Director: Alan Taylor Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Anthony Hopkins Released: 2013 With Marvel’s “phase two” getting off to a bit of a bumpy start with the divisive Iron Man 3, all eyes turned to Game of Thrones Director Alan Taylor to help right the ship with 2013’s Thor The Dark World.  The initial teasers and trailers looked promising, with more of a focus on Asgard and the introduction of the Dark Elves and Malekith – one the God of Thunder’s more formidable comic book adversaries.  Unfortunately, as we all know by now, it didn’t quite end up like that. The story, such as it is, makes very little sense.  Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster – reduced to a lovesick puppy dog, wide-eyed idiot and hapless damsel in distress – accidentally stumbles onto “the Aether”, an ancient evil force (and, y’know, Infinity Gem) that Malekith needs to destroy the universe for… some reason.  A lot of stuff happens that really has no impact on anything, and then trouserless comedy idiot Erik Selvig pretty much saves the day with his scientific anti-portal rods. Or… something. It’s all a bit of a mess, to be honest, and while there [...]