‘Thor 2′ Reviews: What Are the Critics Saying?

The first round of 'Thor 2' reviews have arrived online, following the world premiere of the Avenger from Asgard's latest adventure. The film itself doesn't officially open in theaters until November 8, but what are the critics already saying about it? Fans will be pleased to know that they're generally running positive.

Although some of the reviews are raves and others are incredibly mixed, the general opinion from the first batch of 'Thor 2' reviews feels very much in line with the first film in terms of tone, but the action and the scope have increased significantly. Even the biggest detractors have nice things to say about Tom Hiddleston's Loki and virtually every review commends the film's wicked and goofy sense of humor. However, even the most positive notices admit that the film slows down significantly in the second act before the story regains its footing in the home stretch.

Without further ado, here are what some of the critics are saying about 'Thor 2,' dubbed 'The Dark World.'

Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter:

It's here, in this [final] stretch, that the film finally gets its mojo back, finding the requisite balance between bombast and wise-cracks that made the first Thor work in its finest moments.

Germain Lussier, /Film:

So Thor: The Dark World hits the ground running with fully realized, charismatic and confident portrayals of all the characters involved. It’s defined by Thor being an ultimate hero and Loki being a mischievous villain. That, coupled with plenty of Avengers-size action, laugh-out-loud humor and Marvel Cinematic Universe easter eggs help make Thor: The Dark World one of the best Marvel films to date.

Chris Hewitt, Empire:

There are flaws ... But the whole thing clips along at such a brisk rate — at just over 100 minutes (not including credits, or post-credit stings, or post-post-credits stings) it wraps up when most blockbusters are grinding their gears — and is so entertaining that it doesn’t seem to matter. Now that’s magic-science.

Justin Chang, Variety:

In the end, that humorous approach is largely the film’s saving grace, keeping the action sufficiently lively and diverting that audiences won’t recognize how recycled the material is, or how low the stakes feel.

Erik Davis, Movies.com:

Thor: The Dark World is definitely a little wobbly in the story department, but its action sequences are inventive, its characters are wicked and relatable, and there's so much wild scenery to chew on that if you're any kind of fan of comic books and comic book movies, you'll leave the theater with a big ol' dopey smile on your face.

Oliver Lyettelton, The Playlist:

The result is a film that is enjoyable in spots, but haphazard and ultimately unsatisfying. As with "Iron Man 3," these films are increasingly feeling like episodes of TV shows or, perhaps more appropriately, issues of comic books. For all the good gags and eye candy, this ultimately boils down to yet another quest to find a magical MacGuffin that will stop a portal in the sky from opening.

Nick Setchfield, SFX:

It’s a relentless clash of tones and flavours, like a madman smashing genres together in a particle accelerator. The good news? It works. Thor: The Dark World is a prime piece of pop candy, a witty, flashy, unflaggingly entertaining addition to the Marvel canon, light on its feet in spite of its cosmic sprawl.

Emma Dibdin, Digital Spy:

Thor himself still isn't an enormously dynamic character, and there's no real effort made to deepen his paper-thin romance with Jane. By and large, you're having too much fun in The Dark World to notice any of this until afterwards; the script (on which Joss Whedon did a pass) is very, very funny, with Kat Dennings's feisty Darcy given an expanded role and Stellan Skarsgård returning for some mental breakdown-based comedy.

'Thor: The Dark World' stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. Directed by 'Game of Thrones' veteran Alan Taylor, it opens worldwide on November 8, 2013.