imagine anyone else in that role. He spouts ridiculous ancient dialogue with such earnestness that one can’t be unimpressed. Natalie Portman may only be half his size, but I happen to think their chemistry is sizzling. Tom Hiddleston is apt for the shifty Loki and he performs the role with aplomb. It is easy to see why the Hiddlestoners are thing. The amazing Idris Elba is wasted in a bit role as Heimdall, a cosmic security guard.
The production values of Asgard are top class, while the scenes in New Mexico aren’t. Considering an actor is directing, there is hardly a performance out of sync. The movie is a solid entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is even more impressive considering the character it introduces.
Stan Lee cameo: This one is played for laughs and gets them. Is Stan worthy of the hammer?
Post-credits scene: This directly ties into The Avengers. A fact we will know only when we see that movie.
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L Jackson, James Spader, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Director: Joss Whedon
The human mind is sometimes lousy. It is supremely subjective and driven by its own likes and dislikes. In my mind, I am a big Joss Whedon fan. Add to it that he made a hell of a movie the first time around, I brook few arguments against him. This was the movie that I was most looking forward to. Even more than the first Avengers, because I have already seen what he can do. I desperately wanted to love the movie. I deceived myself for a while, but time put an end to it. Because Age of Ultron is not very good. It has its pluses, but, all in all, Junior said it right – “It’s boring”.
The Avengers are in Sokovia, an Eastern European country. They got word that there is a Hydra base there. During the encounter they meet with two test subjects we had met at the end of Winter Soldier, the twins Pietro (Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda (Olsen). While celebrating after the event, the Avengers come face to face with their latest nemesis Ultron (Spader), an artificial intelligence that takes a metal form. Ultron wanted to help the human race evolve by destroying them. With Pietro and Wanda on his side, Ultron wreaks havoc on the Avengers. Wanda affects their minds and they are splintered, having worrying visions of what would happen in the future.
After Hulk (Ruffalo) goes on a rampage in Africa, its time to stop and take stock. They gather in an unlikely farmhouse and meet the former Shield boss Nick Fury (Jackson) and figure out a plan. In the meantime, Ultron is trying to get himself a human form. Things do not go well on that front and the form manifests as the Vision (Bettany). It’s time for the final showdown and the action is back in Sokovia.
Every Avengers movie has the issue of overkill. With so many characters there isn’t time for all to stand out. But, then again, why dd we have individual movies before these? The actors go through their motions. Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye has a pretty big role here and that is refreshing. The newbies Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen make their presence felt. Joss Whedon is great in small intimate scenes and their sibling relationship comes to the fore in a few potent scenes. Paul Bettany proves that good things happen to those who wait. After just being a voice actor in all movies with iron Man he gets to appear as the Vision. James Spader is pretty much the best thing about the movie. His voice gives so much character to Ultron and prevents this becoming Avengers versus Robot, The Movie.
At the end, I hate to say this, the fault lies with Whedon. He wrote it, he directed it. Of course, Marvel would have prevented him from going full auteur, but still where is the spark? He seems to have used up all his imagination in Avengers. This seems like a studio sequel. There is more of the original and less of originality. The Avengers fight, and get together. Again. Nick Fury is the catalyst. Again. A major character dies. Again. Unfortunately, there is a lot less humour. And even in the money shots and goose-bumps scenes, Whedon cuts a sorry figure.
There are a few moments here and there, the infamous log-splitting scene, for one. There are ideas about AI and loneliness, but it is left unexplored. We just don't believe in the stakes. Sukovia is a country and the total population is less than Majestic? A bunch of robots prove to be a big hurdle for the people who faced and beat the Chitauri?
Even in the most mind-numbing movies, you can see a director's vision at some point or other. But for most part, this is a movie that Ultron could have made.
Stan Lee cameo: Drunk veteran Lee, who thinks he can handle Asgard’s spirits. Gets to say Excelsior!
Post-credits scene: There is only a mid-credits sequence that basically unleashes Thanos on us, though we are not sure how Ultron was part of his master plan. By the way, big shout-out to the credits sequence. That is a marble sculpture I’d love to have.
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo
Director: Alan Taylor
The Dark World is a franchise-killer. Let’s get that straight. If this was the first Thor film, we probably wouldn’t have him in the Avengers movie. Widely derided and at the bottom of most people’s lists, The Dark World is not very easy to sit through.
To begin with, this is an unfortunate example of the title describing the movie. The background colours are dark and it is worse in 3D. it is set mostly on dark planets and in England. Kind of the same thing. Though you do willingly suspend disbelief to accept a god as your hero, the remainder of the plot forces you to continue doing that for every scene where they cannot think up a half-reasonable explanation.
Jane Foster (Portman) gets infected by the Aether, a powerful virus/weapon that has the ability to change any battle in its host’s favour. Thor (Hemsworth), who had been missing in action since the incident in New Mexico, suddenly appears and takes her to Asgard. There they have an encounter with the Dark Elf Malekith (Eccleston). That doesn’t go well. But Thor decides to take the battle to Malekith and recruits half-brother/war criminal Loki (Hiddleston). The location of the big battle is present-day London.
The above should be quite confusing, right? It requires elaborate plot points to make it palatable to the common viewer. Instead, here we are told the story in a series of narrations by different people and we stop caring. The computer graphics are an assault on our senses and lucky is the viewer who doesn’t get a headache at some point.
The actors are just going through the motions. Natalie Portman does have a bigger role than in the first movie, but her character actually narrows down instead of growing. The meet-the-in-laws setup turns out quite tedious. Thor gets to take off his shirt again. Christopher Eccleston, an actor I admire a lot, is hidden beneath acres of make-up and has his voice act for him. But when the lines are downright stupid, there is only so much he can do.
Mindless entertainment gets a bad rep. It maybe stupid, but it ensures the viewer doesn’t have a bad time. Entertainment can take itself seriously. But when it fails to deliver on that serious note, then it makes for journey best not taken. The Dark World goes for broke in all the wrong ways and comes out with an empty hand. It exists plainly for being the bottom of this list.
Stan Lee cameo: Stan wants his shoe back. We want our money back
Post-credits scene: The scene introducing the Collector is cool. We know it ties up in the big picture. The next two are dumb. We already saw the lead pair kiss. And why do we need to know if there is a giant frost monster running around London?
