Fan Review Thread SPOILERS INSIDE - Part 1

[KRYPTON INC.]

Agreed; they should have really played more with the possibility of Thor being troubled by learning of how Bor had essentially wiped out the entire Dark Elves from existence in order to secure peace, given that Thor didn't like the idea of destroying the Frost Giants into oblivion.

I feel like Thor's arc of wrestling with the decision on where he could protect the 9 realms best, between being on the Throne or being out there in person should have been one of the cruxes of the film.

In the first film, they made a big deal on how Thor really wanted to become King at the start of the film and how he wasn't ready to do so because of how he didn't see things as clearly as a King should during urgent matters...and now here, we had the roles reversed where Odin's views were clouded.

Heck, I thought it was gold on how they basically had Odin telling Thor that the only difference between him and Malekith is that he (Odin) would emerge victorious. It really showed from there that Odin no longer knew how to rule as an effective king anymore, especially when you had Thor's friends committing treason against him.

There was ample material to be mined if they wanted to give us a film that was both action filled AND had the characters embroiled in the cosmic-political side of the Nine Realms. I think that a big problem is wanting a film to have as short a runtime as it had. C'mon MARVEL... an extra 20-25 minutes, considering the size of the cast, would not have killed the film. Give us more Loki and Thor, or Frigga and Loki, or Sif and Thor, or Figga and Odin. This was the equivalent of IM3, but without the charm and wit of RDJ to latch onto for the majority of the runtime.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

There is no way to develop other characters as they have to met some points - like Thor have to stay on earth in the end to be in avengers (it was illogical as he should stay with his father, grieve for his mother and brother for some time and see everything restored at his home world-thats why all death scenes were meant nothing), Loki should become a villain again (it`s in his character so it`s worked out the best), Sif should be left on sideline as she actually have chemistry with Thor (not gonna have it-he should have NOTHING left on Asgard to ensure Earth/Jane importance) etc, etc. The problem it was heavy handed and uncreative.

The movie isn't that long and they didn't have trouble fitting in plenty of the Earth crew. Not that I am complaining I liked that, but there doesn't feel like their is much balance in that regard.

 

[TheJediBrah]

When it comes to Loki:

Spoiler

I really think you see Loki a bit taken aback by the honest reactions he gets about his death. I mean, in a way the death of his mother actually shocked him back to reality. His grief was honest, as we saw when Thor came to see him. That was a Loki in pain and his brother came to him with a way to assuage that pain. Then in faking his death, he sees how both Odin and Thor still care deeply for him. Thor honors him in his talk with Odin before he leaves. I would like to see something other that the usual from Loki next time we see him. He's free in Asgard to shceme, but will he choose harmless mischief or malevolence?

Well the mid-credit scene already answers that question . . .

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Well the mid-credit scene already answers that question . . .

How so? Not snark... Really asking.

Spoiler

I mean, he reacted in some way to seeing Odin and Thor react to his "death." And Thor went all noble when saying he'd honor Loki. I think that may have affected him.

If what makes you think he's still on an absolute dark path is him on the throne, I'm not sure that means much of anything. It does not necessarily indicate a coup by Loki, and that Odin is locked away somewhere. IT COULD. But it's one of a few ways to interpret that. Granted, Loki is a shady bastard, so you have his character to take into account and perhaps you're doing a better job of that than I.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

How so? Not snark... Really asking.

Spoiler

I mean, he reacted in some way to seeing Odin and Thor react to his "death." And Thor went all noble when saying he'd honor Loki. I think that may have affected him.

If what makes you think he's still on an absolute dark path is him on the throne, I'm not sure that means much of anything. It does not necessarily indicate a coup by Loki, and that Odin is locked away somewhere. IT COULD. But it's one of a few ways to interpret that. Granted, Loki is a shady bastard, so you have his character to take into account and perhaps you're doing a better job of that than I.

Spoiler

He might be delivering the Aether to Thanos. I didn't think about the scene that way, but it is a nice way to look at the scene.

 

[Moonwing]

The movie isn't that long and they didn't have trouble fitting in plenty of the Earth crew. Not that I am complaining I liked that, but there doesn't feel like their is much balance in that regard.

Earth crew is mandatory connection with the audience. And they do not have any story arcs to tell or points to meet all they have to be in this movie is to be funny to GA and fill some space (that can be spent on asgardians instead). Its good that you have no problem with it as for me it was real suffering to watch Darcy trowing stuff in portal for 2 min.

 

[jmc]

I have trouble with the idea of TDW being better then the first film, when the character work and story are so inferior imo. And when Is say the character work is inferior, I like a lot that is there, there just isn't that much for anyone other then Loki.

I'm going to have to watch this film again due to the amount of criticism it's received. That said the thing that set is it apart for me is that it's a far more ambitious film. Thor was a safe movie and it felt like it was trying not to screw up as opposed to trying to be a good movie. The way I described it in sporting analogy was that it was playing not to lose rather than playing to win. A least with this film they are playing to win, but it's a rather scrappy win.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Earth crew is mandatory connection with the audience. And they do not have any story arcs to tell or points to meet all they have to be in this movie is to be funny to GA and fill some space (that can be spent on asgardians instead). Its good that you have no problem with it as for me it was real suffering to watch Darcy trowing stuff in portal for 2 min.

The connection to the audience are Thor and Loki.

 

[jmc]

Yeah, the Earth stuff at the beginning was tedious. I don't think they've managed to get the balance right between the two realms yet, if it's possible to do so at all.

 

[TheJediBrah]

How so? Not snark... Really asking.

Spoiler

I mean, he reacted in some way to seeing Odin and Thor react to his "death." And Thor went all noble when saying he'd honor Loki. I think that may have affected him.

If what makes you think he's still on an absolute dark path is him on the throne, I'm not sure that means much of anything. It does not necessarily indicate a coup by Loki, and that Odin is locked away somewhere. IT COULD. But it's one of a few ways to interpret that. Granted, Loki is a shady bastard, so you have his character to take into account and perhaps you're doing a better job of that than I.

That wasn't the mid-credit scene.

Spoiler

The scene where "Odin" has ordered Sif & Volstagg to hand the aether to the Collector (presumably to hold on to for Thanos) shows that Loki is still working for Thanos as he was in Avengers, even if indirectly

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I'm going to have to watch this film again due to the amount of criticism it's received. That said the thing that set is it apart for me is that it's a far more ambitious film. Thor was a safe movie and it felt like it was trying not to screw up as opposed to trying to be a good movie. The way I described it in sporting analogy was that it was playing not to lose rather than playing to win. A least with this film they are playing to win, but it's a rather scrappy win.

In what way is it more ambitious? It was certainly more expensive and they attempted large set pieces, but I don't fell it was anywhere as ambitious as a story. The first film centered itself around the relationship between fathers and sons. It had the tacked on love story, but they actually really tried to do something with both Thor and Loki and I felt like they succeed. Compare the climaxes of TDW and Thor. Thor's is far more intense and a strong culmination of the first 2 and half acts of the film. It demonstrates how strong the story and characters are.

TDW goes so obvious it would get on my nerves if I didn't love everyone involved. It doesn't help that a lot of it is half-baked.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, the Earth stuff at the beginning was tedious. I don't think they've managed to get the balance right between the two realms yet, if it's possible to do so at all.

I was amazed they let that scene go on so long, barely interrupted. Darcy was hilarious in it though. The shoes, the keys!!!

 

[GriffinSTatum]

This is from a friend that I went with today who saw Thor: The Dark World for the first time. Since this is a Fan Review thread, I guess this is a decent enough place to put it, although it isn't really a review, just a sentence with an overall thought of what she thought of the movie:

"There's nothing more reassuring than knowing the world is crazier than you are" -Erik (Thor 2 aka BEST MOVIE EVER)

I was amazed they let that scene go on so long, barely interrupted. Darcy was hilarious in it though. The shoes, the keys!!!

Oh I took my mother out to see the film a couple hours ago, she could NOT stop laughing after Ian through the keys into the dimensional rift. She started laughing before he even threw them because she knew that they would not come back.

 

[Herolee10]

I still can't believe that they thought it would be a good idea to have a scene cut within Thor's final battle with Malekith, where Thor gets stuck at a train station and has to take a train to get back to the battlefield, let alone gets accidentally groped by a woman.

I mean, talk about a mood killer, it's like they didn't want us to take the threat too seriously.

Not to mention the fact that I still find the shot of Thor and Malekith sliding down that glass rooftop to be in poor tastes as well in terms of keeping up the dramatic tension. They could have easily cut away those two shots and it would have helped the fight scene somewhat.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

This is from a friend that I went with today who saw Thor: The Dark World for the first time. Since this is a Fan Review thread, I guess this is a decent enough place to put it, although it isn't really a review, just a sentence with an overall thought of what she thought of the movie:

"There's nothing more reassuring than knowing the world is crazier than you are" -Erik (Thor 2 aka BEST MOVIE EVER)



Oh I took my mother out to see the film a couple hours ago, she could NOT stop laughing after Ian through the keys into the dimensional rift. She started laughing before he even threw them because she knew that they would not come back.

It was between the keys, the kiss and Stonehenge for #2 on the list of the loudest reactions in my theater. #1 was of course the cameo.

I still can't believe that they thought it would be a good idea to have a scene cut within Thor's final battle with Malekith, where Thor gets stuck at a train station and has to take a train to get back to the battlefield, let alone gets accidentally groped by a woman.

I mean, talk about a mood killer, it's like they didn't want us to take the threat too seriously.

Not to mention the fact that I still find the shot of Thor and Malekith sliding down that glass rooftop to be in poor tastes as well in terms of keeping up the dramatic tension. They could have easily cut away those two shots and it would have helped the fight scene somewhat.

I love the moment, but it is in the worst place. Also don't know how he got back in time.

 

[jmc]

In what way is it more ambitious? It was certainly more expensive and they attempted large set pieces, but I don't fell it was anywhere as ambitious as a story. The first film centered itself around the relationship between fathers and sons. It had the tacked on love story, but they actually really tried to do something with both Thor and Loki and I felt like they succeed. Compare the climaxes of TDW and Thor. Thor's is far more intense and a strong culmination of the first 2 and half acts of the film. It demonstrates how strong the story and characters are.

TDW goes so obvious it would get on my nerves if I didn't love everyone involved. It doesn't help that a lot of it is half-baked.

Thor 2 weakness in story are offset by it's scope. I actually think there's a better underlying story in film 2, the issue is its execution is off. Film one however by contrast feels small, and even though the story is far more straight forward it's not overly interesting, it's comfortable, and I don't like those type of movie. There's a safety net around film one, everything about that movie just feels confined, small and handcuffed in order for it not to fail, in spite of the story having far more solid foundations the way the rest of the movie is handled nullifies that story because the backdrop it's set against is uninteresting, no matter how much that film wants you to think it's this epic fantasy movie it's not - it's a shadow of that type of movie. Thor 2 has it's problems, but there's a grander scope about the backdrop this time around, and it has some interesting themes throughout, it's just the execution is off in some sections. As for the climaxes, frankly they're both forgettable. For me I'm much more appreciative of a movie that's willing to have a go and stumble as opposed to play it safe. I hate safe movies more than bad movies, because ultimately if I walk out of a theatre having no feeling towards the movie I just watched I feel as if I've just wasted 2 hours.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Thor 2 weakness in story are offset by it's scope. I actually think there's a better underlying story in film 2, the issue is its execution is off. Film one however by contrast feels small, and even though the story is far more straight forward it's not overly interesting, it's comfortable, and I don't like those type of movie. There's a safety net around film one, everything about that movie just feels confined, small and handcuffed in order for it not to fail, in spite of the story having far more solid foundations the way the rest of the movie is handled nullifies that story because the backdrop it's set against is uninteresting, no matter how much that film wants you to think it's this epic fantasy movie it's not - it's a shadow of that type of movie. Thor 2 has it's problems, but there's a grander scope about the backdrop this time around, and it has some interesting themes throughout, it's just the execution is off in some sections. As for the climaxes, frankly they're both forgettable. For me I'm much more appreciative of a movie that's willing to have a go and stumble as opposed to play it safe. I hate safe movies more than bad movies, because ultimately if I walk out of a theatre having no feeling towards the movie I just watched I feel as if I've just wasted 2 hours.

The scope isn't simply how "large" the set pieces are. "Raging Bull" is more ambitious then TDW. There is no scope larger then exploring a person's soul. TDW takes a very typical plot and plays it super safe. Going for laughs in the third act as opposed to taking itself seriously.

And Thor vs. Loki in "Thor" is forgettable for you, really? When Loki starts to tear up, I still have to rub my eyes. When Odin catches them, and Loki pleads for his father's approval and doesn't get it, I nearly die. The look in his eyes.

 

[slumcat]

The scope isn't simply how "large" the set pieces are. "Raging Bull" is more ambitious then TDW. There is no scope larger then exploring a person's soul. TDW takes a very typical plot and plays it super safe. Going for laughs in the third act as opposed to taking itself seriously.

And Thor vs. Loki in "Thor" is forgettable for you, really? When Loki starts to tear up, I still have to rub my eyes. When Odin catches them, and Loki pleads for his father's approval and doesn't get it, I nearly die. The look in his eyes.

Oh that's the DC way of doing things.

 

[slumcat]

It was between the keys, the kiss and Stonehenge for #2 on the list of the loudest reactions in my theater. #1 was of course the cameo.


I love the moment, but it is in the worst place. Also don't know how he got back in time.

Oh London trains! They are super fast. t:

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Oh London trains! They are super fast. t:

There was like a 7 min time limit when the fight starts and then Thor has to make three stops on the train. I was legit confused.

 

[jmc]

The scope isn't simply how "large" the set pieces are. "Raging Bull" is more ambitious then TDW. There is no scope larger then exploring a person's soul. TDW takes a very typical plot and plays it super safe. Going for laughs in the third act as opposed to taking itself seriously.

And Thor vs. Loki in "Thor" is forgettable for you, really? When Loki starts to tear up, I still have to rub my eyes. When Odin catches them, and Loki pleads for his father's approval and doesn't get it, I nearly die. The look in his eyes.

But I didn't care. I'm not saying Thor had a bad underlying story, I'm saying it's not presented in an interesting way. The simple fact the film felt so confined further negated any investment I should of probably had. Yeah, Thor vs Loki was dull to me, in the same way that when I got to the ending of TDKR I had no emotional investment in the fate of Bruce Wayne because the film was sloppy. The truth is I like Thor 2 better because they were at the very least trying to be grander, and not just in set pieces, I felt there were underlying story elements that were good, the death of his Mum, how pathetic Loki has become, Sif's feeling towards Jane, Odin attitude toward human, they they just weren't executed in right way. In far better hands I dare say the movie could have been one of the best superhero films. I'm not saying Thor 2 doesn't have issues, it does, but I'm far more forgiving of them in this film because at least Marvel weren't handcuffing the movie this time around.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

But I didn't care. I'm not saying Thor had a bad story, I'm saying it's not presented in an interesting way. The simple fact the film felt so confined further negated any investment I should of probably had. Yeah, Thor vs Loki was dull to me, in the same way that when I got to the ending of TDKR I had no emotional investment in the fate of Bruce Wayne because the film was sloppy. The truth is I like Thor 2 better because they were at the very least trying to be grander, and not just in set pieces, I felt there were underlying story elements that were good, the death of his Mum, how pathetic Loki has become, Sif's feeling towards Jane, Odin attitude toward human, they they just weren't executed in right way. In far better hands I dare say the movie could have been one of the best superhero films. I'm not saying Thor 2 doesn't have issues, it does, but I'm far more forgiving of them in this film because at least Marvel weren't handcuffing the movie this time around.

It was most certainly handcuffed, and Taylor has been talking about it more and more apparently. IT could have been great, I agree, but it doesn't get there because of how safe they play it. Brisk and fun, brisk and fun. Though I does drag a bit. Everything that could have gone somewhere truly grand, they dismiss or cut it off. Only Loki gets a real arc in the film. Thor has actually regressed. There is nothing that works or flows like the arcs of Thor and Loki in the first film.

 

[jmc]

It was most certainly handcuffed, and Taylor has been talking about it more and more apparently. IT could have been great, I agree, but it doesn't get there because of how safe they play it. Brisk and fun, brisk and fun. Though I does drag a bit. Everything that could have gone somewhere truly grand, they dismiss or cut it off. Only Loki gets a real arc in the film. Thor has actually regressed. There is nothing that works or flows like the arcs of Thor and Loki in the first film.

If it was handcuffed this time around it was more about the editing from what I understand, which I can agree with him. Thing also about the first film I never bought into was Thor's change of character in the space of like 2 days, there's no great character journey and frankly IMO he doesn't earn the right the wield that hammer again so soon.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

If it was handcuffed this time around it was more about the editing from what I understand, which I can agree with him. Thing also about the first film I never bought into was Thor's change of character in the space of like 2 days, there's no great character journey and frankly IMO he doesn't earn the right the wield that hammer again so soon.

The amount of time was made irrelevant by Loki's lie. That is why it is there, along with the Destroyer. It is flashpoint in Thor's head. The great irony is it is Loki's own actions that undo him. He basically hits the fast forward button on Thor the Worthy.

 

[DA_Champion]

The scene with the keys was supposed to be funny?

I had no idea.