The first and to date only Marvel film that feels like a contractual obligation. Whether it's the weakest isn't a clear call; the missed potential of Iron Man 2, the dissonance of The Incredible Hulk and the factory-polished first two Avengers all have problems but Thor: The Dark World is perhaps the most boring, a sequel to an underwhelming Phase One origin story that doesn't push on as others would do. That the whole Asgard thread and most of the supporting characters would be razed going forwards, or at least put on a long term hold, hardly helps the feeling of inessentiality that runs through the film. It all makes the film feel more like a necessary building block than entertainment in its' own right, and most of its' positives come from later events.
Loki had been a bit of a cardboard villain in his previous two appearances but here he gets a dark wit and some genuine depth, notably his distraught reaction to Frigga's death, without losing his mischievous side. His sibling relationship with Thor is very much the core of all that's good in the film, much more interesting than the romance with Jane Foster, and both Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth have excellent chemistry when they're given something to do other than fight.
This is the first real germ of the Infinity Gauntlet thread. It's all jumbled into a load of Asgardian waffle about the Aether that doesn't hold the interest or make Jane and her Earth-based squad feel any more interesting but this is the first hint of someone collecting all these wild artefacts. Okay, so it's only the Collector but it's a sign we're building towards something.
In a film packed with underwhelming characters doing what they did last time (Heimdall once again assists Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three in committing treason to save the day), get worse (Darcy is less fun with a dull sidekick and Selvig's arc just makes everyone look neglectful) or being an unwelcome addition (the Dark Elves) it's nice to have someone normal in there in the shape of Chris O'Dowd as Jane's date. Of course he gets treated like garbage by everyone and is barely in it, but it doesn't take much to be the third best thing in this film.
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