Review 648: Moon Knight

 

By this point in the MCU, it's apparent that the various movies and Disney+ shows are becoming increasingly defined by their settings and the worlds that they take place in: Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy are very much rooted in the cosmic side, Doctor Strange is exploring the Mystical side and Moon Knight is showcasing a lot of wondrous magic pataining to Egyptology and lore regarding deities and the afterlife.

Based on the Marvel Comics character Moon Knight by Doug Moench & Don Perlin; Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) is a mild-mannered gift shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder (DID) 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.

Just as how Thor (2011) and Black Panther were very much rooted in Norse Mythology and African culture respectively, Moon Knight is very much rooted in its exploration of Egyptology and lore about deities and the afterlife. That coupled with its Indiana Jones inspired sense of adventure makes for a very unique experience.

Much like Iron Man and and the aforementioned Doctor Strange, Moon Knight feels like a legitimate Marvel character-study. Marc's mental illness brings a unique aspect to the series which primarily focuses on his psychological trauma and how his duel personalities deal with that. Marc Spector and Steven Grant are entering repeated dissociative states, waking up in random places and loosing entire hours of their day. The show brilliantly analyzes Marc Spector's conceince and psyche. What is real or sense and what is unreal

As the stakes rise and the heat starts notching up, the adventure takes us into a more extreme version of Christopher Nolan's Inception where you're not sure what's feeding into what and then you don't care because Isaac's brilliant performance finds the perfect balance between the ruthlessness of Marc Spector and the quirky charm of Steven Grant.

Director's Mohamed Diab as well as Justin Benson & Aaron Moorshead's direction is stylish and   the score by Hesham Hazih is haunting and captures the dread and terror that is the titular character himself. The locations are stunningly beautiful; the Egypt setting in particular brings out a richness and a texture that sets it apart from the rest of the MCU. The special effects are terrific, the action scenes are brutal, intense and well choreographed. Because this is Disney+ show with a darker tone compared to what came before, the filmmakers have the freedom to get away with a lot more than a theatrical release. There's an uncompromising sing nature to the action that you just don't get from other MCU properties with the possible exception of the Daredevil Netflix series. The cinematography is winsome and captures the exoticness and

Oscar Isaac delivers a fierce and remarkable performance playing two (maybe three) minds trapped in a single body. Not since Daredevil has a superheroes disability been brought to the forefront of a superhero narrative. As Steven Grant, he's a quirky, bumbling museum gift shop employee; he's our in. Grant doesn’t have great social skills and is longing for connection. But as Marc Spector, he's a brutal, uncompromising and ruthless mercenary who serves as the avatar for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu.

Both Grant and Spector clash when the two personalities first become aware of each other which leads to a lot of funny moments mainly with them fighting control over the body.     

Ethan Hawke makes for a intimidating and charismatic villain playing Cult Leader Arthur Harrow, expertly nailing the character's manipulative, cultive personality and it's plausible that others would follow him on his quest. He believes that people should be judged and accordingly punished not just for the evil they’ve committed but for the evil they have yet to commit. Think Minority Report with Egyptian mythology thrown in for good measure.    

May Calamawy also impressed playing Layla El-Faouly, although she's basically an amalgamation of Marlene Alraune, Marc Spector's love interest from the comics and the Scarlet Scarab character from the comics. Layla is very much Marc's wife and partner thereby being his equal in many regards. Calamawy brought the right amount of feistiness and determination to the role.

F. Murray Abraham is very powerful playing the Egyptian Moon God Khonshu and provides the gravitas and strong sense of authority required for the role. An imperious, ruthless and vengeful deity who uses people for his own desires and often has little to no remorse for what fate might wait those whom he chooses as Avatars. He's aided by the devotion many have to him, the almost cult-like way   He's also unselfish and willing to sacrifice himself the same way he demands sacrifice from others.

One cast member that doesn't come into play until late into the series is Antonia Salib playing Taweret, the Egyptian Godess of Women and Children. Her sunny and optimistic nature coupled with Salib's dulcet voice bring some much needed levity to an other bleak and dark show.

Moon Knight shines bright in the darkness, 4.5/5.

The Anonymous Critic.