I watched it again a week or so ago and it came up from my "also ran" to position #2...

#2 Thor: the dark world



First, on a personal note... I saw this movie with my oldest son, and since it was many weeks after the movie's release there were only the two of us in the theatre. It became a running gag between us, because there were like five people when we watched John Carter... It's like whenever we go see a film together, we have the place to ourselves! Something that, alas, happens less and less often as he's getting older and now has his own life. The dark world would therefore be important to me if there were no other reason. 

Now the movie itself... Thor was my favourite Marvel hero for a very long time, and I still retain a lot of affection for him. The mix of superheroics and mythology always held a lot of appeal for me. I had enjoyed the first Thor movie somewhat, but not as much as, say, Iron Man or The Avengers. (I grew to like it more after a second viewing, but that's a different story). Going to see The dark world, I had low expectations... Pretty much just being lightly entertained for two hours.

But... WOW!!! After a so-so beginning ripping off a scene from Troy, the film kept getting better and better, until I found myself thrilled!!!

What made it so good? Where to begin? First, the hero is actually heroic and sympathetic in this one, not having to go through the redemption story arc of the first movie. The supporting cast has little screen time, but every minute they get makes them shine; they are all shown as true friends, ready to sacrifice themselves for each other. Fandral is as dashing as he should be; Sif is true and fierce and ready to put her own wishes aside to help Thor and Jane; Volstagg is boisterous and joyfully carefree; Heimdall is as cool as... well, as Idris Elba. Darcy is as amusingly nuts as in the first film, and is now granted her own bumbling sidecick; and finally Eric is hilarious in his imbalanced fear of having gods in his head.

But that's only the start... The real thing that makes this film so good is the great chemistry between Thor and Loki. Loki is, without a doubt, the single most interesting villain (some would say character) in the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe). Tom Hiddleston is the Norse trickster god, the same way Robert Downey Jr. gave us the definitive Tony Stark. And in this film, he gets to really shine.

So many good lines, so many good exchanges...

Volstagg: "If you even think about betraying him..."
Loki: "You'll... kill me? Evidently, there will be a line".


Loki: "I thought you said you knew how to fly one of these things"
Thor (angry): "I said «how hard can it be?»".


Loki (infuriatingly parental): "Don't hit it; press it gently"
Thor (angrier!): "I AM pressing it gently!" (hits buttons).


Loki (critical of Thor's piloting): "I think you missed a column".


Loki (looking at the fallen Jane): "Oh dear. Is she dead?"


Loki (admiringly): "You lied to me. I'm impressed!"


Hiddleston was very close to stealing the entire show!

My favourite scene is when we find his reaction to his mother's death, and his exchange with Thor over it. That was brilliantly played, and reached a depth of emotion rarely seen in an action movie. It is not uncommon to have characters grieve for a fallen friend... but here Frigga's death had an extra dimension; it went far beyond the death of Coulson in The Avengers. It was more than a sad event prompting the heroes to outdo themselves... it was Thor and Loki's mother, for heaven's sake. Frigga's funeral was also a thing of beauty, a rare moment in an action film.

The film is extremely good at defusing what could be corny scenes with moments of light-hearted fun. It struck a perfect balance between the two, I thought, and knew just when it was appropriate to have a dramatic moment stay dramatic (Frigga's death, Loki's death) and when it was appropriate to defuse it (Thor and Jane finding themselves stranded forever and ever in the dark world). 

Even the painted end credits looked
awesome!

Perfectly cast, with great visuals, great action, great drama, great character moments, cool music... This is my favourite MCU movie.

I'm not aware that Alan Moore has ever seen the film.

The tiff I remember was the Wachowskis calling him looking for an endorsement, him saying he wanted nothing to do with anything, then Joel Silver claiming Alan Moore had read the script and was excited, then Alan Moore getting pissed, reading the script he was sent, and then panning it and insisting they remove his name from the film. He was already angry at DC for stealing the comics from him.