4/5
Avengers Of The Body Snatchers.
6 Episodes. Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Charlayne Woodard, Dermot Mulroney, Martin Freeman, Cobie Smulders, Olivia Colman & Don Cheadle. Created By: Kyle Bradstreet. On: Disney +.
There's an invasion going on. And it's no secret. Marvel have been dominating our cinematic universe for decades now. But lately, the tide has been turning. It seems cape fear has given way to the sort of hate those 'X-Men' mutants used to get, and they haven't even made their M.C.U. debut...yet (we see you, Hugh). Hopefully the animated '97' can bring it all back. Marvel are getting the 'Fast and Furious' tread treatment. Right now, it's a bad time to be Groot. It all came to a head last summer, when trolls smashed 'She-Hulk: Attorney At Law', even though that was one of the most fun and freshest Marvel shows in recent memory. Even Disney CEO Bob Iger is chiming in. But from the wonderful 'WandaVision', to the marvellous 'Moon Knight', we still see all these streaming shows as a plus. Just like the galaxy of 'Star Wars' ones. As 'Secret Invasion' spies at being Marvel's 'Andor'. But you know what haters will do. Spreading so much it's like an invasion similar to the infection of those who claim the vaccine is bad when it's really saving lives. That does way more harm than good. Especially when those people seem to be more concerned about being right themselves than helping others. This, on the other hand, is merely entertainment. So let's just get over it and enjoy. Even though it's Morissette ironic that a show that's all about not being able to tell what or who is real is being review bombed by those looking through an eye patch of bias, rather than the scope of truth.
Another irony is this show's theme and opening credits. Haunting with a metaphor of the very distrustful, fake nature of the show, these shuddering, but stunning titles were created by AI in a world afraid of this artificial intelligence (even our all action hero Tom Cruise goes up against it in this summer's biggest blockbuster 'Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One'). With writers striking and computers taking everybody's jobs in every industry this is far from the best move, even if it works, especially with Marvel already coming under fire from overworking and underpaying their special-effects team. But real, amazing artists shouldn't be too green with envy. These credits have nothing on theirs. They should just be paid. They deserve the credit. Another one who deserves the credit is the actor that makes a job out of every move, the great Samuel L. Jackson. Still the motherf##### at 74. And after years of leading the Avengers initiative, ever since he appeared in the first 'Iron Man' post-credits tradition, and you knew the assembling was on. Still kicking a## (even breaking someone's arm with one hand behind his own back), like he did in that 'Captain America-The Winter Soldier' 'Terminator' like car chase, street scene. Not to mention reminding us why one of both Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino's favourites is actually an amazing actor. Nick Fury finally has his own show. And with 'Secret Invasion', the path of the righteous man is furious.
Fast too, like Diesel. With half a dozen episodes of epic espionage that you should spy hard into if you loved what I still believe is the best Marvel movie (the aforementioned 'The Winter Soldier'). Yeah, critics may call this middling, but there are mesmerizing moments of pure acting that amaze. Whether it's on the train with Skull ally and the always acclaimed Ben Mendelsohn. Or with bad guy and 'Barbie' Ken Kingsley Ben-Adir, acting rings around even the great Jackson in closing and cloning himself in a café, trying to reap a bigger harvest than Neil Young. When Marvel blew up in the Battle of New York back in 2006, this geeks dream wasn't supposed to be so big. Yet this Skull invasion is what those real comic-book fans have been waiting for and secretly dreading like the damn, dirty 'Planet Of The Apes'. It's straight scary for some who don't know who to trust and just like building on their and Nick's nuanced backstory like the throwback 'Captain Marvel' this is the perfect precursor to Jackson's action in this falls 'The Marvels' and even the nuts and bolts of the series turned Rhodey movie 'Armor Wars'. Because War Machine Don Cheadle is back, but not in armoured black with a powerful presence of influence nest to Dermot Mulroney's (or is that Dylan McDermott?) president. Reminding me with all these multiverses and cast of characters that as much as I love Cheadle's classic character, it would be fun for Terrence Howard to pop up one day too. Don't bet on that madness, but there is a blink, and you'll miss it Easter Egg of a completely different character that could lead to the justice of another variant plot.
Cobie Smulders, Martin Freeman and many more trailer revealed Marvel favourites cameo in this show that may be led by Jackson's Fury, but is chock-full of Marvel's big black book (such is the nature of 'Jack Ryan' like spy fare). New big names are brought on board skrull island, like 'Game Of Thrones' superstar Emilia Clarke who truly has her moment and the great Olivia Colman, who is scene-stealing outstanding here with compelling chemistry set with Jackson. Yet in 'Mr. Robot' creator Kyle Bradstreet's narrative, that's got nothing on what Samuel shares with Charlayne Woodard of 'Pose' fame. But we've already said too much about the Obie and Tony award-winning soul of this show. Let's keep the rest a secret. The hump day middle-of-the-week malaise of Wednesdays are wonderful when it comes to Disney + points you can still marvel at. Even if some say one character's exit deserved more justice. They're right. But this is the nature of the spy-thriller, and you just knew that in the raised stakes of this, skrulls would roll. In a weary world in need of a hero this show is still super, that you can trust. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Captain America-The Winter Soldier', 'Captain Marvel', 'Armor Wars'.
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