The Dark World" (Walt Disney Studios).

In 2011, a 28-year-old Australian actor grabbed hold of the proverbial hammer. Then known only for his starring role on the Aussie soap opera "Home and Away," in a few short years this man would become one of the most talked about stars in Hollywood. 

Chris Hemsworth is Thor, the Asgardian god of thunder, in Marvel Studios' "Thor" (2011), and reprised the role in "The Avengers" (2012) and this November's "Thor: The Dark World." And along with the growth of the character across the three films, Hemsworth has grown as an actor. 

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A brash, hot-headed, all-powerful being; Superman without the code. He's a warrior first, and leaves diplomacy to his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). This is the Thor we first meet in Kenneth Branagh's foray into the Marvel canon. Thor, the would-be-king of Asgard, is exiled from his home after proving he doesn't deserve his power. Despite his narcissistic leanings, he's likable in his fish-out-of-water state; as we are being introduced to a world (Asgard) we don't quite understand, he arrives on Earth, and finds himself in a similar situation. Here he meets Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), a scientist with whom he develops feelings. And while their romantic subplot is poorly executed, their chemistry as actors is apparent. Hemsworth really nails the childish attitude of a man who can't seem to find his place in the world. He delivers lines with a cocky assurance that makes him instantly heroic. One anticipates that he will mature, and learn that not all problems can be solved with his fists. However, the film does not make good on its word and instead ends with the hero being rewarded even though he did not fully learn his lesson. So a solid first attempt from Hemsworth was weakened by the script, something the Joss Whedon set out to correct in his reappearance. 

In Whedon's spectacular summer blockbuster, Thor returns to join the superhero team known as the Avengers. His half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has returned as well, and plans to seek vengeance on the world. As called for by the snappy and hilarious dialogue, Thor became much less of a serious character , in stark contrast to the near-Shakespearean direction of the original film. To no surprise, Hemsworth delivered his one-liners with great comedic skill. Yet it was his more serious moments that stood out, with lines such as: "So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights?" showing his range as an actor. His relationship with Loki managed to be both fun and touching, Hiddleston playing off him, solidifying their brotherly relationship as one of the best in superhero cinema. The camaraderie of the Avengers also provided Hemsworth with some amazing jokes and the energy on screen was contagious. In "Avengers," Hemsworth proved that Thor could hold his own against other titans of the screen like Iron Man and Captain America. But could he be as successful again on his own?

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"Thor: The Dark World" sees Thor back in Asgard without his teammates, but with new purpose. He has to clean up the mess that Loki made in "The Avengers." We still see that he is quick to the fight, but now he has a better understanding of war and its consequences. He battles evil with his hammer while his brother sits plotting away in the Asgardian dungeons. Meanwhile, on Earth, Jane Foster stumbles across a gravitational anomaly in London, England. Her findings leave her exposed to an ancient evil called the Aether. Naturally, Thor is alerted to the release of the Aether, but he is not alone. Malekith, a dark elf who wishes to use the Aether to cover the world in darkness, feels the presence of its power and rises from his thousand year nap. Thor rushes to Jane's aide and brings her to Asgard where he can better protect her, with Malekith in pursuit. Alan Taylor of Game of Thrones does a spectacular job reimagining the world of Asgard as a more grounded and gritty reality. It feels like a mixture of Lord of the Rings with traditional medieval kingdoms. This new approach seems to help Hemsworth settle in to his role; his Thor feels the most human in this movie, and Hemsworth is certainly given his best material. His awkward reunion with Jane and playful moments with Loki shine as comedic moments in this film, that despite its title, has a lot of them. But his grief and love for Jane round him out like they haven't in previous movies. Hemsworth conveys a world of emotions and envelops the hero like never before. "Thor" saw it's titular character as classic Shakespearean and "The Avengers" as an out-of-place jokester, but "The Dark World" successfully embraces all aspects of the Asgardian prince. 

Hemsworth was an interesting choice for Thor, or so I thought in 2009 when a relative unknown was cast as one of the biggest Marvel heroes. And though it hasn't been a ride without its bumps, Hemsworth has proven himself worthy of the role. Outside of the Marvel Universe, Hemsworth was recently in "Rush" from director Ron Howard, as if to say that he shouldn't be typecast as the muscular jock, and his performance spoke for him. He is a talented actor with a long career ahead of him. But while I certainly look forward to seeing Hemsworth in other films, I don't want him to put down the hammer down anytime soon. 

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Reach Contributor Ty Sheedlo here.