With each new Marvel movie comes another creative way for the world to be in peril. In the second installment featuring Thor, “Thor: The Dark World,” it is not earth at stake but the entire universe. The new film has the same larger than life warriors from the first odyssey with Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Idris Elba as Heimdall. Natalie Portman also returns as human scientist, Jane Foster. A new villain, Malekith (played by Christopher Eccleston), makes his debut as well.

This addition to the many Marvel hits already in existence, “The Dark World” is just as good as any other. It’s filled with action, which is necessary for any superhero flick. The intense tone is lightened with plenty of humor from all the actors.

In this recent installment of the Marvel canon, Thor must bring in his brother, Loki, who previously attempted to rule the earth in “The Avengers” and has since been locked in Asgardian prison. The two team up to try to keep the dark elves that not even Asgard can defend against, from destroying the universe. “Thor: The Dark World,” more than anything, sets up future Marvel silver screen adventures, but doesn’t have too much depth to be in the same league as “The Avengers” or “Iron Man.”

Although this epic is perfectly decent, if you’re not a fan of Marvel it’s hard to get invested because it’s very similar to all of its predecessors. A dramatic fate of mankind problem occurs while the superhero figures out a way to save civilization with bumps along the way. What was most exciting about “Thor: The Dark World” was not that anything extraordinary happened to make it stand out, but that it was a huge setup for another entry to be made.

This setup promises a more thrilling and interesting fantasy chapter that pertains to the characters themselves by making the movie personal and getting the audience interested in the lives of each hero.

“Thor: The Dark World” was not necessarily a special superhero blockbuster, but it raises much excitement for what Marvel will be coming out with in the future. Although the movie is decent, it’s more of an excuse to build up anticipation for some of the next ambitious projects, which makes this grand tale an experience that will only appeal to fans of the other unique hits.

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Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios/MCT