Moon Knight
Moon Knight streaming from March 30th 2022 Directed by Mohamed Diab Starring Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy
Official Synopsis
Moon Knight follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc's enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt. - via Disney+
This review is spoiler-free.
Moon Knight is worth watching for Oscar Isaac’s performance alone. It may grapple with a muddled tone and at times camp CGI, but once you become accustomed to it’s quirkiness and unpredictable-ness, it becomes a strangely entertaining new addition to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Moon Knight is the first original show on Disney+ to introduce a new hero who has not previously been seen or mentioned, in any other shows or films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With only a brief mention of another piece of the MCU in Ep5, it reveals itself to be the most ‘detached’ Disney+ project we have seen so far. The story and characters have no current relation or past ties to any other MCU character or event, which is both refreshing and encouraging. Moon Knight is all the better for it.
Moon Knight challenges the audience to view this miniseries (and other potential upcoming MCU miniseries on Disney+) as an entertaining, self-supporting entity that can exist within this universe without being constrained by pre-established or ongoing narratives.
This independence is not only beneficial for the greater MCU in general, but it also benefits the viewers who may not be up-to-date with the jam-packed cinematic universe. Unlike Wandavision, TFATWS, Loki and Hawkeye, Moon Knight does not follow up on a storyline or tie up loose ends. No prior MCU knowledge is required to fully enjoy it, so it will most likely appeal to a much broader audience.
Moon Knight was teased to be a ‘tonal shift’ from existing Disney+ shows, being ‘more violent and physically brutal’ . In part, this reveals itself to be true within the first two episodes, with the main character being splattered in blood on more than one occasion (but nowhere near the level of explicit violence shown in the Netflix MCU shows such as The Punisher or Daredevil). However, this darker tone fails to stick. In some episodes, it fluctuates wildly from violent action to family-friendly, treasure-hunting adventure. The same can be said about the special effects: we have a formidable depiction of the Egyptian god Khonshu, and the suit, but it is often followed by questionable, campy displays of magical light or gusts of wind. Among all this, however, is the ever-brilliant Oscar Isaac.
Where the muddled, darker tone of the production fails, Oscar Isaac’s depiction of Marc Spector / Stephen Grant succeeds. His performance alone is engaging enough to recommend watching it. Moon Knight had a risky challenge: introduce a new hero who navigates dissociative identity disorder whilst fighting enemies, and incorporating it into the plot without being exploitative. A sensitive topic, but one that Oscar Isaac manages to pull off impressively well. The relationship that builds between the different identities reveals itself to be the main pillar of the show, both in terms of narrative and emotional punch: his ability to switch between them, often in the same frame, keeps the audience engaged and the momentum of the show going.
Moon Knight finishes it’s 6 episode run with a visually captivating and emotionally-packed finale, which a twist and a tease for viewers. Oscar Isaac’s performance redeems the weaker elements of the show. Nonetheless, it remains an entertaining new piece of the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe puzzle.