REVIEW #177 Moon Knight (Season 1)

Moon Knight is the latest Marvel character to get the Disney+ treatment. The series focuses on Steven Grant and Marc Spectre, both happen to be the same man who suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Struggling to come to terms with his condition, Steven is thrusted into a world of Egyptian mythology and finds out he is cursed with powers bestowed upon him by the Egyptian god Khonsu. 

Moon Knight is another strong addition to the MCU and the central protagonist is arguably the most complex character yet! The multiple personality disorder provides a unique storyline that Marvel has handled tremendously well, particularly in episode 5. However that level of storytelling wouldn’t have been possible without Oscar Isaac, who simply blew me away with his performance. His ability to transition between different characters, with different accents and mannerisms is fantastic and combined with the spectacular editing, it honestly looks like Isaac has an identical twin performing next to him. Now I have to say, six episodes was not enough, I could tell early on that the finale was going to feel rushed, it was still great but in my opinion, it did feel that way. Eight episodes would have been perfect but I understand the budget that these MCU shows require so I’m okay with it. Speaking of the budget, it’s clear a large portion was dedicated to the cinematography and special effects which were outstanding. Granted there were a few moments where the CGI was a little questionable but for the most part it created beautiful visuals for audiences to enjoy. We also had a really strong musical score, which brought the Egyptian themes to the forefront. The live action designs for the Moon Knight and Mr Knight suits was so cool, they looked great and definitely sit within my top 3 suits in the MCU for sure. Throughout the series it was clear they tried to incorporate some horror elements which worked so well, I just wish we got to see much more of it. I think the series would have worked much better with that darker tone being maintained throughout the entire 6 episodes. The typical Marvel humour didn’t feel as forced in Moon Knight compared to other projects but It did bring a slightly more lighthearted approach to the character. We witnessed glimpses of the brutality of Moon Knight, this was done through the moments where Marc and Steven blacked out and woke up surrounded by bodies. We didn’t get to see the Jake persona in full force but I imagine we will in future projects and hopefully that’s where we will see a darker Moon Knight. So to summarise I think this was one of the best MCU shows for sure, my favourite aspects were the character exploration, not only for Marc/Steven but for Layla too because she really grew on me. I can’t wait to see what’s next for these characters, I hope we don’t have to wait too long to see it!

(8/10)

Thanks for reading.

Callan