Review 770: Wonder Man

Aspiring Hollywood actor Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is struggling to get his career off the ground. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), an actor whose biggest roles may be well behind him, Simon learns legendary director Von Kovak (Superman: Legacy's Zlatko Buric) is remaking the superhero film "Wonder Man." These two actors at opposite ends of their careers doggedly pursue life-changing roles in this film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.

It feels refreshingly small stakes, more character-focused than previous outings. It dispenses with the origin story and big special effects heavy spectacle in exchange for 

If there were no superhero's or MCU connections in Wonder Man, then it would be a sly satire on the performing arts that was about two struggling actors who 

Given that most MCU/Disney+ shows up to this point has been a one and done affair, it's unclear when we'll next see Simon Williams. (Minor spoiler warning), the way the show ended with Simon breaking Trevor out of DODC prison makes us wonder what the ramifications and fallout of that will be going forward? How did Simon get his Ionic powers? No idea. When does this take place in the MCU? Couldn't tell you. I raise these points not as criticisms of the show, but to point out the potential for future stories involving Simon/Wonder Man and his faithful sidekick Trevor Slattery. 

Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously directed the excellent Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings leads a directing team consisting of James Ponsoldt, Tiffany Johnson & Stella Meghie and they all do a stellar job of handling the  the score by Joel P. West is   the costumes are excellent giving each character a distinct look, Simon dresses in casual clothes like a denim jacket and jeans, Trevor is outfits are more eccentric due to his history of collecting items while also reflecting his new zen attitude, whereas Janelle costumes are more exaggerated and colourful reflecting her boisterous personality. 

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & Ben Kingsley are an inspired double act. On of the one had, we have this young, fresh aspiring actor who's trying to break into  paired with this thespian who's been in the acting for some time and is now fading from the limelight, gotten embroidered in some terrorist activities 

What sets Wonder Man apart from other superheroes is that he doesn't really care for his powers, he just wants to make it in as an actor. Simon is an aspiring actor struggling to get his big break in Hollywood. He has artistic ambitions and is trying to balance his own need to express himself with the realities of having to make money in this business. Simon represents the actor who is unknown, talented and passionate and just needs a break. 

If you had told me back in 2013 when Kingsley made his debut as Trevor Slattery in Iron Man 3, that he'd become a recurring character, I would have laughed out loud.   Wonder Man is a wonderful opportunity to bring out a more sensitive side to Trevor, a character who up to this point has primarily been played for laughs. This miniseries shows that Trevor, at his heart, is a kind person. While he has fallen amongst thieves, but he has made an attempt to restore himself and made a consorted attempt to be the actor his mother always dreamed he could be. This series shows that there's a lasting bond between him and his late mother and it's that ambition which drives him to justify himself in the eyes of her. That dedication to his craft makes an ideal mentor figure of sorts for Simon; an actor of a younger generation who's struggling to be seen and heard. Instead of bringing the accusatory or the envious or the diminishing out of Trevor, Simon brings something very kind and Trevor does openly and willingly volunteer to advise, guide and help Simon which is an attractive quality which has a lot to do with the heartfelt relationship between these two people. That one has something to say and the other is eager to listen.

There's a formidable force of nature in Wonder Man and that is actress & comedian X Mayo as Janelle Jackson, Simon's agent. Loyal, tenacious and never one to let an opportunity go to waste.

With two excellent lead actors, the rest of the supporting cast gets overshadowed   supporting players like Simon's mother, Martha (Shola Adewusi), his brother Eric (Demetrius Grosse), girlfriend Vivian (Olivia Thirlby) and Agent P. Cleary (Arian Moayed returning from Spider-Man: No Way Home & Ms. Marvel) feel thinly sketched at best and like stock characters at worst. Cleary, in particular, sticks out like a sore thumb because he's never amounted to more than a slightly cliched government stooge.