Moon Knight is a character I’m not overly familiar with. I recall having a few of his trading cards as a kid, but never thought much about him overall aside from his slick design.
So, it was with trepidation that I sat down to view the new Disney+ series based on the white-hooded character. While I’m still stuck in limbo regarding Moon Knight in general, I’m actually quite excited to see where this new adventure takes us — or, at least, how it shakes up the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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First, a quick recap. I haven’t been totally enamored with the first batch of MCU Disney+ shows. WandaVision got better as it went along, but lacked a strong payoff; Falcon and the Winter Soldier began promisingly but fizzled out by the final episode; Loki and Hawkeye mostly worked thanks to their charismatic leads, but whiffed badly in the action department.
All of those shows came with expectations as each arrived with a pre-established MCU character we had seen on the big screen. No matter how enormous the budgets on these streaming series are, it’s always a little jarring to see a cinematic hero reduced to small screen spectacle. With Moon Knight, however, I have no preconceived expectations or much to compare the character to. Due to this, everything that happens feels a little more exciting and new. Be it the terrific performances from Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, or the surprisingly great action sequences, this hero arrives adorned in a darker shade of grey than is typically found in the MCU.
It helps to have a strong hook. In this case, Steven Grant (Isaac) is a lonely museum worker who endures the blunt end of many London passersby. His coworkers disregard him at every turn and can’t even get his name right, and he spends his days sharing his problems with human statues and just about anyone who will listen. Oh, and he has a peculiar habit of dozing off and waking in odd locations Memento-style, which is why he chains himself to his bed every night.
After one of his episodes, Steven awakens in a village surrounded by mountains and a rather ominous-looking castle. What’s more, he hears a strange voice in his head that seems to criticize his every breath. Weird. Steven wanders into town and comes face-to-face with Arthur Harrow (Hawke), who busily condemns people to death via some unexplained magical abilities related to the Egyptian goddess Ammit.
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We get a bonkers chase scene that cleverly omits passages in which Steven seemingly blacks out. At one point, he struggles with a baddie in a truck before a quick cut skips ahead and finds the henchman beaten to a bloody pulp. Obviously, something’s amiss here. And though we more or less know what’s happening — Steven’s body is taken over by the show’s titular warrior — it’s still fun following the man on his wild journey.
This being a Marvel production, the proceedings come with the very clear “we’re not taking any of this seriously” tone that has kept the long-running series popular with general audiences. Due to this, the aforementioned chase scene is set to “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham! and involves cupcakes and a number of silly gags. Yet, the humor fits better here than it did in, say, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, mostly because the chaos underscores Steven’s own confusion. (Still, would it kill for Marvel to venture into more dramatic territory from time to time?)
The debut episode concludes with a terrific scene in which Steven talks to his reflection in a room full of mirrors. Evidently, his alternate personality (or one of them, anyway) needs his permission to take control of his body in order to transform into Moon Knight and destroy a nasty demon-like thing. We get a great shot of our hero as he smashes the creature to bits and steps into frame amidst Hesham Nazih’s thrilling score.
So, while I wouldn’t say I’m hooked, my interest is definitely piqued. What do the Egyptian gods have to do with the MCU? Will this be another one of those ancient religions/cults that couldn’t step in to fight Thanos for reasons? Who is Steven, really? Is he the bumbling museum employee we see throughout the show or the seemingly American reflection seen in the mirrors? Who is the third voice that was constantly bemoaning Steven’s person? Was that Doctor Doom’s castle? Who was the female voice on the phone who referred to Steven as Marc? Why is Ethan Hawke’s hair so amazing?
I’m sure there are plenty of comic books that carry the answer to these questions, but I’m going to refrain from spoilers and enjoy the show as a general audience member. I’m curious to see how long showrunner Jeremy Slater leans on the mystery before succumbing to the typical Marvel-style action. Truly, this is a great setup for what will hopefully amount to a strong six-part series. I’m not quite sure what to expect, but that’s what makes it so exciting. Just so long as the final episode doesn’t head to Rockefeller Center for a half-assed Christmas-themed smackdown, I’m game for whatever Moon Knight throws my way.
