Brawny, blond-haired, hammer-swinging Thor (Chris Hemsworth) makes his way back onto the big screen for Thor: The Dark World. Though its faulty plot is distracted  with mind-numbing special effects, The Dark World  is able to fill two hours with constant laughter and a dynamic sibling rivalry.

Thor sets out to save the nine realms from eternal darkness and his girlfriend, Jane Foster, who has dropped everything for two years to try to find Thor. Jane, played by Natalie Portman, spends most of the movie unconscious and makes you wonder how she achieved her PhD.

She is quickly swept into the conflict between the Dark Elves and Asgard when she inhibits the alien substance known as the Aether. The Dark Elves, led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), pursue to drain the world of light and create one of darkness. Malekith and his army prove to be flimsy and weak villains, who do not raise the stakes whatsoever.

Throughout the movie, director Alan Taylor awkwardly switches between a chilly, depopulated London and an extravagant, gleaming Asgard, where Thor’s Father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins) looks as if he rather be anywhere else in the nine realms.

There was neither the brash, arrogant Thor from the first movie, nor the funny, dim-witted Thor from The Avengers. Although Thor’s character was presented with further development, you can clearly notice the difference. Hemsworth is able to stand his own against his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) as he presents a much humbler and wiser Thor.

The sibling rivalry between Thor and Loki becomes one of the best things about the movie. There might be a lack of chemistry between Portman and Hemsworth but it’s made up for with the ease created by Hiddleston’s and Hemsworth’s scenes.  They play off each other and make the audience anticipate their scenes together.

Some of the best lines were delivered by Loki. Tom Hiddleston creates a perfect balance between fragile and madness, moving gracefully from scene to scene as the movie begins to drag. Hiddleton delivers his lines with all the sassiness and snark that the true Loki would have.

Kat Dennings also saves the movie by having funny, witty lines that allows for the audience to have one person to relate too.

Thor: The Dark World might not have achieved the emotional depth of Iron Man 3 but it is still two hours of laughter and of mind-blowing special effects and a very special cameo that will leave you stunned.