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‘Thor: The Dark World’ (in theaters since Nov. 8) is the best Marvel sequel (sorry Iron Man) and the most satisfying superhero movie of 2013 (sorry Superman). The spectacular adventure comes to fulfill the promises the first movie wasn’t able to. Here are a few things that, in my opinion, make this one the mightiest movie yet of the blond Avenger.

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The Scale

Without a huge increase in its budget, the movie feels much bigger than the original and this year’s Iron Man 3. Not only the amount of special effect sequences have increased but also their technical quality and beauty.

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The Humor

Less physical and more situation-driven gags make a little more sophisticated and less repetitive comedy. Kat Denning’s comic relief remains hit and miss though.

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The Focus

Like the third installment in the Tony Stark saga, this other post-Avengers sequel has no S.H.I.E.L.D. in it. Except for the villains, the main players are known so there is no time wasted on presentations or setting-up future developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Mash-up

By coincidence or not, Disney is proving that it can handle Star Wars. The mix of science fiction and fantasy has rarely worked so well on film. Any criticism in the lines of “it doesn’t feel like a super heroe movie” is actually a great a compliment. The final fight is the most creative confrontation seen in a long time.

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The Loki

If there is one person that we should thank for getting to enjoy Tom Hiddleston’s rendition of the mischievous Loki is Kenneth Branagh. But Alan Taylor takes advantage of both the character and the actor in new, funnier and more exciting ways.

“Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.”