"Satisfaction Isn't In My Nature"

[redbrunja]

I saw Thor: The Dark World last night, and frankly, minus a few minor quibbles, I really liked it:

• Jane/science is Jane's true OTP and probably my favorite moment was when she was on the healing table and corrected what it was called. But minus a chunck in the midle of the movie, I love that Jane spent a lot of time running around doing science.


• While I dislike Frigga's death in theory, in practice I fucking love all the conversations that it caused between Thor and Loki, and how it supported fanon that I'd been working with since Thor 1 (that Loki was closest to Frigga, that Frigga taught him magic


• ...and I cannot stress how much I loved the scene after Frigga's death were we see that Loki is just sitting depressed against the wall in his wrecked cell.


• Loki, in general, just did a lot of scene stealing


• speaking of that fantastic scene with his mother in his cell, I assumed Loki was casting the illusion of his mother, the person I saw it with assumed that his mother cast it and sent it to his cell. Your thoughts?


• I feel like there was a more explicit love triangle between Thor/Jane/Sif that was cut - THANK YOU.


• I'm really pleased that this didn't ruin my desire/ability to ship Loki/Sif (especially considering Loki called her form... what was it, ravishing?)


• the Captain America cameo was totally unexpected but awesome.


• I really enjoyed all the Darcy but I really wish she had been the person who hit those dark elves with the car. Although her dipping her intern and then dropping him was cute.


• I am so glad that Jane and Thor had their big damn kiss at the end.


• I think Thor (the character) has gotten some really excellent, subtle characterization work over the last couple of movies.


• Because I am a terrible person I LOVED the stuff with Selvig, especially how happy he was that Loki was dead.


• I think there were about fifteen minutes of the movie (especially the attack on Asgard) that could have been cut


• and I really feel that Christopher Eccolsen was wasted under all that makeup/speaking gibberish.

Comments

[grimorie.livejournal.com]

I assumed Loki was casting the illusion of his mother, the person I saw it with assumed that his mother cast it and sent it to his cell. Your thoughts?

My take was: It was Frigga who casted it, she couldn't go down into the cells because it was forbidden but it doesn't mean she couldn't see her son, Frigga found the loop hole and that's what she used whenever she wanted to visit.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool.

[qualapec.livejournal.com]

This was how I interpreted it, too. Plus, the "no, I guess not" line only really has narrative weight if he says it TO Frigga.

[quiet-rebel.livejournal.com]

I loved seeing Loki and Frigga's relationship, which makes me believe his grief for her death was real. On the other hand, I can't trust that guy, so I don't know what to really believe. Haha. I guess that is what makes him a great villain. I also thought she had cast the illusion to visit Loki in his cell.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I loved seeing Loki and Frigga's relationship, which makes me believe his grief for her death was real.

I totally believe Loki can truly honestly grief for and love Frigga, even though he's mostly a monster in practice. I've never liked how love seems to be something fiction reserves for good guys only.

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

I think Frigga had to have made the illusion. Structurally, it was also foreshadowing that she had the ability to make illusions of people, which is how she saved Jane. And it gives more weight to the exchange between them. Though it would have been very sad at the idea of Loki making illusions of ppl to keep him company.

Eccolsen was very wasted, and I too have loved the subtle characterization Thor has been given over the past few films.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Eccolsen was very wasted,

So wasted.

[qualapec.livejournal.com]

I mostly enjoyed it as well! I'm really glad a lot of sad, dramatic things happened, but it still felt like it didn't take itself too seriously. I was also pretty pleased with the ways it expanded on the mythos.

...and I cannot stress how much I loved the scene after Frigga's death were we see that Loki is just sitting depressed against the wall in his wrecked cell.

That's probably one of my favorite scenes in the movie. It was just really perfect. Plus, I was talking with someone about how that is the first time we've seen Loki experience any consequences that matter to him and be forced to experience real guilt. I think he has religiously repressed his feelings about 90% of the things he's done (That's what you do with feelings, right? You repress them and then they go away!); Frigga was probably the only loss that could have still meant anything to him, which I think says a lot about how much he cared about her since his freedom and his life were both things he didn't seem to care about much.

Also, just in general, I loved the parallels between Loki and Frigga. There were a lot of subtle textual cues about how much she had influenced him and how important their relationship was. A+ on that.

I'm really pleased that this didn't ruin my desire/ability to ship Loki/Sif (especially considering Loki called her form... what was it, ravishing?)

And we got one good eye fuck moment! I'll settle for that!

Also, gotta say, if Loki stabbed Odin in the back off-screen, I'm pretty sure I'd be okay with that.

My issues with the movie mostly amount to "Was that absolutely necessary?" mostly in relation to Jane literally being limp and immobile so Thor and Loki could have their big dramatic conversation (which is not to say I didn't love their big dramatic convo, but it felt like Jane was just kind of there). HOWEVER I do cut the movie some slack for that damseling because she played such an active role in the finale!

Agreed that it should have been Darcy who swung the car at the dark elves!

Selvig...I might have been okay with the scenes he had if there were more pants involved. As it was, I just felt a lot of second-hand embarrassment for everyone around him. Mostly, every time he was on-screen, I was just thinking "There are so many things I would rather be looking at and feeling with this screen time".

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

That's probably one of my favorite scenes in the movie. It was just really perfect. Plus, I was talking with someone about how that is the first time we've seen Loki experience any consequences that matter to him and be forced to experience real guilt. I think he has religiously repressed his feelings about 90% of the things he's done (That's what you do with feelings, right? You repress them and then they go away!); Frigga was probably the only loss that could have still meant anything to him, which I think says a lot about how much he cared about her since his freedom and his life were both things he didn't seem to care about much.

Hmmm, I’m not sure I buy Loki reaching to Frigga’s death with GUILT. Grief, yes, definitely, (and I saw the post on tumblr talking about this) but Loki has so consistently refused to see how his actions cause the things that happen to him to happen to him, I don't totally buy him feeling guilt over Frigga's death (especially when there are so many other people he could blame.)

Also, just in general, I loved the parallels between Loki and Frigga. There were a lot of subtle textual cues about how much she had influenced him and how important their relationship was. A+ on that.


I also totally loved that!

My issues with the movie mostly amount to "Was that absolutely necessary?" mostly in relation to Jane literally being limp and immobile so Thor and Loki could have their big dramatic conversation (which is not to say I didn't love their big dramatic convo, but it felt like Jane was just kind of there).

Yep, I had some of those same thoughts. Like, there are ways to let Loki and Thor have that conversation that do not require Jane to be unconcious. Have her exploring something science and not pay attention to the boys! Or even have her politely give them space! Both of those options work.

Also, Loki shielding Jane made me think of your prospective fic.

Also, gotta say, if Loki stabbed Odin in the back off-screen, I'm pretty sure I'd be okay with that.

SAME HERE.

[qualapec.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I’m not sure I buy Loki reaching to Frigga’s death with GUILT. Grief, yes, definitely, (and I saw the post on tumblr talking about this) but Loki has so consistently refused to see how his actions cause the things that happen to him to happen to him, I don't totally buy him feeling guilt over Frigga's death (especially when there are so many other people he could blame.)

I think that's definitely a legitimate interpretation. I think my thing with Loki and feelings is that I think he is capable of guilt. I just think he experiences it, realizes that if he experiences guilt for one thing he has to experience guilt for everything he's done, becomes overwhelmed, then compartmentalizes it and converts it to blame and/or anger. And I feel like he is at least capable of understanding that Frigga died in part because of something he did, whether he's healthy enough to process those feelings or not. And I also don't think it's lost on him that the last thing he said to her is that she wasn't his mother (ironic pain is only fun if the character is aware of the irony).

I do agree that he refocuses that on blaming others. Kurse. Malekith. Odin for...everything.

Or even have her politely give them space! Both of those options work.

I think the thing that bothered me was that they needed to take away her agency to remove her from that situation. When instead she could have been conscious or had thoughts about it or, yeah, been off doing science things! Other better ways!

Also, Loki shielding Jane made me think of your prospective fic.

OMG ME TOO! It was one of those magic moments where I could just PRETEND.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

And I also don't think it's lost on him that the last thing he said to her is that she wasn't his mother (ironic pain is only fun if the character is aware of the irony).

Now that, I think, is a pain and a truth that Loki worries over like tonguing a sore tooth.

Also, Loki shielding Jane made me think of your prospective fic.

OMG ME TOO! It was one of those magic moments where I could just PRETEND.

I shared your pretending.

[profshallowness.livejournal.com]

I broadly agree with you - Jane on the table was my favourite moment too.

My impression was that Frigga was casting.

Eccleston as the baddie reminded me of Eric Bana's Nero in the first Star Trek reboot in terms of (lack of) presence.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was a shame to hire that great of an actor and not give him a role in which he can, you know, act.

[mistaria.livejournal.com]

I just saw it and I LOVED it!!!! I loved the humor and Darcy and Jane + science and Jane punching Loki. And Loki. Oh man such a scene stealer. So snarky and awesome. Was so happy that we saw where Loki learned magic (fits my head canon too!) and Frigga fighting but was annoyed she died. The resulting conversation between Thor/Loki and Loki and his destroyed cell were such great results. And...

Thor: I wish I could trust you.
Loki: Trust my rage.

Was so fantastic. Made me think of Regina since I've been on a SQ fic kick. Now I need awesome Darcy fic and some good Sif/Loki.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Tom Hiddleson was clearly this movie's MVP (and I think Thor 2 would have looked hugely different if everyone didn't know that they could rest a movie on Hiddleson's shoulders).

Made me think of Regina since I've been on a SQ fic kick. Now I need awesome Darcy fic and some good Sif/Loki.

All of those things are things I am in favor of.