Fan Review Thread SPOILERS INSIDE - Part 2

[Son of Coul]

Yeah, these complaints are getting really formulaic with too much humor.

 

[Feenix]

Is there some sort of rule that if you're not a fan of the film, you have to repeat your stance nonstop for weeks on end? Once again it's the same conglomerate of guys monopolizing the thread.

Some of you really need to learn the art of giving your opinion and moving on. It is not necessary to keep defending yourself unless you naively believe repetition equals argumentation.

"But geeeyyss, Malekith iz like, a bad, bad guy."

I was wondering about that, too. It's not like we've forgotten what the complaints about the film are. But, you know, I do love being constantly reminded.

I'll probably be called a fanboy for saying that. It's like the go-to insult around here.

 

[Xeno]

Yet when I come on here you would think the that Darcy was added into the script despite universal upset and anger over her appearance in the first Thor. It seems really very strange to me that opinions would be so incredible different. It's not as though my friend base is nerd free. Hell, half of them I meet during my Harry Potter phase! So how is it that in real life everyone I know is a Darcy fan, but online she is a pariah?

The "Everyone I know loves/hates X" argument really holds no sway. Anecdote =/= Data. In other words, your sample is small, it's composed of people who are probably disposed to have the same taste as you (your family and friends) and isn't representative of the audience as a whole.


From what I've read online and conversations I have had with other fans, Darcy was fairly well liked or at least tolerated in Thor. I certainly had no problem with her there as the humor worked, though I felt that she would have worn out her welcome had she been in a few more scenes. And there is the problem many people had with Darcy in TDW: She was elevated from a bit player to a central factor in the film and the supposedly humorous scenes she was in were clunky and out of place, as well as generally unfunny.


It was strange that Darcy was on the fringes of the action, barely interacting with Thor and the other main characters besides Jane, yet she took up so much screen time. Even Jane had little to do with her intern after she left Earth for Asgard, yet there was Darcy still chugging along in scenes that were inserted just to give her something to do. The humor may have appealed to some, but for just as many viewers it took away from the film.


Personally, I have never objected to the humor in any Marvel film until seeing TDW. It's not that it was too much, it was that that some of it was not good enough, not character-based and not related to the main character of the film in any way. It is also telling that while Eric Selvig's scenes were far funnier than Darcy's he isn't singled out as often for criticism. The Selvig-related humor worked better, so it draws fewer objections.

 

[Mjölnir]

I find this bit especially amusing, seeing as another complaint I often see is "the heroes don't get to actually win, they need to be helped!" Apparently, some quarters want the villain to be threatening, but not so threatening that they can't be beaten solo by the hero.

( I often think there is a misogynistic undertone at work here, but that might largely be Iron Man 3, not a broader trend )

Yeah, I thought about those complaints as I wrote my post.

Is there some sort of rule that if you're not a fan of the film, you have to repeat your stance nonstop for weeks on end? Once again it's the same conglomerate of guys monopolizing the thread.

Some of you really need to learn the art of giving your opinion and moving on. It is not necessary to keep defending yourself unless you naively believe repetition equals argumentation.

Well, it might be seen as a rule when it comes to Internet discussions. It's often the negative people that are the loudest and most repetitive. Of course discussions can become a bit boring if everyone agrees, although I prefer people spreading positive stuff together than reading the same negative arguments over and over, regardless of subject.

When people are respectful and fully aware of how to treat opinions (their own and those of others) it's very interesting to discuss with people that think differently than you. The ones that do their best to present their opinions as fact etc are less rewarding though.

 

[TeeKay]

Again you set your own opinion as some form of norm that decides what subjective parts are mistakes. Mistakes would be things like a movie contradicting itself, not following it's own internal logic etc. Things that can be pointed out as facts. Things like adding humor isn't a mistake, it's a creative choice.

As for your comment about some people finding phase 2 lackluster, that sounds like you're trying to say that it didn't happen in phase 1, which would of course be an absurd statement. If it's not trying to say that I see no point to the comment at all.

It's good that you realize that the movies are likely to not be done as you would like them. It will still just come off as funny if you still watch them and still go out on forums and complain about the same things. As for villains not posing a threat to the heroes, the Mandarin smacked Tony around pretty well in his movie while Thor got beaten up by Kurse. Neither of the two could achieve final victory purely by their own means in the movies. How many villains have posed a bigger threat than that to their respective heroes? Not Magneto, not the Joker, not Lizard, not Zod, etc. If I was to criticize villains I'd focus on other things than the threat they pose. The logical criticism against someone like Malekith isn't that he doesn't pose a threat, it's that he could be more well developed as a character.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Again you set your own opinion as some form of norm that decides what subjective parts are mistakes. Mistakes would be things like a movie contradicting itself, not following it's own internal logic etc. Things that can be pointed out as facts. Things like adding humor isn't a mistake, it's a creative choice.

I'm not setting my opinion as anything other than that, I am talking about these things from my point of view. I just get tired of putting IMO in all the time. It should be obvious all of this is from my point of view. People are complaining about the humour in these movies and Marvel doesnt address it, they increase it, that to me is a creative mistake, movie mistakes are different as you pointed out.

As for your comment about some people finding phase 2 lackluster, that sounds like you're trying to say that it didn't happen in phase 1, which would of course be an absurd statement. If it's not trying to say that I see no point to the comment at all.

Well that is my point, people complained about the humour in phase 1 (I actually thought the level of humour in phase 1 was about right for the most part) and Marvel decide to increase the humour in phase 2, doesnt really make sense to me, and also to me, its hurting the movies themselves.

It's good that you realize that the movies are likely to not be done as you would like them. It will still just come off as funny if you still watch them and still go out on forums and complain about the same things. As for villains not posing a threat to the heroes, the Mandarin smacked Tony around pretty well in his movie while Thor got beaten up by Kurse. Neither of the two could achieve final victory purely by their own means in the movies. How many villains have posed a bigger threat than that to their respective heroes? Not Magneto, not the Joker, not Lizard, not Zod, etc. If I was to criticize villains I'd focus on other things than the threat they pose. The logical criticism against someone like Malekith isn't that he doesn't pose a threat, it's that he could be more well developed as a character.

Again I am a Marvel fan, I will keep watching them but if I see something I dont like I will complaint about. I am a huge X-Men fan and yet Xmen 3 and Wolverine: Origins didnt stop me watching them, Marvel hasnt done anything as bad as those movies so I will still be on board. I just hope they change the movies up a bit and start aiming higher, some fans are already getting a bit bored with their schtick, how long until the GA does as well? I mean, TDW has only been out for a month and yet this board is dead already, I just feel these movies arent having a lasting impression and thats a problem in my eyes. Its the same with IM3, I have watched MOS and The Wolverine more times in the last 2 weeks than IM3 and I have owned IM3 since September. I have honestly had no desire to watch it again after a watch on BD.

As for the villains, in not one Marvel movie have I been worried that the villain would succeed, I am never in fear for these characters because the poor villains pose no threat. Kurse has been the closest to that other than Loki. Malekith wasnt developed nor was he a threat, that was my problem with him, I was never worried he would succeed in his plans like I have been with the likes of Magneto, Zod, The Joker, Doc Ock and a good few others. Other than Loki, and for a brief moment Kurse, Marvels villains just dont come off as threats to me, the fact that they dont get developed much doesnt help either.

Is there some sort of rule that if you're not a fan of the film, you have to repeat your stance nonstop for weeks on end? Once again it's the same conglomerate of guys monopolizing the thread.

Some of you really need to learn the art of giving your opinion and moving on. It is not necessary to keep defending yourself unless you naively believe repetition equals argumentation.

I gave the movie 8/10 and you think I dislike it? I am just discussing the movies fault which seem to be the same with all of Marvel's movies. Unlike some people I can have a debate without it resorting to insults. Me and Mjolnir may differ on opinion but I can never this conversation turning sour. Its a discussion and on movie discussion board.

Plus, I have followed Thor 2 from when it was announced until when it was released, I will stay here as long as I want thankyou.

 

[TeeKay]

 

[Flemm]

As a longtime fan of Thor, some impressions after a first viewing:

-It's incredible seeing Thor done on this scale. A few years ago people would have said this was impossible/audiences would not relate, now it's pulling 600+ million at the box office. And the film is straight out of the comic in terms of the bizarre mixture of tones, from the epic to the silly, and the unique blend of myth/technology/sorcery, etc.
-I thought the Nine Worlds started to mesh as a whole universe in a way that never really happened in the first movie, where it felt like there were three sets (Frost Giant set, Asgard set, destructible small town). In TDW it felt like a living universe. I think that was one of the main goals of this film, and it worked. Bodes well for future projects like GotG imo.
-The Thor films have a great ensemble cast, and I thought that was really a strong point. Lots of quirky/conflicting personalities that mesh well together, provide some laughs and some emotional depth.

-Kurse was a bit of a disappointment, as we don't get to see him do much of anything, really. Would have liked to see a better showdown here.
-The Aether or whatever was a very generic plot device. Not unusual in this sort of movie, but it contributed to making the main story forgettable, I think, unfortunately. Just wasn't compelling at all.
-I thought that they might have overdone the Loki-related trickery: I get that he needs to provide a twist at some point, but here I thought it was a little... I don't know... garbled? Too many small deceits/illusions that didn't really have much of an impact. Maybe one big twist would have been better.

I will need to see this again, but basically I thought it was a very enjoyable but somewhat forgettable film, with its strongest point being how it fleshed out Thor's world and his cast of characters in a convincing way that should pay dividends in Thor 3.

8.5/10

 

[Herolee10]

One thing is for sure, I hope they improve the quality of "Thor 3" to a great extent like how "Iron Man 3" was an severe improvement over "Iron Man 2", though hopefully in this case, it'll lack the controversy that "Iron Man 3" possessed.

I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that they really could have made this film SO MUCH better than it is right now. I'm not calling this a terrible or bad film, but I don't feel like it's a "great film"...in fact, I feel like IT SHOULD HAVE EASILY been a great film, had they dug in deeper into the mythology and worlds that they were setting up in this film, along with the themes, and cut out Darcy and her intern.

Seriously, next film, DO NOT BRING BACK DARCY..she is officially the Jar Jar Binks of the Thor franchise. Her scenes really aren't that funny, and her presence in the third arc (final fight) really undermined the high stakes feeling that should have been present throughout that entire sequence when Thor was fighting Malekith.

And whoever thought that they could do just to all of the main characters in this film with the limited screen time that they had were really out of it since Malekith, Sif, Bor, and even the Warriors Three would have benefited from having more screen time on the film (most notably Hogun). Heck, you wouldn't even know that Tyr was in this film unless you checked the credits, wikipedia page, or were following the development of this film from the start.

 

[DA_Champion]

I guess I'm alone in having enjoyed Darcy's contribution to the movie.

 

[tek]

Darcy was fine. The Mandarin twist was great and the majority viewing public agree. see money talks

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

One thing is for sure, I hope they improve the quality of "Thor 3" to a great extent like how "Iron Man 3" was an severe improvement over "Iron Man 2", though hopefully in this case, it'll lack the controversy that "Iron Man 3" possessed.

I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that they really could have made this film SO MUCH better than it is right now. I'm not calling this a terrible or bad film, but I don't feel like it's a "great film"...in fact, I feel like IT SHOULD HAVE EASILY been a great film, had they dug in deeper into the mythology and worlds that they were setting up in this film, along with the themes, and cut out Darcy and her intern.

Seriously, next film, DO NOT BRING BACK DARCY..she is officially the Jar Jar Binks of the Thor franchise. Her scenes really aren't that funny, and her presence in the third arc (final fight) really undermined the high stakes feeling that should have been present throughout that entire sequence when Thor was fighting Malekith.

And whoever thought that they could do just to all of the main characters in this film with the limited screen time that they had were really out of it since Malekith, Sif, Bor, and even the Warriors Three would have benefited from having more screen time on the film (most notably Hogun). Heck, you wouldn't even know that Tyr was in this film unless you checked the credits, wikipedia page, or were following the development of this film from the start.

Couldnt agree more with this, though I enjoyed the film, I think the fact that it could and should so easily have been better leads me to think disappointing thoughts about it. My mind races with what they could have done yet it angers me that they didnt want to aim high with this movie, they were happy to settle or mid-level, thats my big problem with it.

I honestly wouldnt mind if Darcy returned in Thor 3, I REALLY liked her in Thor 1, and I like Kat Dennings in general, but she had to no right to have the screen time she did in this sequel. And she shouldnt have been involved in the final battle at all. Her parts just ruined the flow of the fight and the supposedly major event that was happening. By all means bring her back in Thor 3, but with more of a Thor 1 role or less.

 

[warriorking]

I agree, Darcy in small doses is fine..

 

[cherokeesam]

One thing is for sure, I hope they improve the quality of "Thor 3" to a great extent like how "Iron Man 3" was an severe improvement over "Iron Man 2", though hopefully in this case, it'll lack the controversy that "Iron Man 3" possessed.

I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that they really could have made this film SO MUCH better than it is right now. I'm not calling this a terrible or bad film, but I don't feel like it's a "great film"...in fact, I feel like IT SHOULD HAVE EASILY been a great film, had they dug in deeper into the mythology and worlds that they were setting up in this film, along with the themes, and cut out Darcy and her intern.

Seriously, next film, DO NOT BRING BACK DARCY..she is officially the Jar Jar Binks of the Thor franchise. Her scenes really aren't that funny, and her presence in the third arc (final fight) really undermined the high stakes feeling that should have been present throughout that entire sequence when Thor was fighting Malekith.

And whoever thought that they could do just to all of the main characters in this film with the limited screen time that they had were really out of it since Malekith, Sif, Bor, and even the Warriors Three would have benefited from having more screen time on the film (most notably Hogun). Heck, you wouldn't even know that Tyr was in this film unless you checked the credits, wikipedia page, or were following the development of this film from the start.

I agree with you for the most part....it definitely didn't live up to its potential, and could've been a far, far better film if it had more of a focus, and didn't try to muddle through genres trying to find its direction.

I don't think the supporting cast is the main problem here, though. Spending more screen time with The Warriors Three and other Asgard Buddies would've been just as counterproductive as giving so much face time to the inconsequential Jane Foster peanut gallery back on Midgard. What they needed to do was spend more time on the *principals,* not the bit parts. Your title character has no focus, no story arc, and does nothing but react physically to a plot that unfolds unevenly around Loki, Jane and Malekith. There's no emotional resonance to anything Thor does here --- just, "omg, you just killed So-and-So, prepare to die" and swing The Hammer.

There will definitely be a Thor 3 in Phase III....even though the box office returns didn't set any kind of records, it was a modest improvement over the original, and will likely finish upwards of 600 mil. Which makes the franchise still solvent, and creates a reasonable expectation of another gain for Installment #3. Given the choice between making a sure bet on a 650-800ish return on Thor 3 versus gambling on a new startup, Marvel is probably looking at the sequel as the closest they've got to a sure thing. But, like you, I hope they get some better writing and direction this time around. Done right, there's no reason at all that Thor 3 shouldn't join the Billion Dollar Club.

 

[warriorking]

It may not have set individual records but its worldwide totals will place it in the top 75 movies list ...
600 Million is not an easy mark to make....
So I think it rises above a modest hit label...

 

[Mjölnir]

I'm not setting my opinion as anything other than that, I am talking about these things from my point of view. I just get tired of putting IMO in all the time. It should be obvious all of this is from my point of view. People are complaining about the humour in these movies and Marvel doesnt address it, they increase it, that to me is a creative mistake, movie mistakes are different as you pointed out.

It's not about writing "imo", it's about your general tone that makes it come off as you're trying to make objective statements.

And "people" aren't exactly a majority. If that was the case the movies wouldn't be making so much more money when they have more humor. The Incredible Hulk was quite low on comedy, and it was a bottom performer. That's the big difference between the reality and the tone of your post (in case you didn't mean what you wrote).

Well that is my point, people complained about the humour in phase 1 (I actually thought the level of humour in phase 1 was about right for the most part) and Marvel decide to increase the humour in phase 2, doesnt really make sense to me, and also to me, its hurting the movies themselves.

This is the same thing as the previous segment. Your comment is like saying that people complain about that there's too many superhero movies being made (and there are people saying that) so Marvel is making a mistake making them.

Again I am a Marvel fan, I will keep watching them but if I see something I dont like I will complaint about. I am a huge X-Men fan and yet Xmen 3 and Wolverine: Origins didnt stop me watching them, Marvel hasnt done anything as bad as those movies so I will still be on board. I just hope they change the movies up a bit and start aiming higher, some fans are already getting a bit bored with their schtick, how long until the GA does as well? I mean, TDW has only been out for a month and yet this board is dead already, I just feel these movies arent having a lasting impression and thats a problem in my eyes. Its the same with IM3, I have watched MOS and The Wolverine more times in the last 2 weeks than IM3 and I have owned IM3 since September. I have honestly had no desire to watch it again after a watch on BD.

As for the villains, in not one Marvel movie have I been worried that the villain would succeed, I am never in fear for these characters because the poor villains pose no threat. Kurse has been the closest to that other than Loki. Malekith wasnt developed nor was he a threat, that was my problem with him, I was never worried he would succeed in his plans like I have been with the likes of Magneto, Zod, The Joker, Doc Ock and a good few others. Other than Loki, and for a brief moment Kurse, Marvels villains just dont come off as threats to me, the fact that they dont get developed much doesnt help either.

As I said you're free to do whatever you want, I'm just saying that I think that at some point people should draw the relevant conclusions and go in with the proper expectations. Continuously complaining about the same things after every movie (I'm not talking about you here, it's just an example) goes into "fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me" territory.

As for discussion I haven't looked too much at trends but the first Thor doesn't have that much discussion either. TDW isn't that far off after this short of a stint and it wasn't that active up until the premiere either. Thor doesn't seem to be a huge character on these boards. Personally I'm getting much of my Marvel/superhero fix from Marvel Heroes so I'm less active in discussing movies etc.

As for rewatchability I'll be watching IM3 and TDW plenty of times. It's unsure if I'll ever watch MoS again (as I feel that it even fails in it's own internal logic) and I haven't seen The Wolverine yet so I can't speak for that yet. I'm a bit tired of Jackman as Wolverine but that's also a set up to be positively surprised. For me it's actually only some MCU movies, First Class and maybe Hellboy 2 that I still think are as good, or better, as when I first watched them. All the other CBM's have diminished somewhat for me so the style works for me. Then again I just expect good entertainment out of it and if I want something deeper I'm not going to watch CBM's.

The comment about villains is a bit funny since out of the ones you mention it's only Loki that actually ends up getting what he wants at some point (TDW), and one of your "good" examples (Zod) is probably the biggest constant failure I can remember in a CBM. That was unexpected for me because I never really fear that the villains will win, and they pretty much never do. It's about the ride, not the predictable goal.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

It's not about writing "imo", it's about your general tone that makes it come off as you're trying to make objective statements.

Again, I am speaking about these things from my point of view, so my tone represents my opinion and my opinion only. I thought that was pretty obvious but it seems that isnt the case.

And "people" aren't exactly a majority. If that was the case the movies wouldn't be making so much more money when they have more humor. The Incredible Hulk was quite low on comedy, and it was a bottom performer. That's the big difference between the reality and the tone of your post (in case you didn't mean what you wrote).

MOS had no humour either (its actually one of my complaints about the movie, it needed a bit more levity, but only a bit), and made a lot of money, so I dont get your point. People are complaining about the level of humour, I never said majority, I said people, you seem to be misinterpreting what I am saying. 'People' COULD turn into a majority if Marvel dont change things up, that was what I was saying.

This is the same thing as the previous segment. Your comment is like saying that people complain about that there's too many superhero movies being made (and there are people saying that) so Marvel is making a mistake making them.

I'd say fewer people are complaining about the amount of CBM's compared to how they are made. People are saying that the level of humour in these Marvel movies is somewhat ruining the movies for them. People put IM3 as one of if not the worst MCU movie because of this. Its becoming a problem to fans, it may become a problem to the GA if it persists.

As I said you're free to do whatever you want, I'm just saying that I think that at some point people should draw the relevant conclusions and go in with the proper expectations. Continuously complaining about the same things after every movie (I'm not talking about you here, it's just an example) goes into "fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me" territory.

As for discussion I haven't looked too much at trends but the first Thor doesn't have that much discussion either. TDW isn't that far off after this short of a stint and it wasn't that active up until the premiere either. Thor doesn't seem to be a huge character on these boards. Personally I'm getting much of my Marvel/superhero fix from Marvel Heroes so I'm less active in discussing movies etc.

As for rewatchability I'll be watching IM3 and TDW plenty of times. It's unsure if I'll ever watch MoS again (as I feel that it even fails in it's own internal logic) and I haven't seen The Wolverine yet so I can't speak for that yet. I'm a bit tired of Jackman as Wolverine but that's also a set up to be positively surprised. For me it's actually only some MCU movies, First Class and maybe Hellboy 2 that I still think are as good, or better, as when I first watched them. All the other CBM's have diminished somewhat for me so the style works for me. Then again I just expect good entertainment out of it and if I want something deeper I'm not going to watch CBM's.

Again, I am enjoying the movies, its not like they are X3 levels of disasters, but there ARE many things they could improve on, and they seem to all have the same flaws, if fans can see this why cant Marvel? Sure they are making money, but TDW hasnt exactly set the world alight, I am sure they were expecting to make more than it has, at least domestically.

As for discussion, the Thor 1 boards were active months after it was released, same with other movies this year like MOS, The Wolverine, and even IM3 (though that was down to the twist more than anything). I have been here 10 years and very rarely see a board go so dead a month after the movie is released. TDW is dead a month after release and I think its because the movie was forgettable, a few people have even said this in their reviews. Its another disappointing aspect of the movie and my point that these MCU arent leaving a lasting impression. I can still watch many CBM's from 10-5 years ago and enjoy them immensely. I cant see that happening with TDW. Again this is just me I am talking about.

The comment about villains is a bit funny since out of the ones you mention it's only Loki that actually ends up getting what he wants at some point (TDW), and one of your "good" examples (Zod) is probably the biggest constant failure I can remember in a CBM. That was unexpected for me because I never really fear that the villains will win, and they pretty much never do. It's about the ride, not the predictable goal.

Villains very rarely get what they want, thats not what I was talking about, I was talking about having some depth and actually coming across as a threat and someone who COULD acheive their goals. Loki was all of these things in the 1st movie. And others such as Magneto have been as well. As for Zod, I was genuinly worried Superman wouldnt be able to beat him in that last fight in MOS, and the way they did end it was great and unexpected. I never once had these feelings with Malekith, it got to the point were I was just saying to myself "come on Thor just finish him already." Thats how little an impact he had as a villain to me. I was never once worried Thor wouldnt be able to beat him. Zod wasnt an amazing villain by any means, he's not up there with the Loki's, and Magneto's of this world. But he came across as a threat and had understandable motivations. He was a decent villain in a 'boo-hiss' trend. Malekith was just nothing.

 

[Vartha]

I STILL think if the Dark elves spoke in english when no other races were around Malekith might have sounded different, more dramatic.
I still say if you don't catch that part where Mal sacrifices alot of his race you don't really get how insane the Dark Elf is. That part REALLY should have been played up more somehow

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I STILL think if the Dark elves spoke in english when no other races were around Malekith might have sounded different, more dramatic.

I just dont see that when I watch and enjoy so many Foreign movies that have subtitles all the way through and I really feel for the characters in them as well. Pans Labyrinth is a great example. All subtitles but I loved every character in it. The bad guy in it was AMAZING as well.

I still say if you don't catch that part where Mal sacrifices alot of his race you don't really get how insane the Dark Elf is. That part REALLY should have been played up more somehow

Yeah they seemed to just brush over it, and when Odin is telling Thor and Jane about it he doesnt mention Malekith killing most of his race either. He just states that his father killed them all. If they had played this up a bit more he might have come across a bit more menacing.

 

[Vartha]

I just dont see that when I watch and enjoy so many Foreign movies that have subtitles all the way through and I really feel for the characters in them as well. Pans Labyrinth is a great example. All subtitles but I loved every character in it. The bad guy in it was AMAZING as well.



Yeah they seemed to just brush over it, and when Odin is telling Thor and Jane about it he doesnt mention Malekith killing most of his race either. He just states that his father killed them all. If they had played this up a bit more he might have come across a bit more menacing.

I would hope if they find a way to Bring Mal back like they did in the comics the way he acts changes. I mean I get that the Dark Elves might be less expressive like maybe the Elves in the LotR films and possibly comparable to a vulcan, but after being in Niffleheim he could be crazed.
Let's hope we SEE Surtur, and Hela in Thor 3

 

[Herolee10]

I agree with you for the most part....it definitely didn't live up to its potential, and could've been a far, far better film if it had more of a focus, and didn't try to muddle through genres trying to find its direction.

I don't think the supporting cast is the main problem here, though. Spending more screen time with The Warriors Three and other Asgard Buddies would've been just as counterproductive as giving so much face time to the inconsequential Jane Foster peanut gallery back on Midgard. What they needed to do was spend more time on the *principals,* not the bit parts. Your title character has no focus, no story arc, and does nothing but react physically to a plot that unfolds unevenly around Loki, Jane and Malekith. There's no emotional resonance to anything Thor does here --- just, "omg, you just killed So-and-So, prepare to die" and swing The Hammer.

There will definitely be a Thor 3 in Phase III....even though the box office returns didn't set any kind of records, it was a modest improvement over the original, and will likely finish upwards of 600 mil. Which makes the franchise still solvent, and creates a reasonable expectation of another gain for Installment #3. Given the choice between making a sure bet on a 650-800ish return on Thor 3 versus gambling on a new startup, Marvel is probably looking at the sequel as the closest they've got to a sure thing. But, like you, I hope they get some better writing and direction this time around. Done right, there's no reason at all that Thor 3 shouldn't join the Billion Dollar Club.

True.

I just hope that they give Thor a compelling arc in the next Thor film since I seriously DOUBT that Whedon will really give the character anything major to do in terms of character arc/development in his films since he seems to enjoy writing more for the likes of Hulk, Black Widow, Tony, and Captain America.

 

[tek]

part of the reason why this board may be going dead is the rehashed negativity . it sucks the joy out of seeing films. who wants to be around joyless energy? answer is the same joysuckers

 

[tek]

also most of the rabid thor universe fans are on tumblr. what a weird place

 

[seahammer]

As for discussion, the Thor 1 boards were active months after it was released, same with other movies this year like MOS, The Wolverine, and even IM3 (though that was down to the twist more than anything). I have been here 10 years and very rarely see a board go so dead a month after the movie is released. TDW is dead a month after release and I think its because the movie was forgettable, a few people have even said this in their reviews. Its another disappointing aspect of the movie and my point that these MCU arent leaving a lasting impression. I can still watch many CBM's from 10-5 years ago and enjoy them immensely. I cant see that happening with TDW. Again this is just me I am talking about.

I want to comment on the topic of the TDW forum "dying down," so to speak (this isn't directed at you, Jamon, btw.). I know I have only been posting here for a short time, but I've actually been reading SHH regularly since the early 2000s. I'm just not the 'message board' type of person. That said, I felt like I finally wanted to be a part of the conversation and got my account activated specifically so I could discuss TTDW (and the other ongoing MCU projects) with other knowledgeable fans leading up to its release, and afterwards. Since TDW came out, though, I've been posting less because (as someone pointed out in another thread), it just becomes a chore to try to have a positive discussion about something when there are a handful of people in each thread who continue to dwell on/rehash the same negative arguments over and over again.

One example is in the "box office" thread. I like to get the updates and reactions from people who are good at analyzing those numbers, but I don't need to read page after page of discussion about movies other than TDW, movies which I presume have their own threads where that could be discussed. Comparing TDW's performance to another film makes sense, but to have Tweedldum, Tweedledee, and Tweedlethree just going back and forth with each other perpetuating conversations that I have no interest in have put me off. The same is true of other threads in the TDW section.

Just speaking as a person with a low post count (should I see my doctor about that?), it's not a lack of interest in Thor that has slowed down my posting here. It's the people who have nothing better to do but post repeatedly about the same things that just bore me to death and kill the discussion for me. I'm the type of person who will speak his mind once then move on, but clearly I'm out numbered.

 

[Xeno]

I guess I'm alone in having enjoyed Darcy's contribution to the movie.

You gave the film as a whole a 1, yet you liked Darcy, a useless character whose presence undercut the entire story and whose unwarranted screen time should have been better used to strengthen the movie by focusing on worthier things. There truly is no accounting for taste.

One thing is for sure, I hope they improve the quality of "Thor 3" to a great extent like how "Iron Man 3" was an severe improvement over "Iron Man 2", though hopefully in this case, it'll lack the controversy that "Iron Man 3" possessed.

I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that they really could have made this film SO MUCH better than it is right now. I'm not calling this a terrible or bad film, but I don't feel like it's a "great film"...in fact, I feel like IT SHOULD HAVE EASILY been a great film, had they dug in deeper into the mythology and worlds that they were setting up in this film, along with the themes, and cut out Darcy and her intern.

Seriously, next film, DO NOT BRING BACK DARCY..she is officially the Jar Jar Binks of the Thor franchise. Her scenes really aren't that funny, and her presence in the third arc (final fight) really undermined the high stakes feeling that should have been present throughout that entire sequence when Thor was fighting Malekith.

And whoever thought that they could do just to all of the main characters in this film with the limited screen time that they had were really out of it since Malekith, Sif, Bor, and even the Warriors Three would have benefited from having more screen time on the film (most notably Hogun). Heck, you wouldn't even know that Tyr was in this film unless you checked the credits, wikipedia page, or were following the development of this film from the start.

I agree with this. TDW is a very good film, but it should have been far better. Cutting out Darcy and using the time gained from limiting the earthbound scenes to focus more on Thor's core cast of characters from the comic book would have been a vast improvement. Thor's relationships with his friends and loved ones are what make his world so rich and define him as a character. There should have been more scenes with The Warriors Three and Sif, who were criminally under-used. Given Frigga's fate, the film should definitely have devoted more time to her relationships with Odin, Thor, Loki and even Jane than it did. Putting more emphasis on the characters around Thor and on his dilemma regarding the throne of Asgard would have made for a deeper and more meaningful film.

Seriously, next film, DO NOT BRING BACK DARCY..she is officially the Jar Jar Binks of the Thor franchise.

I want to shout this from the rooftops because Feige needs to hear it. Something tells me that the writers are going to find a way to increase Darcy's involvement in the next film, though, because they seem convinced that she's popular. Maybe they wandered around Tumblr and fan fiction sites, saw lots of mentions of her and decided that she's a fan favorite. Whatever their reason for loving the character, they should seriously reassess their devotion to her. Darcy didn't do anything in TDW that couldn't have been done by another character or skipped altogether.