Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on February 2014

Ah. So what’s a critic supposed to say about a deeply silly, obligatory sequel to a so-so flick about a minor Marvel guy, a film intended mostly to tide over fans eager for the next Avengers? Well, maybe it is precisely because it is of less than epic “importance” that it can relax and be, on its own terms, constantly amusing. This time the Man with the Mallet (Chris Hemsworth, major beefcake) must team up with his mischievous sociopath of a brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston, saving the movie) to battle an ancient evil (Christopher Eccleston, unrecognizable). I had fun because I didn’t expect to. (112 min)