Marvel goes fantasy. Thor's return under Game of Thrones-director Alan Taylor's command starts out as what looks like a new adventure from Middle Earth. What connects it with the smash hit Avengers is the characters we learned to love. It's a pleasure to see Hiddleston and Hemsworth clash once again as unlikely brothers with so much history, built up by the former films and now giving this franchise its own lore.
In a film with a villain's plot that may not always make sense (but at least makes for a wonderfully messy and fun showdown) and in which the bad guy has little depth, it helps a lot that all other characters work so well and their interactions are great fun. While Thor's Asgardian companions remain a tad underused, it's Kate Dennings who pretty much steals every scene set on Earth. Asgard, on the other hand, looks greater and offers more details than before.
Thankfully the film works on both ends of the scale because between all the family drama and tragic deaths, it never takes itself too seriously and may very well be the funniest Marvel film that doesn't include Downey Jr. shooting off his mouth.

There are two post-credits scene, one half-way through preparing for one of coming attractions and another at the very end closing this film's storyline nicely.

A few minor bumps aside, Marvel keeps delivering at an exceptionally high level giving its characters and worlds more depth than before and raising the bar once again about what to expect next. Space is probably not even the limit.

8.5 out of 10 scientists without pants.