Fan Review Thread SPOILERS INSIDE - Part 1

[Matt]

Oh man, I was so very disappointed. I really wanted to like it as Thor is my favorite solo Marvel movie, but it was so underwhelming.

It didn't play like a sequel to Thor and The Avengers but rather Thor 1.5. It felt like an epilogue, not a sequel. The ending twist was entirely predictable (and will just be an excuse to once again retread in Thor 3). The supporting cast was entirely underused (Siv and The Warriors Three, specifically). Meanwhile, Kat Dennings is overplayed (did the character whose sole purpose is to provide an eyeroll worthy sarcastic response to EVERYTHING really need a love interest?) as is Erik. How his character suddenly became a punchline for Kat Dennings?

The climax is very underwhelming. The Portal-esque action sequence is great in concept but fell flat and felt silly on screen. The film even poked fun at the absurdity of it all with the subway scene. Then the threat is just disposed of so easily. He is built up, only to go down with a total whimper.

Finally, the shadow of The Avengers continues to hang over the post-Avengers Marvel films. It is impossible to watch a solo effort and not find yourself constantly wondering where the others are. Everything else just feels...underwhelming.

It worked in Iron Man 3 because the shadow of the events of The Avengers hung over Tony much like it hung over the audience. Further, the action sequences found a creative way to use the character and his powers to up the ante (i.e. a 30 Iron Man battle). That wasn't the case here. We can only watch Thor throw his hammer so many times. There was nothing really inspiring done with the character. The portal sequence tried but ultimately failed, IMO.

5/10. Easily Marvel's most disappointing effort.

P.S. Marvel really need stop trying to cram Guardians of the Galaxy down our throats. I want Avengers 2. Not a movie about a talking, gun touting raccoon.

 

[tay1]

Even if you didn't like this film! IM2 still remains the most disappointing Marvel film

 

[Matt]

Even of you didn't like this film! IM2 still remains the most disappointing Marvel film

I disagree. This was infinitely more disappointing. Iron Man 2 did several things Thor 2 did not.

1) It had two very effective, fun to watch villains.

2) It laid down the ground work/built hype for The Avengers in a beautiful way (even if it did so at the expense of telling its own story).

3) It expanded the Marvel-verse exponentially. It gave us War Machine, Black Widow and the first film with Nick Fury actually being a character in the film (rather than a cameo). Thor 2 gave us nothing new.

Iron Man 2 may have been mediocre, but at least it built the brand/Marvel-verse. That didn't happen in Thor 2.

 

[tay1]

I disagree. This was infinitely more disappointing. Iron Man 2 did several things Thor 2 did not.

1) It had two very effective, fun to watch villains.

2) It laid down the ground work/built hype for The Avengers in a beautiful way (even if it did so at the expense of telling its own story).

3) It expanded the Marvel-verse exponentially. It gave us War Machine, Black Widow and the first film with Nick Fury actually being a character in the film (rather than a cameo). Thor 2 gave us nothing new.

Lmfao, Mickey Rourke's character was terrible and he even knew the film was terrible. Thor II didn't have to give anything new, it's a stand alone film, Iron Man II whole purpose was to set up the Avengers. And it actually does give us something new. Its going to help expand Marvel's cosmic universe. Just because you're not interested doesn't mean it's not new.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Yeah I kept wondering where The Avengers were as well, it's just the new normal at this point though.

Sorry you didn't like it Matt, that sucks.

 

[DA_Champion]

Yeah I kept wondering where The Avengers were as well, it's just the new normal at this point though.

A few months ago, when there were rumours of Christian Bale being in BvS, I thought it would be a bad idea because then Clark would come off as a jerk for not going to fight Bane when he took over Gotham.

Guess not, we're just supposed to accept this as a generic plot hole of "shared universes" that are only shared when it's convenient.

They could have really used Tony Stark and Bruce Banner in the final battle.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I would have been fine with a throwaway line that they were busy doing something super important. That does kinda bring up the question of what is more important than literally saving the world but I at least would have mostly accepted the "we're all busy" excuse.

 

[tay1]

It's generally accepted, at least to me, that they are all busy.

 

[DA_Champion]

I would have been fine with a throwaway line that they were busy doing something super important. That does kinda bring up the question of what is more important than literally saving the world but I at least would have mostly accepted the "we're all busy" excuse.

I had actually assumed that it was Thor who was too busy to get in touch with them, or maybe he doesn't really respect them that much. The problem for me then was that Shield was not able to find out on its own, and send its own team.

Maybe we'll learn the truth in Agents of Shield Episode 1x08, apparently that TV episode deals with the consequences of this movie. It is being directed by Jonathan Frakes so I expect good things.

 

[Marvel]

8.5/10


I had very high expectations for this film and, for the most part, it did not disappoint. I was so happy with how epic everything felt. It’s safe to say that Thor The Dark World is an epic adventure pure and simple. This movie truly knows what it wants to be and it delivers.

The action and grand adventure are off the charts. That said, as a fan, I wish its objective would have been a little more focused. It clearly wants to space the dark and emotional beats in the film with humor. A few times, I feel that the concept was taken one step too far. They really should have left certain heavy moments linger longer. Also, it could have used more development and character beats from the supporting players. Sif, Heimdall, Volstagg and Fandrel all got brief moments of wonderful action to shine but I would have liked to have seen each given more depth. I know that’s a lot to ask in a two hour film but that doesn’t make me wish for it any less. It could be argued that is the trade off for having the epic flare be off the charts.

Bad placement of lighter moments and lack of supporting character development are two weaknesses of this film of note. Two note-worthy strengths are the use of Loki and the impressive visuals on display. Honestly, this could be the most visually stunning movie the genre has ever produced. Examples that spring to mind are

Spoiler

the funeral scene, the Aether effects especially the shot in Jane’s eye before it was removed from her, the grand landscapes, the black hole grenade device effects, the space and time hopping extravaganza during the final battle and even the extensive costuming and use of Asgardian soldiers.

Loki was written PERFECTLY. The complex nature of the turn of events regarding Loki towards the end of the film is simply masterful. The overall plot certainly isn’t complex but what Loki managed to deliver is brilliantly written.

Overall, an epic and high charged grand adventure that I feel needed a bit more depth but still delivers a supremely entertaining film.



BTW- The Captain America Winter Soldier extra scene/preview literally made me say the words "OH MY GOD" out loud in the theatre. That preview was more than worth the extra 3D cost. Hell, I'd have been happy if I walked out right there. Those five minute were worth a ticket price all by itself. I'm completely serious.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Oh man, I was so very disappointed. I really wanted to like it as Thor is my favorite solo Marvel movie, but it was so underwhelming.

It didn't play like a sequel to Thor and The Avengers but rather Thor 1.5. It felt like an epilogue, not a sequel. The ending twist was entirely predictable (and will just be an excuse to once again retread in Thor 3). The supporting cast was entirely underused (Siv and The Warriors Three, specifically). Meanwhile, Kat Dennings is overplayed (did the character whose sole purpose is to provide an eyeroll worthy sarcastic response to EVERYTHING really need a love interest?) as is Erik. How his character suddenly became a punchline for Kat Dennings?

The climax is very underwhelming. The Portal-esque action sequence is great in concept but fell flat and felt silly on screen. The film even poked fun at the absurdity of it all with the subway scene. Then the threat is just disposed of so easily. He is built up, only to go down with a total whimper.

Finally, the shadow of The Avengers continues to hang over the post-Avengers Marvel films. It is impossible to watch a solo effort and not find yourself constantly wondering where the others are. Everything else just feels...underwhelming.

It worked in Iron Man 3 because the shadow of the events of The Avengers hung over Tony much like it hung over the audience. Further, the action sequences found a creative way to use the character and his powers to up the ante (i.e. a 30 Iron Man battle). That wasn't the case here. We can only watch Thor throw his hammer so many times. There was nothing really inspiring done with the character. The portal sequence tried but ultimately failed, IMO.

5/10. Easily Marvel's most disappointing effort.

P.S. Marvel really need stop trying to cram Guardians of the Galaxy down our throats. I want Avengers 2. Not a movie about a talking, gun touting raccoon.

This almost mirrors my own experience with the film to a T. I just felt underwhelmed by the whole affair, with the exception of some of the parts with Loki, and as much as I like Tom H. as Loki, I came to see a film that centered on Thor and, I hoped, his allies. Add me to the chorus of people that want Marvel solo films to be longer so as to allow for more character and plot depth. I am not opposed to any of the humor in the Marvel films so far. But in the case of TDW I wish more emphasis and care had been given to the drama and action. The amount of time given to Darcy's intern and Jane's would be suitor could have gone to Sif, or Odin, or Frigga and would have helped add layers to their relationships with Thor.

 

[Mysteryman]

I disagree. This was infinitely more disappointing. Iron Man 2 did several things Thor 2 did not.

1) It had two very effective, fun to watch villains.

2) It laid down the ground work/built hype for The Avengers in a beautiful way (even if it did so at the expense of telling its own story).

3) It expanded the Marvel-verse exponentially. It gave us War Machine, Black Widow and the first film with Nick Fury actually being a character in the film (rather than a cameo). Thor 2 gave us nothing new.

Iron Man 2 may have been mediocre, but at least it built the brand/Marvel-verse. That didn't happen in Thor 2.

I have not seen TDW,
But those are good points about IM2 that i have not considered before.

 

[ares834]

So, having seen it a second time I feel I can finally give an adequate review.

Thor: The Dark World has a lot of promise but sadly falls flat on the execution.

By the far biggest problem with the film is the villains. Apparently they existed before the universe was created (which makes absolutely no sense) and want to destroy it to return it to the way things were before. It's nonsensical. Wouldn't destroying the universe destroy them? Furthermore, when you are going to do something as huge as destroying the universe I want more explanation than "Aether" and "convergence". Also Malkeith, despite looking and sounding incredibly intimating, was a very simple bland villain who is need of far more depth.

I also was not a fan of the tone. The humor was in general awful if it did not involve Loki. I groaned several times watching it. This is primarily the fault of Darcy, the Intern, and Erik. They added almost nothing to the full and dropping them would improve the narrative tremendously and give more time to focus on the Dark Elves.

I have several other gripes with the film but those were my major ones. As for what I liked:

The design of the film was fantastic. It perfectly blended Star Wars and LotR to create a really cool atmosphere. Loved that. Aside from the last battle which I felt was ruined by the teleporting, the action was great. Thor felt suitably powerful and his fight with Kurse was utterly brutal. The invasion of Asgard was a ton of fun and my personal favorite, the battle in the prologue, felt very similar to the battles in LotR.

All in all it was an enjoyable film slightly better than average and certainly better than Marvel's other film they released this year.

6.5/10 (FWI, for me a 5/10 is average)

Edit: Oh, heck round that up to a 7/10 for me.

 

[JP]

Saw it today. Wow. This may be my favorite MCU film thus far. Thor is my favorite character so I was really hard on the first. Suffice to say I absolutely hated the first film. It just felt like a bad low budget syfy film.

This, on the other hand, felt like an honest to god THOR film. Couldn't be happier with pretty much everything. It felt expansive. It felt like it had stakes. It felt like every character served a purpose. I honestly can't say any of that for the first film.

This was everything THOR wasn't. Also everything IM2 and 3 weren't. Finally, a great MCU sequel.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Kurse reminds me of Darth Maul. The way he leaves such a big impression, and he's just so badass. The coolest MCU villain, hands down.

 

[Hawkingbird]

I'm kind of surprised about the reviews. It shows that people on the internet are never pleased . I thought it was very good. It was exciting, funny and well executed. I think Loki was by far the best character. My critisms are that the villains were slightly under whelming, the stone made little sense to me and I would have liked to see more of Sif and the Warriors 3. I would give it 3.5/5

 

[Hawkingbird]

I'm kind of surprised about the reviews. It shows that people on the internet are never pleased . I thought it was very good. It was exciting, funny and well executed. I think Loki was by far the best character. My critisms are that the villains were slightly under whelming, the stone made little sense to me and I would have liked to see more of Sif and the Warriors 3. I would give it 3.5/5
Also, I think everyone needs to remember that these films are largely not made for comic book nerds. They are making it for families. A perfect comic film probably won't do well at the box office. Don't compare it to Batman because Thor is not aa dark as Batman.
Sorry, double post due to phone.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Excluding the comedic earth scene, I don't think we got to see Thor build up a huge storm in this one. Hopefully he does in AoU. I think the perfect time for a storm would've been when Frigga died and Kurse was trying to escape with Malekith.

 

[Rock Sexton]

It just seemed like standard action movie stuff to me. What gives me pause however is Redford's involvement, he's like one of the choosiest actors in the business so for him to be in Cap 2 really says something. Either that or he lost a bet.

You really marginalized that elevator scene to standard?

Yeeesh.

 

[DA_Champion]

You really marginalized that elevator scene to standard?

Yeeesh.

Speaking for myself, it didn't come off as exciting. Fighting in al elevator has been done before:
http://cinema-punch.com/2013/03/06/top-5-elevator-fight-scenes/

It could very well be be more exciting in the movie itself, if it's part of a plot point that is built up to. Here it was just Cap using his superpowers to beat people up. It's a celebration of badassery, nothing more. It might be more interesting in the movie.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Speaking for myself, it didn't come off as exciting. Fighting in al elevator has been done before:
http://cinema-punch.com/2013/03/06/top-5-elevator-fight-scenes/

It could very well be be more exciting in the movie itself, if it's part of a plot point that is built up to. Here it was just Cap using his superpowers to beat people up. It's a celebration of badassery, nothing more. It might be more interesting in the movie.

It is built up to. I think the elevator scene is after his meeting with Alexander Pierce. I imagine it doesn't go well, so Pierce sends his agents to take Cap down.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I had actually assumed that it was Thor who was too busy to get in touch with them, or maybe he doesn't really respect them that much. The problem for me then was that Shield was not able to find out on its own, and send its own team.

Maybe we'll learn the truth in Agents of Shield Episode 1x08, apparently that TV episode deals with the consequences of this movie. It is being directed by Jonathan Frakes so I expect good things.

Here is the thing, it wasn't like it was a small event. There was an alien space craft in the middle of London. We know what means, same with a guy involved in the Avengers event on television screaming about needing to save the word. The only saving grace in this regard for me was that they only had a few minutes in which the event could happen, though you'd think Thor would of realized to contact them during the planning phase. Though apparently Darcy couldn't get a hold of SHIELD.

You really marginalized that elevator scene to standard?

Yeeesh.

I can understand being disappointed in TDW. I can understand being underwhelmed by Phase 2 so far. I cannot understand watching the promotional material for TWS and not being marginally excited. It looks fantastic imo.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I thought it was strange when Loki disguised himself as a guard and then told Odin he died. He had the most obviously evil expression on his face, and Odin didn't take notice of it at all. If I were Odin, I would've taken that as a signal that something isn't right.

Spoiler

That was heavily implied as the moment Loki "attacked" Odin, hiding his identity was irrelevant

Spoiler

I think he actually died, or he actually sacrificed himself. That would explain why Thor could actually hold Loki in his arms. If Loki wasn't real, Thor's arms would go through the illusion. I think The Collector or an agent of Thanos brought him back to life (or maybe kept him from actualy dying?) and helped Loki find a way to push Odin off the throne on the bargain that Loki would deliver the infinity stone to him in exchange. That would explain why Sif and Volstagg gave the Aether to The Collector in the mid-credits scene and why Loki was able to get rid of Odin in some way.

Spoiler

Yeah, no, it was an illusion. He didn't die and come back to life.

Aside, I didn't like the second after-the-credits scene being an after the credits scene. Thor joining Jane on Earth is a part of the film's narrative, and the romantic comedy aspects is one of the few components of this movie done decently and professionally, and that scene brings a sense of closure to developments in Thor 1 and Thor 2. It should have been part of the movie.

In contrast, Odin's face morphing into Loki's is not really part of this film's narrative, but a preview for Thor 3. That should have been an after-the-credits scene.

this is 100% correct. The post-credit scene should have been in the film proper, and the big identity reveal is exactly what an after-credit scene should be

 

[TheJediBrah]

Even if you didn't like this film! IM2 still remains the most disappointing Marvel film

Nah. Iron Man 2 is not as bad as everyone likes to claim

Iron Man 3 was by far the biggest disappointment.

A few months ago, when there were rumours of Christian Bale being in BvS, I thought it would be a bad idea because then Clark would come off as a jerk for not going to fight Bane when he took over Gotham.

Guess not, we're just supposed to accept this as a generic plot hole of "shared universes" that are only shared when it's convenient.

They could have really used Tony Stark and Bruce Banner in the final battle.

The battle in London was over in like 15 minutes. How is Bruce Banner, Tony Stark, and Captain America supposed to find out about it, get there in time, and help out. And that's assuming they aren't busy or doing something which they probably are. SHIELD didn't even know about the events until they were in full swing. It makes perfect sense that the other avengers weren't there.

 

[slumcat]

Yeah, even Thor himself found out about the alignment of the worlds 7 minutes before it happened!