Rising From The Dead And Still Grumpy

“Knowing my brother-in-law, he probably deserves whatever you’re about to do to him. But this is my house, and I have certain rules about snakes and dismemberment.” ~ Rick O’Connell

“Those knickers are not mine.” ~ Evelyn O’Connell

“If a man does not embrace his past, he has no future.” ~ Ardeth Bay

“The Underworld awaits you.” ~ Imhotep

“What a bright little child. Your mother must be missing you terribly. If you wish to see her again, you better behave.” ~ Meela

“If you see anyone come running out screaming, don’t worry, it’s just me.” ~ Jonathan Carnahan

“I haven’t lost it, Mum. I just can’t find it. There’s a difference.” ~ Alex O’Connell

“It’s only a chest. No harm ever came from opening a chest.” ~ Evelyn 

“Yeah, and no harm ever came from reading a book.  You remember how that one went?” ~ Rick

With the success of The Mummy, a sequel was inevitable, and so it was in 2001 that The Mummy Returns came to theatres, reuniting the O’Connell family with the title villain and introducing another supernaturally cursed inhabitant of the ancient world into the mix.  Director Stephen Sommers came back with the primary players of the first movie for this follow up that carries on the story and remains in the adventure- swashbuckling tradition of its predecessor.

Starting five thousand years in the past, we’re introduced to a desert warrior known as the Scorpion King (Dwayne Johnson), leading an army on a campaign of conquest. He is ultimately thrown back and driven into exile with his army, bargains away his soul to the god Anubis for the chance to destroy his enemies, and leads a new army of jackal headed warriors against Egypt. Unfortunately Anubis calls in his markers and claims the Scorpion King for himself.

In 1933, at the site of Hamunaptra, a cult bent on resurrecting Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) are busy searching for his remains. They’re led by Baltus Hafez (Alun Armstrong), who is accompanied by a mysterious woman, Meela (Patricia Velasquez), who is the reincarnated Anck-su-Namun. The efforts are spied upon by the Medjai warrior Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr, back from the first film). We also find Rick and Evelyn O’Connell (Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz) on a dig in Egypt. In the years since the previous film, they’ve gotten married, and have a young and precocious son, Alex (Freddie Boath). What starts out as a dig for the two ends up leading the family, accompanied by Evie’s rascal brother Jonathan (John Hannah) into a race against time to thwart a resurrected Imhotep from causing even more trouble than he has before.

Sommers returned as director and writer of the screenplay, which hinges on something from the 1932 classic that had been bypassed in the 1999 remake- reincarnation and past lives. The theme presents itself both in the reborn Anck-su-Namun looking much as she did in ancient Egypt. It also shows itself in Evie, troubled by dreams of a past life that play into events of the prologue of the first film, and this film plays out the idea of that past life, which includes things she could have no personal knowledge of. The story stays strongly to the established status quo of the first film, being an adventure and swashbuckling tale with a sense of humour. It includes bringing back characters, some of whom are not that different from the first film, others who have grown and matured, and also bringing in one new character who’s something of a reflection of a minor character from the first film.

The story also presents more of the concept of curses of the ancient world- not only does Imhotep return, with all of his powers intact, but the Scorpion King has been subjected to a very different kind of curse. We get more of the ancient secrets and hidden treasures aspect of the first film, the idea of death traps and dark dangers continue to play out this time, which ring true to the genre, and there’s that roller coaster cliffhanger sensibility to it all. It’s not quite as fresh as the first time out, and not quite as fun- life and death are much more at stake this time, but at the same time, the characters are not used as well as they were in the first film.

The set pieces of the film feel very much like the original film- quite like you’d expect both out of ancient Egypt in its prime or as a ruin, depending on the time period. That sort of attention to detail plays out in terms of props as well, as the Scorpion King’s army looks outfitted as you’d expect them to look, or in the current day, a brow beaten wreck of a pilot’s quarters look just like the wreck you might expect it to look like. The special effects of the first film, which did so well in conveying the supernatural threat of the Mummy, are carried over here as well, in various ways, most of which are successful. The Mummy’s powers are what we’ve seen before, and the CGI conveys that. Rather than have the sand wall sequence of the first film, we’re given a wall of water in a tight canyon, a sequence that works very well indeed. And the CGI’s new additions apply well to the vicious little pygmy mummies or the jackal headed warriors- the waves of them racing across sand dunes late in the film presents an ominous threat indeed.

Where it doesn’t seem to work is with the final form of the Scorpion King- the look of the character is inconsistent, and at times doesn’t seem to be occupying the same space as the actors, a problem that seems perplexing, since the CGI the rest of the time works to that effect. You find yourself wondering if the special effects crew ran out of time and realized, “hey, we still haven’t done the Scorpion King sequence”, or if, the time being what it was, way too many CGI specialists were off getting involved in The Lord Of The Rings. That’s compensated for in some way by the score from composer Alan Silvestri, who gives a richly nuanced, fierce score that moves in new directions from the original score, but maintains an exotic sound.

The film brings in a few new players, aside from the original cast. That starts with the young Freddie Boath as Alex; he’s the sort of incorrigible child who spends most of the film being kidnapped and yet never panics once, knowing two things- that his parents are coming and that his captors can’t kill him yet. He spends his time irritating his captors (“are we there yet? Are we there yet?”) and leaving messages for his parents along the way. As much as I can sympathize with his captors at having to put up with him, Boath’s performance and touches with the character certainly ring true. Shaun Parkes turns up as Izzy, a zeppelin pilot who’s known Rick in the old days and harbours old grudges. He’s something of a reflection of Bernard Fox’s Winston from the original film, an eccentric pilot figuratively rotting away in the desert, and he’s more of a motormouth, griping about everything. 

Alun Armstrong puts on a thick accent and over the top performance as the cult leader and curator Hafez, a man who just naturally assumes throughout the film that he’s in good with Imhotep and surely the undead priest will treat him with favour. Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje, who’s played brooding characters in films and television projects before, plays the chief henchman Lock-Nah,  a ruthless and impatient thug who finds the young Alex to be profoundly annoying, and who has bad blood where Ardeth is concerned.

Dwayne Johnson marked this as his first feature film role, having had spent his time in the wrestling world. The part of the Scorpion King, which he reprised for a prequel, really just calls for a muscular, formidable physical presence, which he supplies, and we only really see the actor in the prologue- his final form is pretty much all CGI. The actor glowers and menaces throughout the prologue, establishing himself as a considerable threat, with a hint of arrogance and defiance.

Patricia Velasquez has more to do this time out in a dual role, as Meela, the modern day reincarnation of her original character, Anck-su-Namun, who’s brought back to life as the film goes along. There’s a deviousness and treachery to the character that fits what’s come before, and while the love across millennia angle continues to play out this time, there’s a late in the film twist that calls into question just how deeply devoted she is- or how selfish she can be. There’s also a personal rivalry in the character, both in terms of the distant past and the present, playing itself out with Evelyn.

Arnold Vosloo returns as the eminently dangerous Imhotep, resurrected once more to unleash a world domination ploy. To do that this time out requires taking control of the Scorpion King’s army, and while he’s got his sights set on that, he’s also preoccupied with what had his attention the first time out- bringing back his long lost love back from the dead. He’s easily irritated- Alex proves to be a source of irritation, and perhaps over confident, but there’s also a key moment late in the film in which he shows himself to be devious as well, and then ultimately to be in despair. That last moment’s a nice touch for the character- it gives him humanity that he lost somewhere along the line.

Oded Fehr returns as Ardeth Bay, still firmly a Medjai, a warrior and leader of the secret society. He’s still given to talk in an expository way. I find myself wondering if the Medjai have considerable financial resources that allow them to travel quickly in the world, and how a man like Ardeth copes with Customs. He continues to be courageous and decisive as a warrior, calm under pressure, and brings a dry sense of humour to his performance.

John Hannah returns as Jonathan, and continues to be the most fun member of the cast, a charming scoundrel with few scruples and a tendency to find himself in trouble. He’s still greedy, still obsessed with getting rich- perhaps to the point of disregarding personal safety. The character is still very much a comic relief sort of person, getting some of the best lines of the film, but he’s also resourceful in his own way.

Rachel Weisz returns as Evelyn, more self assured and confident than the clumsy librarian we first met. As an archaeologist, she’s more take charge than before, and she’s picked up a few handy skills in armed and unarmed combat thanks to her husband. The two characters play off against each other well as a married couple, creating a believable tone in that relationship, sharing worries about their son, and Weisz also makes the hard to believe aspect of the story- ie, reincarnation- still feel plausible in the way she performs both past and present aspects of her character.

Brendan Fraser's performance as Rick continues to build on where the character has come from as well. He's still a dashing scoundrel, and yet has matured and become somewhat more responsible. He's wry and doesn't take things too seriously, but at the same time is in a place where worry for his wife and son comes naturally too. Fraser's take on the character maintains the swashbuckling aspect of Rick, a man who rises to the occasion and shows no fear in the face of death. It's a good action role, and definitely worlds better than what Tom Cruise will bring to whatever his leading role will be in the rebooted version. 

The Mummy Returns is a worthwhile follow up to the first film, though it has some problems, being not quite as fresh as the original, and having that perplexing odd CGI element that just doesn't add up to the rest of the CGI. It increases the stakes of the franchise, maintains the humourous tone, and has a satisfying pace that keeps the audience entertained. With another Mummy soon to be in theatres next year, and featuring a whole different premise and the unfortunate casting of Hollywood's biggest ego, these Mummy films- all three of them- stand out as an example of how to get it right.

When In Doubt, Send The Lunatics

“Are you the devil?” ~ Harley Quinn 

“All you need to know is you work for me.” ~ Amanda Waller

“Oh, I’m not gonna kill ya, I’m just gonna hurt ya. Really, really bad.” ~ The Joker

“I’m a soldier, and you’re a serial killer who takes credit cards.” ~ Rick Flag

“Let’s go save the world.” ~ Deadshot

“I’m known to be quite vexing. I’m just forewarning you.” ~ Harley Quinn

In the latest of DC and Warner Studio’s efforts to play catch up with the Marvel cinematic universe, Suicide Squad has made it to theatres. The title, which dates back decades in the comics universe, mostly has to do with the idea of paroling perennial costumed criminals by making them carry out highly dangerous missions on behalf of the government. Think The Dirty Dozen mixed with a bit of Mission Impossible and apply that to comic book rules, and that’s the book. It’s been an idea with legs, and now in the midst of DC’s attempts to establish a cinematic universe (while casting aside their various television properties in favour of recasts), the team has ended up in theatres, with things about the end result that are likable... and things that are a mess.

This picks up in the wake of Superman’s death at the end of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (spoiler note: he’s not actually dead). Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), a tough as nails intelligence operator, has a new concept in mind, placing a soldier, Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) in charge of a group of imprisoned dangerous criminals as a black ops task force. Each of the criminals are considered disposable- to the point where they have small bombs implanted in them to take them out should they get any bright ideas.

The team is a mixture of sane and insane, of ruthless and unstable. Deadshot (Will Smith) is an assassin with some conflicted feelings on how he makes a living. El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) is a former gangster with pyrokinetic abilities; he feels he must do penance over his past. Killer Croc (Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje) is a cannibalistic monster with a reptilian look. Slipknot (Adam Beach) is a specialist mercenary with a mix of skills. Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) is a mentally unstable archaeologist with possession issues. Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) is a mouthy thief with an attitude and a talent with weapons. And Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, stealing pretty much the whole movie) is the lunatic girlfriend of the Joker (Jared Leto), demented in her own way. Along with the criminals is one volunteer, Katana (Karen Fukuhara), a sword wielding martial artist acting as Flag’s right hand woman. She luckily does not have to put up with the notion of having explosives implanted in her.

David Ayer wrote and directed the film. He’s had either role (or both) in films as diverse as Training Day, End Of Watch, and Fury. The script does have that Dirty Dozen feel to it. These characters are by and large not that likeable. Being career criminals will have that effect for you. But that applies to some of those acting legally and legitimately. Amanda Waller is thoroughly ruthless and doesn’t care what she has to do to get her goals done, which isn’t an admirable quality in a human being. Even Flag, a career soldier, can be less than ethical. The criminals themselves are mixed in what drives them. Some are inherently selfish, others are cynical, and into that is the notion of penance and making up for past sins.

The story is, however, muddled at times, but that feels like less the problem of the writer and director and more like the interference of studio executives trying to pack too much in at once. Some of the characters have more depth and characterization to their performances than others, who are getting the short end of things. The tone of the movie changes as things go along, and that contributes to the muddled feel of the story- it has a subversive streak at first that ends up becoming predictable. The film’s undoubtedly nihilistic- having this many villains bantering with each other will do that- and ultimately the motivations of the primary antagonist reflect the murkiness of the story. In a film that was marketed for its dark humour, some of the actual humour of the story feels more unintentional.

Ayer filmed on location- a lot of it was done in Toronto, so some of the streetscapes were familiar, while other location work was done around Chicago. He can handle action, which is certainly in play throughout the film, but at the same time the action sequences and general pacing of the film doesn’t come near to matching the Marvel cinematic films- another nod to the fact that DC is desperately trying to play catch up instead of developing things in a coherent, natural way. Again, it feels more like studio interference than the fault of the director- crowding the film with characters (two or three could have been removed entirely) seems to be a studio edict, and it ends up hindering the film here and there.

The visual look in a lot of the film tends to be murky, which is appropriate, given the circumstances. Some characters have the look down just right- Harley’s whole look suits her demented mind, and Deadshot’s look has an efficient, worn sensibility that actually fits in with the character. Croc has to be part CGI, a mass of muscle and reptilian skin often hidden beneath oversized clothes, but fitting with various interpretations from the comics. El Diablo’s look is appropriately nightmarish, even if it doesn’t quite fit the man himself.

The cast are hit and miss- and that reflects the simple fact that some of them get more attention than others in terms of the story, while others are highly overshadowed. Jared Leto isn’t part of the team, though he does factor into the story, as the Joker. He turns up here and there in the film, and the actor plays him as thoroughly demented, pathologically psychotic, and totally unredeemable. It’s not as good a take on the character as Heath Ledger or Mark Hamill’s extensive voice work (the latter being what I deem to be the definitive take on the Joker, ever), but Leto makes the most of his relatively brief time through the film.

Cara Delevingne gets underwritten as the Enchantress, to the point where the film does the actress and the character an injustice. The comic book version has straddled the line between villain and anti-hero, with her own mental issues. Here the character is taken in a direction that just doesn’t feel right, and smacks of all the interference of studio marketing chimps. Adam Beach, who’s an interesting actor in his own right, also suffers having his character bypassed and overlooked as the film goes along. Slipknot comes across as efficient and professional (even if he is a crook), but the story isn’t giving him as a character or Beach as an actor time to shine. Jai Courtney, who played the son of John McClane in the last Die Hard film (and made one think the kid was switched at birth), plays the character of Captain Boomerang in the way that fits who the character is in the comics- pretty much an unpleasant dirtbag.

Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje has had a long history of character roles in film and television, and has been in the comic book adaptation world before, having had played Kurse in Thor The Dark World, as well as the  memorable henchman in The Mummy Returns, a pivotal cameo in The Bourne Identity, and the enigmatic Mr. Eko in the television series Lost. Here he gets to play Killer Croc, hidden beneath prosthetic makeup and CGI. The character’s a monster (in the comics he’s a perennial Bat-villain), and yet despite all that, there’s something about him that can still be sympathetic. The same  quality of sympathy applies to Jay Hernandez’ take on El Diablo. The character’s power over fire is mixed in with shame over the horrors of his past and the crimes he has committed, and he’d much rather stay out of the fight than go into it. Yet at the same time he views the opportunity as a chance to make amends.

Karen Fukuhara gets a role that is a bit underwritten as Katana. The character in the comics is somewhat complicated, with a whole lot of history among heroes of the DC universe. She’s a samurai and sword fighter with tragedy in her past. That does come across in the cinematic version, who’s on the team but not one of them- unlike the others, she’s not a criminal, so it makes her a bit of an outsider. She’s a ferocious fighter, but has morals and ethics- as well as coming across as a strong right hand to the team leader.

Viola Davis gets the character of Amanda Waller right. Amanda’s a long time comic character, a ruthless and tough intelligence operator who dislikes the superhuman community (and is disliked and distrusted by them in turn). In her mind, doing whatever it takes to achieve her goals is acceptable, human rights be damned. And that’s how Davis plays her, as a force to be reckoned with and the sort of person you don’t want to cross.

This is the first time I’ve seen Joel Kinnaman in anything. His character, Rick Flag, is a special forces veteran brought in to manage the unruly team of criminals and lunatics. He carries the role with authority, and while he takes his orders from the ruthless Waller, he doesn’t always agree. I like that he’s occasionally conflicted with his mission, and some of the different ways he interacts with other characters, particularly Deadshot, who’s something of a darker reflection of him- the two characters find their ethical points of view going back and forth.

Will Smith is written well as Deadshot, a character who has a lot of history in the DC universe, sometimes as an outright villain, sometimes as an anti-hero mercenary. In the film, the character is more sympathetic than some of his counterparts, conflicted in terms of what he’s done for a living. He also comes across as cynical and world weary at times, but also professional and highly efficient in his ways. The different ways the character spars with Flag and Harley in particular work well, and seem to fit in with Deadshot’s general personality.

Margot Robbie pretty much steals the entire film as Harley Quinn, the deranged occasional paramour of the Joker. The character’s origins date back to the animated Batman series of the 1990s as a sidekick of the clown prince of crime, before she was moved into the comics. She’s done a whole lot since then, even carrying her own solo series at the present. In the film, she’s thoroughly unhinged, with little care for social boundaries or manners, and the actress plays her with a gleeful streak of destructive energy and chaotic dialogue.

Suicide Squad has its ups and downs. It’s bleak and murky at times, both storywise and visually, which one can expect out of a team that’s not largely sympathetic. Aside from a couple of well placed cameos meant to further things along for the Justice League film, most of its characters aren’t really that well known to the general audience. Some of those characters get more exposure than others, who are seriously underwritten. It is predictable, and it reflects the fact that DC’s cinematic properties are still trying to play catch up to Marvel’s cinematic universe- the Marvel studio films have yet to have a misstep, unlike some of the company’s characters licensed to other studios. That said, the film works well enough on its own, with a demented kind of tone that fits many of its characters. Perhaps at its heart the movie reflects the old saying, send a thief to catch a thief. Or send lunatics to stop another lunatic, in this case.

Does Anyone Know When This Volcano Finally Erupts?

Some business to see to before we get started today. Check out what Norma has to say about Miley Cyrus and other self indulgences. Now, today we've got ourselves a movie to be reviewed. Spoiler alert: the volcano wins. Take that, ancient Romans!

Pompeii is the latest film from director Paul W.S Anderson (those endless and pointless Resident Evil films), featuring a volcano daring to get in the way of a love story in the ancient Roman world. Oh, and there are some actors in the whole thing too. It just came out in theatres last weekend. Whether or not you go to see it depends on if you feel like sitting through undeveloped characters and a cast trying their best despite the hack who's directing them, all for a reasonably decent final act.

Anderson starts out the story years before the infamous disaster in which Vesuvius erupted, destroying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD. In Britain, a young Celt boy named Milo is taken by slave traders after his family and tribe have been wiped out by a Roman force led by Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland). Years later, the boy is a gladiator (Kit Harrington), one of several such slaves on his way to Pompeii when by chance their party crosses paths with Cassia (Emily Browning) and her servant girl Ariadne (Jessica Lucas). Milo commits an act of quick mercy on a fallen horse, and Cassia is drawn to him. As fate would have it (or as the committee of writers deemed it essential as a plot device), she's returning to Pompeii herself. She's the daughter of the city's ruler, Severus (Jared Harris) and his wife Aurelia (Carrie-Anne Moss), back from time in Rome.

Milo seems fated to die in the gladiatorial ring. There's a rivalry with a fellow gladiator, Atticus (Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje) that gradually changes to mutual respect. He has a way with horses, and an awareness that not all is right in the earth around the great mountain. And he has a thing for Cassia (well, we can't blame him for that, can we?) and she feels much the same. Still, as a slave, there's that gulf of rank and place in society between them. And there's another problem. Corvus, now a Roman Senator, turns up, with his own plans for the city. He also intends to have Cassia for his bride, and won't put up with any upstart gladiator slaves with chiseled abs competing for the object of his affections. Needless to say, Corvus is a particularly nasty villain as villains go. Oh, and there's the whole problem with that mountain just waiting to go off.

There's an assembly line of writers and producers involved in this. That's usually not a good sign. The story sets this fictional story against a real life disaster of antiquity. It comes to us from Janet Batchler, Lee Batchler, and Michael Robert Johnson. The Batchlers, a married couple, were among the screenwriters for Batman Forever (a warning sign if ever there was one). Johnson's previous credit was as a screenwriter for Guy Ritchie's first Sherlock Holmes. Their story is, well, derivative of earlier films- Spartacus, Gladiator, and Titanic are all clearly on display here in many ways. The characters feel undeveloped, and that's not really the fault of the cast... it feels more like the writers, particularly given such nefarious credentials.

Anderson as a director is certainly not of much help either. Look at his resume. Aside from six Resident Evil films, this is the same person who brought such cinematic lowlights as Mortal Kombat, Alien versus Predator, and the most recent version of The Three Musketeers to the screen. An auteur, he is not. Instead he likes blowing things up on a big scale, and at least he gets to do that here. The special effects team working for him renders their work well, giving us the requisite earthquakes, tsunamis, ash clouds, and violent destruction of an ancient Roman city as we'd expect. If only they had a better director to work for. Aside from the derivative story, the director's the weakness of the film. He persists in the use of 3D for this film, so expect volcanic fire to be hurling out of the screen right at you.

And frankly, the cast deserves better than to have undeveloped characters and a poor director at the helm. There are good actors here. Jessica Lucas is sympathetic as Ariadne, though it took me a bit of time to figure out where I'd seen her before: another disaster film, Cloverfield. Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje is a good character actor, from Lost and The Bourne Identity. He last appeared as a villain in Thor: The Dark World, and plays Atticus as a strong and honourable man. Jared Harris is likable enough as Severus (no, not Severus Snape). He's previously appeared as Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows and as General Grant in Lincoln, and he's a good character actor. It's been awhile since we've seen Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix trilogy), but she's quite welcome as Cassia's mother, though she might seem too young for the part.

Kiefer Sutherland (24) gets to have fun as the villain Corvus, an utterly nasty and ill tempered Roman. You get the sense as an actor he's enjoying himself chewing the scenery and being as thoroughly despicable as he can playing the character. Emily Browning has an eclectic resume as an actress. Looking through her background, I was surprised that she had the wisdom to turn down playing Bella Swan in those wretched Twilight films; her work varies between indie roles and some horror work. She plays Cassia as well as the story will allow (it's not her fault the characters are undeveloped). She's essentially playing Kate Winslet's Rose in this particular disaster... which leads us to the Jack Dawson of this story. Kit Harrington comes to us from Game of Thrones, so he's in his element. He has to look the part of a gladiator, which he does, though if you're looking for a gladiator like Kirk Douglas or Russell Crowe, you'll have to look elsewhere, because Harrington's not in that league. At least unlike Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrington doesn't bug the hell out of me. Browning and Harrington don't have a lot of chemistry, but again... I'm blaming the writers for that instead of the actors. 

The cast and the core story deserves better than the director and writers give them. I wonder what this film would have done in the hands of better creators. The film is uplifted somewhat by a good last act in which the volcano decides to finally get serious, kick butt, and take names. If you can hold out for that (and you don't have nightmares about dying horribly in a volcanic cataclysm), it's worth checking this one out. Just as long as you don't expect a directorial masterpiece, because Anderson's not capable of that.

Calling Down The Thunder

"Some believe that before the universe, there was nothing. They're wrong. There was darkness." ~ Odin

"Why don't you let me take over? I'm the best pilot in Asgard." ~ Loki

"Yes, but out of the two of us, which can actually fly?" ~ Thor

The God of Thunder rises again in Thor: The Dark World, the latest in the Marvel Studios adaptations of comic book characters, owing much to the work of writer-artist Walt Simonson, among others, carrying on the story of the warrior of Asgard, caught between loyalties at home and on Earth. Director Alan Taylor takes over from Kenneth Branagh this time out, and carries on with his themes while moving in some new directions. Chris Hemsworth is back in the lead as Thor for this film that starts in the past. Bor, father of Odin and grandfather of Thor, defeats the dark elves led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) in the opening sequence, something that might remind one of a Lord of the Rings sequence. Malekith and a number of his men, including Algrim (played by the outstanding character actor Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje) end up in suspended animation, while Bor safeguards the weapon they were after, a bit of cosmic mojo called the Aether.

In the present, Asgard is in transition. Since the events of the first film (and Avengers,) Thor and his allies have been engaged in conflicts to restore order in the Nine Realms. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has been cooling his heels in an Asgardian prison since getting smashed by the Hulk in Avengers. Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Frigga (Rene Russo) see their adoptive son in different ways, which would be an understatement. Back on Earth, astrophysicist Jane (Natalie Portman) having now gone two years without seeing the thunder god of her dreams, is wondering if it's time to move on with her life. She's still working with Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), who's seen better days since his possession by Loki in Avengers. Eric could use a vacation. And their work quickly casts one of their number into the heart of what is to come.

Of course the Dark Elves under Malekith make their return, otherwise you wouldn't have a movie. They're convinced the time has come for the Convergence, when their darkness will rise and blot out the light (this tends to happen when your hangers on are all malevolent nutters). And to make it happen, they just need to get their hands on that Aether... which happens to be in a rather unlikely location.

War rises, of course, and before it's all said and done, grave losses have been inflicted, lives turned upside down, old lovers have been reunited, the universe itself is at stake... and one god of mischief is put into a position where he has to be trusted again. Especially if it means he can get some very good lines in along the way.

Director Taylor has a mixed background, in television and movies, but his more recent work was in Game Of Thrones. That experience serves him well here, since it feeds into a world of myth and legend. He wisely carries on with the concepts laid out by Branagh in the first film, giving the story a dose of humour but never crossing the line into parody. That reflects itself in little moments- Thor finding a place to hang his hammer, or the inevitable Stan Lee cameo (which works splendidly). The film expands on the ideas of Asgard and the Nine Worlds, and Taylor takes the story by Christopher Yost (a very good writer in the comics industry, by the way), Christopher Marcus, and Stephen McFeely, and runs with it. Asgard and the other mystical realms are explored at various moments in the film, and they look otherworldly, a nod to the special effects teams, who are obviously doing their jobs well. The visuals of these fantastic, mystical, or dark worlds is just breathtaking, as it must be in a film like this. Yes, Asgard might remind one of a pipe organ, but it also looks like a home to a pantheon of immortals. Costume design expands on the looks from the first film for the returning characters, while also creating an entirely appropriate look for the Dark Elves, which renders well compared to the comic versions. In particular, I liked the final look of Algrim, whose final hideous form in the movie is just what I would expect out of the man who became known as Kurse: it retains enough of the comics form and yet looks like its own creation. Brian Tyler steps in as composer this time out, and gives us a rousing music score that feels at home in Asgard (though I still prefer Patrick Doyle's score from the first film). 

It's the cast, of course, that has to be right for this film, and they rise to the occasion. Eccleston, who's done a wide variety of work, largely in Britain, playing the Doctor in Doctor Who, or one of the leads in the much underrated Shallow Grave, is ideally cast as Malekith, a ruthless, malevolent, and vicious being, just as I would have imagined him from the comics. There is little mercy in this character, and there shouldn't be. Algrim is played by Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje (I can't believe I can spell that without checking it up first), a character actor who's something of a chameleon with a variety of film and television work (The Bourne Identity, Oz, Lost, The Mummy Returns). If they ever get around to making a film about the Black Panther, this is the guy they should be casting.

Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings reprise their roles from the first film. Kat is as snarky as before, getting some of the good lines in as she chases after her friend Jane and finds herself caught in what might well be an end of the universe sort of scenario (oh, one of those again?) as the grave threat returns to Earth. Skarsgard, a terrific character actor whose work I always like, is back for a third time after the events of Avengers, and his character is a bit addled after the experiences of that film. Skarsgard gets to have some fun with it, from that angle. And there are some interesting cameos here, aside from Lee, one in a credits sequence that will tie into future films... and another featuring one of Thor's fellow Avengers, Captain America (Chris Evans), but not quite Captain America.

The rest of the supporting cast is in fine shape. Jaime Alexander is back as Sif, as fierce a warrior as she ever was. There's more of a romantic rivalry going on between her and Jane; as an immortal, she's probably more suited to Thor as it is, but she embodies the courage of Sif very well. Idris Elba is back as the Asgardian sentinel Heimdall, and he gets more to do this time out. That's a good thing, because Elba the actor brings great weight and dignity to the role. We also get a look at Tyr, the Asgardian war god, played by Clive Russell, a character absent from the first film. He's quite welcome here.

The Warriors Three return again.... well, two of the trio return, so to speak. Ray Stevenson returns as Volstagg, somewhat of a comedy relief character but also a ferocious and brave warrior. Tadanobo Asano returns as the steady Hogun, and as grim as ever. He's something more of the straight man for Volstagg and the third member of the trio. Zachary Levi steps in for Josh Dallas as Fandral, the dashing lothario. He fits the role quite well. All of them are willing to do the right thing- even if that means, oh... going against the word of their king.

Hopkins is once again ideally cast as Odin. The role is a complicated one; he can be cruel  or thoughtless at times, and at other times wise. Odin as depicted in myth and comics is always the one thinking ahead, planning and scheming. He's a wise king... but sometimes not a very pleasant Asgardian. Rene Russo reprises her role as Thor and Loki's mother Frigga, and though her connection to Loki is not a biological one, it's still strong; she worries about him, loves him, and in fact, that connection drives Loki forward through the film. She is, as before, a sympathetic character, and she plays the role that way.

It is the three leads that are integral to the core of the story. Portman as Jane is given more to do than her comics counterpart might have had. She's smart and doesn't mind showing that, and she doesn't mind speaking her mind- such as taking offense to being insulted by Odin, striking Loki for that whole invasion of New York thing he did, or wondering what took Thor so long to get back to her. She finds herself in fantastic realms for the first time... and wonders if there is truly a place for her in Thor's life. There's a good chemistry between her and Hemsworth here; they know their characters, and they feel believable together.

Tom Hiddleston is back as Loki, and he's a character you can't help but admire and like, as devious as he can be. One's never quite sure where he stands, but that makes Loki work so well as a character. He always surprises you. Things are never quite as it seems with him. He plays the character as walking that fine edge between the darkness and doing the right thing, all while seeming to amuse himself. There is a good reason that drives him on in this film, a motive that gives him a ferocity. And it's his interaction with Hemsworth that really makes the film come over the top. Their bantering, the love-hate relationship between these two brothers, plays itself out out perfectly, and is really the highlight of the story.

Hemsworth is by now well familiar with Thor, having had taken the character through three films. He conveys the nobility of the man, the courage and the tenacity of the thunder god. He's wiser than he was when we first met Thor in the first film and saw a reckless, arrogant immortal. Hemsworth brings these qualities across, takes things seriously, but not too seriously. There are moments when he's having fun with the part- such as in dealing with subways or cars or chattering brothers who won't shut up. He carries himself well in the role.

The sequel holds up well and expands on what made the first film work so well: this interaction between different worlds, the bond that can develop between people of different experiences, and the complicated family ties of these immortals who seem all too human. The film leaves things off in different places, but leaves me wanting more, as it should.