Friday 6 May 2022

TV REVIEW: MOON KNIGHT - Season 1


4/5

A Knight's Tale.

6 Episodes. Starring: Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, F. Murray Abraham & Ethan Hawke. Created By: Jeremy Slater. 

The dark Knight of Marvel rises. Dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight...or at least acting as his avatar in the air bending year were we finally see a sequel to the 2009 mega movie that only 'The Infinity Saga' could turn to dust, this fall. Complete with a logo like, handheld weapon, crescent chestplate like a Pattinson 'The Batman' batarang. Wrapped up in ivory bandages, but anything but a white knight. Bandaged up with white hot, glowing eyes that could mummify the bad guys under the hood, when he's not playing cockney wide boy (or vanilla Deadpool as the fans are calling it), in a sharp suit and two "what are these poles for?!" It's moonrise kingdom now like Wes Anderson as your local London museum gift shop worker is moonlighting as an Egyptian superhero. The formidable force of a fun finale for 'Moon Knight' premiering the same day as the big-screen release of 'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness' that is finally changing the superhero genre and comic book Marvel formula like this one. A timeline and M.C.U. hopping spell featuring Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch in a comic crossover that classic cameo wise may just be as good as the 'No Way Home' from Spider-Man whose web led to this. This sixth part series being the best of Marvel's six Disney + shows since the original 'WandaVision' that everyone tuned in for. Refreshing, real and raw through the sands of time and a race against the hourglass to save not only the world, but their sense of self too. 

Entombed with the man in the mirror. Split between two personalities that are much more than a classic Jekyll and Hyde as you wonder what's trying to get out of the sarcophagus. Marvel, who after years of missteps are really getting it right with representation (see their refusal to cut America Chavez out of 'Doctor Strange' for the madness demanded from some territories like Saudi Arabia) and this look of D.I.D (dissociative identity disorder), are not only real, but respectful too. Cape fear not for this franchise usually more associated with dungeons and dragons than the trials and tribulations of every day. And the great, personal 'Inside Llewyn Davis' and blockbuster new 'Star Wars' trilogy X-Wing pilot Oscar Isaac rebounds from his 'Apocalypse' with 'X-Men' and shows us that acting that had made him arguably the most underrated and best leading man we have, working this hard today and for around a decade now. Card counting and hot off the heels of his 'A Most Violent Year' reunion with this year's Oscar winning Best Actress Jessica Chastain ('The Eyes Of Tammy Faye') with the Emmy ignored, but undeniable 'Scenes From A Marriage' for HBO. One for you and one for him like Marvel's best Easter Egg now being their reference to Oscar Isaac's blade licking home video, acting debut as a kid (see his SNL monologue). Going day and night like Kid Cudi on the trailer with a mind that switches back and forth like a Rubix cube that you just can't solve. All for a punctuated performance of pain and perplexion in the powerful penultimate backstory episode for this origin story. Not to mention Oscar's Academy acting that is still on the cutting room floor according to refreshing director Mohamed Diab of this Jeremy Slater creation, who has no problems telling us like it is (see his comments on 'Wonder Woman 1984's' "representation" of Egypt). It's "laters 'gators" too for anyone that has a problem with the "dodgy" accent. Isaac was inspired by Peter Sellers, the original 'Office', 'Stath Lets Flats' and Karl Pilkington as told to The New York Times. Don't call him a plonker. There's reason to this rhyming slang and all will be revealed. But you know the score...not from us. It's a master move, ace in the hole, up the sleeve of the man who just played one of his best hands with 'Taxi Driver' writer Paul Schrader. Summon that suit! 

First reformed with Scharder for his best work too, Ethan Hawke is here with God like power in this land of Lords and monsters. Having the indie great to Oscar's best leading man on screen together has this fanboy of both acting like the pair did on their reaction video to the teaser trailer, when 'Moon Knight' was giving something out of straight out of 'Stargate' what for in a bathroom stall for the comic character introduction (more of this please, Marvel). Armed with a cool, cruel cane, a great hair day and some scaly ink that is perfectly balanced in the way that someone like Thanos thinks all things should be, Ethan is epic here, in the lead with a cult following. No matter how many fans think the 'Boyhood' and 'Before' trilogy actor is going against type. Perhaps the 'Training Day' breakout star, no stranger to cult science fiction ('Gattaca' and the perfect 'Predestination') was inspired by his daughter Maya Hawke scene stealing the last season of 'Stranger Things' with a Scoops Ahoy like she was there all along. We're just glad the 'Daybreakers' star bumped into Isaac that day in a New York coffee shop by chance during the pandemic and ended up talking about wearing even more masks. Because the 'Sinister' streak that goes up and down like scales and canes of justice will have your eyes darting back and forth to another twist and turn of character we'd love to talk about, but can't even begin to get into. All we'll say as this torment forges us is that we could watch this Hawk-eye on the bow back of Clint's arrow series, monologue in this theatre all day. Especially when the tone of his words traverses more meaning. And there's more, Wong. Despite the brief trip of mumbling something that definitely wasn't Mandarin, as Shang-Chi himself pointed out. And we're not just talking about 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and 'Amadeus' great F. Murray Abraham voicing Khonshu with booming gravitas. Even with Isaac and Hawke at the helm, the show is stole by 'Ramy's' own May Calamawy, who feels like her own superhero in the making. Worth her wait in Egyptian gold and a real representation that matters, exactly how it looks. And that is bold and beautiful. Just like Marvel's tribute to late, great model and actor Gaspard Ulliel. Cameoing here in a posthumous role after we lost him to a tragic ski accident at the beginning of this year. Or the major move of a mere mention and acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide that is still being ignored. Shut out like they did to Isaac's incredible movie regarding it, the powerful picture of 'The Promise'. They tried to review bomb and bury that too. But you can't hide genocide. And they can't show the dark side of the moon to this pyramid scheme. Not when the Marvel machine is behind it. Throwing everything it has at you like sand in the eyes. Lizards, 'gators and hippos, oh my! TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'WandaVision', 'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness', 'X-Men: Apocalypse'. 

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