You can't explain the plot of Thor: The Dark World without getting trapped in a morass of words that sound randomly plucked from Norse mythology, a bad Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and the liner notes of a Led Zeppelin album. But once you get past that, there's a lot of fun to be had. Besides the obvious joys of watching battles between gleaming golden soldiers and a bunch of goblins armed with rocket launchers, The Dark World is booby-trapped with funny gags, entertaining fights, and a pair of charming lead actors. Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Chris Hemsworth as the arrogant-but-caring Thor have to team up to stop the evil Malekith, and their half-brotherly rivalry adds a human element to the fantasy trappings. (PAUL CONSTANT)