Continuing on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we return to the intergalactic Space opera of Thor, in the 2013 sequel Thor : The Dark World.

For the follow up, Alan Taylor took on the role of director (Kenneth Branagh having directing the first film), having previously directed Palookaville and Kill The Poor. The screenplay by Christopher Yost and the pairing of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley (who had penned the first Captain America film as well).

This film sees Jane Foster (the returning Natalie Portman) infected by one of the mystical ‘Infinity Stones’ – the Aether – whilst investigating a strange gravitational field in London.

Whilst being rescued by Thor, she awakes the power of the Aether which in turn alerts Malekith, a dark Elf previously defeated by Bor (grandfather of Thor). Malekith (played by Christopher Eccleston under a lot of makeup) seeking the Aether wages war on Thor and Asgard which leads to a battle between the two as Thor tries to prevent the dark Elf in gaining the powerful Aether, and will require the support of his imprisoned brother Loki to succeed.

Through all of the MCU films that I’ve seen so far, this film is the most disjointed, ill conceived and entirely forgettable. There are moments in the film that make absolutely no sense (one moment where Stellan Skarsgard draws on a map to find a location with virtually no explanation).

Not for me this one. Good moments – which heavily rely on Hiddleston’s Loki again – are present but it really didn’t work for me.  I also suspect its the one that avoiding would have the least impact on following the overall narrative across the MCU.