Fist Of Fury.
10 Episodes. Starring: Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, Tom Pelphrey, Jessica Stroup, Simone Missick, Sacha Dhawan & Alice Eve. Created By: Scott Buck.
At Finn Jones is off Twitter again. Just months after he was around to be celebrated for his stepped up, Wu-Tang, smack down, patty cake, powered up cameo with the Power Man in 'Luke Cage' season 2 that hit like a sonic boom. Perhaps the man with the glow glove is channeling his inner chi like Danny Rand and doesn't want to be disturbed atop the glass castle tower of the fortune he's made...and earned. Or perhaps the man who is the immortal 'Iron Fist' REALLY doesn't want to be disturbed. As the terrible Twitter trolling he faced after his criminally underrated (critics gave this Iron monger a good...f### it, I'll say it..."fisting") first season (which actually managed to stay the 13 episode concentration course more than his 'Defender' peer debuts), left him feeling like it was a death by a thousand cuts...or tweets. The same type of abhorrent abuse that still goes unchecked despite forcing the loveable likes of 'Ghostbusters' actress Leslie Jones and 'Star Wars-The Last Jedi' new star Kelie Marie-Tran (ironically and ignorantly the same trolls who are charging cultural appropriation on this show are furious an Asian actress is in 'Star Wars'. True story. Tell me I'm wrong. Nope! They are) to leave Twitter due to bullying that needs more whistleblowing. You may read their open letters of bravery for change, but do we do anything about it? But now in a year following their eight wonder, assemble ensemble mash-up which he still unfairly got hammered for...even on the show (sure he may be the Ringo of this fab four, but there's nothing wrong with that Beatles star). Were every Defender gets a second season like Oprah...and a stepped up one too, 'Iron Fist' season 2 is ready to hit back. No more rope a dope in this rumble in New York's concrete jungle. The dragon has just been unleashed. And you thought you were just dealing with lions and eyes of the tiger oh my?! In this 'Game Of Thrones' this feast of dragons actor is going for the head (take note Thor) with a furious fire. Let the hate burn...to ashes, like Celine singing for Canada's finest Wade Wilson.
But in 'Iron Fist 2' there's another Iron Fist too as his red handed brother punches in like someone stamped their foot on his fingers. Seriously how many people in the greater New York area are punching dragons? Imagine! This is just getting cruel. Still all huff and puff he's ready to blow Danny's dojo down. As mysterious 'Sherlock' and 'After Earth' actor and recognisable face, Sacha Dhawan really reveals his true self here. His docked, cold as ice, fish market introduction, following an epic armoured truck beatdown in Chinatown beginning really has an axe to grind going against the Yakuza and Triad like Hatchet's. But so is Rand, as after taking down the hand like what the five fingers said to the face ("SLAP"!), this Defender of N.Y. refuses to be anyones whipping boy anymore. Even if his season two has been curiously cut to ten episodes. Something these nuanced as every corner of the character itself New York, Netflix narratives of street heroes could pay heed to too. Although with every sophomore season besting each Defenders's rookie campaign, things are looking good for a second here. And you won't want to miss this top tens countdown end like Marvel's signature hair on the back of your hands, stand up anticipated post credit scenes and the back to bandana black devil church confessional tease. And now if you want to be Frank too, with 'The Punisher', Marvel's New York's finest and grimiest now have their own ten series' together in collaboration for you to binge with even more time needed than what it takes to break bad with 'Mad Men' or watch the 'Thrones' (the wide, ever expanding world of the M.C.U. has come a long way from Iron Man to the Iron Fist). There's so much choice on Netflix it's hard to know where to start. Especially with 'Star Trek-Into Darkness' standout star Alice Eve, whose best of is available here the day before you see her steal the show of season two. And after playing and embodying the character of a young Emma Thompson aswell as Thanos himself, Josh Brolin did an iconic Tommy Lee Jones, young K impression in 'Men In Black 3' (and shoutout to Luke Cage himself for the catalyst of the most emotional scene in this movie...or trilogy) and holding Captian America's heart like Peggy is 'Before We Go', Alice is in wonderland as the super feverish Typhoid Mary character. Eve's Mary, enigmatic and majestic isn't just running up the water bill in her New York apartment, her Typhoid tyrant is something even immunisation can't get a handle on like twisted taps and leaky fossetts. Just try and call a super.
Or the cops. Because in yet another comic crossover for the small, smartphone screen shows that we only wish the silver screens would mirror, the metal arm of the law is back. As 'Luke Cage's angel of Harlem, Misty Knight soldiers up to this Winter weary season (the barefoot billionaire is now rocking hoodies and jackets straight out a Carhartt catalogue). And a simmering Simone Missick is not to be missed like all the guest stars and easter eggs on offer here like a Stan Lee police poster in this cracking sophomore (no slump) season. But some of the real stars and drama comes from the supporting cast and the sibling rivalry of Jessica Stroup and last seasons stealer Tom Pelphrey. Stroup owning her character and confidence like Streep and showing the devil inside wears more than Prada as she's done being designed or desired by male manipulation. She is her own, outstanding force of nature this season and she doesn't need Rand's dollars to make sense out of all this. Whilst the hauntingly compelling Pelphrey himself, who in real life is dating Lady Sif herself, 'Blindspot' primetime star Jaimie Alexander (now how's that for a comic crossover? Asgard may be a million realms away, but she's been spotted on earth before and we don't just mean tattooed in a bag in Times Square (see the 'Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.' first dossier) is soberingly slick and as raw and truly human as he is nuanced. Now stacking what could be the same circle of chairs Castle did with more AA meetings than he has planned interventions, Pelphrey shows self punishment and the tightrope line of recovery in all its inner demons and outer problems caused by these simmering to breaking point outbursts. One apartment, heart to heart, home truth talk with Danny about the inner dragon is tender and touching therapy that rumbles like its subtle punctuated thunder. But trying to hold this all together, the real MVP of this serial is Jessica Henwick. Who is so good she was even made an unofficial Defender in the ultimate crossover series. And here even with the dojo now rocking a (guess whose coming to) dinner table and comfy chairs she's far from the comfort of domestic bliss. Still with a heart locked into the rage of her cage fighting days, albeit this time taking it to the streets and where and who for the fight really needs to be. Her heart is the soul of this series as creator Scott Buck looks to buck the trend of all the fury this fist has received by the hand of critics. And how about the Iron man himself? Even looking the part of the original, costumed Iron Fist from training days bandana, to yellow face scarf that one ups the ante of the green and yellow Power Man hoodie in his Cage cameo. But the always unfairly chastised Jones, who has been criticized more times than Alexander O'Neal is as good as ever in the face of it all. Finn noses through all the jabs, ducking and weaving, refusing to play goose. A true maverick in this series, he holds it all in the palm of his hand and glows. Sure he's not immortal, but who is in this town? They even killed the green God of mischief Loki. But in looking after the dearly departed devil of Hells Kitchen patch of city, this heaven sent Iron Fist is no longer pulling any punches. So as great as this vast city looks, stop hammering Spider-Man on the PS4 for a binging second. As this neon knockout looks to light up the city and your phone screens like Times Square on New Year without dropping the ball. Holding the belt like Balboa moving forward. It's not how hard you hit, but how hard you get hit...and get back up champ. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'The Defenders', 'Luke Cage'-Season 2, 'Game Of Thrones'.
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