I find it difficult to adequately review a story where the ending has not yet been revealed. So much hinges upon a tale’s ending and a poor one, yes I am looking at you Game of Thrones, can wreck all that came before it. However, to build conversation Disney+ and Marvel Studios have opted for the week-by-week release format and so here are my thoughts on Moon Knight with just two episodes released. (It seems quite wrong to refer to them as ‘aired’ when they exist on a streaming service and not a broadcast one.)
Freed from the shackles that had once forbidden reference magic or time travel, both elements now firmly embedded with the greater MCU, Moon Knight embraces mysticism and ancient gods
Image: Marvel Studios
as the titular character is an avatar for an Egyptian deity devoted to justice. An additional level of complexity and complication is that the story’s protagonist suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, (DID), commonly known as ‘split personality’. Steven Grant is a quiet, unassuming English gift shop employee with an interest in Egyptology, but when asleep or under stress, the personality of Marc Spector, and tough capable American Mercenary, emerges. Chased by enemies Marc has instigated by stealing a mystical artifact from a secretive Egyptian cult, Steven learns that not only is his world unlike anything he has imagined but that everyone’s fate may be tied to his own.
Oscar Isaac delivers a subtle but large performance at Steven/Marc with only minimal changes to his hair styling as a visual cue to the currently dominate personality. Ethan Hawke is charming, controlled, and fanatical Arthur Harrow, devote to rival Egyptian god, and the leader of the cult pursuing Steven/Marc. The supporting characters as of episode two have had only cursory development but the writing is strong enough that they hold promise we can hope will be fulfilled.
Overall, the series is engaging, mysterious, and worth watching more episodes. We can hope that they don’t muff the ending. After the disappointment of Eternals is it good to see that Marvel can still launch a new cast of characters now the question is can they land them?
