Of course, it’s still worth mentioning that Thor: Ragnarok remains an essential film in the greater MCU canon — even if it’s not the most beloved entry in said canon.
Thor: The Dark World may not be the best film that Marvel Studios has ever given audiences, but to me it still stands out as a fundamental stepping stone for those who want to understand the complete continuity of this superhero landscape and what it all means in the grand scheme of things.
The movie features the debut of the Reality Stone, making it a pivotal entry on the road to Avengers: Infinity War and Loki’s arc in the film is fundamental to the character that he becomes during later films in the overarching Marvel franchise.