Moon Knight is finally upon us, and so far it is looking to be the best Disney Plus series Marvel Studios has produced. Join us for our spoiler-free Moon Knight review that will cover our general thoughts on the first four episodes of Moon Knight, as well as anything that’s been revealed via trailers or interviews. So don’t worry about being spoiled, we’re here for you. Now let’s get on with our review of Moon Knight.
Moon Knight producers have been clear that the series does not connect to the existing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While that is accurate, it still feels like everything is taking place within the MCU. Think of it like Guardians of the Galaxy. It had very few ties to the existing MCU, but it took fans into the cosmic sector of the MCU and has expanded on it in a number of ways since that introduction. Moon Knight essentially does the same thing for the supernatural side of the MCU, and with Blade, Werewolf by Night, and more on the way over the next few years, Moon Knight is a great place to start.
Unlike many of the previous Disney Plus shows, Moon Knight absolutely hits the ground running and doesn’t let up until well into episode three. While The Falcon and the Winter Soldier opened with a fun action sequence, it quickly slowed down, almost as if to let the audience catch up. Moon Knight moves at a brisk pace throughout the entire first two episodes, and even when it does finally begin to slow down, it’s not for very long.
That’s not to say Moon Knight is hard to follow. In fact, Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) is playing the role of the audience. As he starts to figure out what’s going on around him, so does the viewer. There’s even a bit of shaky cam to better visualize that Steven (and in turn, the audience) doesn’t really understand what’s going on. It’s a very unique viewpoint that explores mental health in a fun, yet respectful way.
There aren’t many supporting characters in Moon Knight, and that’s intentional. Most of the characters who matter are all played by Oscar Isaac, or stuck inside Steven Grant’s head. This is easily one of Isaac’s best performances as he jumps back and forth between Steven Grant and Marc Spector. Comic book fans will be pleased to see how much of the comics are represented within the Moon Knight series.
What’s been changed from the comics to the MCU are all good changes that enhance the material. Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) is essentially a cult leader in the Disney Plus series, but in the comics, he was a doctor with a relatively small role to play in the grander scheme of Moon Knight. Now, he is a villain who can relate to what Steven is going through better than almost any other villain to hero dynamic in the MCU. Perhaps only Loki and Thor have a better hero-to villain dynamic, back when Loki was actually a villain.
The voice of Khonshu (F. Murray Abraham) is booming throughout the series. Is he real? Is he a figment of Steven’s imagination? You’ll have to find out as the series progresses, but Khonshu is not only a powerful Egyptian god, he’s also got jokes. These aren’t your typical Marvel jokes either. The humor will still be familiar to Marvel fans, but it’s darker and much more relevant to what’s going on in Steven’s world. Khonshu isn’t just a funny sidekick like Korg (Taika Waititi) or Luis (Michael Peña), he makes dark jokes about serious situations, and it works really well.
Even after watching four episodes, it’s difficult to predict how Moon Knight will end. In that regard, it’s similar to WandaVision. People will certainly be blowing up social media talking about some of these episodes, trying to figure out exactly what’s going on and where these characters are heading next. There’s a small amount of convenience that holds the plot back a bit, but it’s a minor complaint and the only small issue that can be found within the first four episodes of the series.
If you’ve been a fan of the other Disney Plus Marvel shows, Moon Knight could easily be one of your new favorites. If you just thought the other shows were okay, there’s a decent chance Moon Knight will bring you into the fold and make you want more. Moon Knight does so much right, it’s exciting to think that one of the writers will be shifting over to the upcoming Nova project.
About MOON KNIGHT
Synopsis: A former U.S. Marine, struggling with dissociative identity disorder, is granted the powers of an Egyptian moon god. But he soon finds out that these newfound powers can be both a blessing and a curse to his troubled life.
Directors: Mohamed Diab, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Writers: Jeremy Slater, Peter Cameron, Sabir Pirzada, Beau DeMayo, Michael Kastelein, Alex Meenehan
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, Gaspard Ulliel, F. Murray Abraham
Number of Episodes: 6
Average Episode Length: 45 Minutes
Releases: Weekly episodes on Disney+ starting March 30th, 2022
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
