The following is a non-spoiler review for all six episodes of Moon Knight. For spoiler-filled reviews of each episode, check out our episodic breakdowns below.
Moon Knight: Series Premiere Review
Moon Knight Season Finale Review
Most of the time, introducing a new, central character to the MCU involves an origin story. Sure, previous to Phase 4 we met Spider-Man after the spider bite, and now we're being introduced to the next generation of heroes like Kate Bishop, Echo, and Monica Rambeau, and other characters whose beginnings are tied to, or infused with, established players. But Moon Knight, to its credit, plays things differently. It gives us, more or less, the end of a costumed hero's story, picking things up in Act Three and then filling in the gaps for us as the story progresses. Anchored by a fierce and moving performance by Oscar Isaac, this mind-bending saga, which also juggles a few mystery elements, stands out in all the best ways from perhaps some of the more cut-and-paste aspects of the MCU.
For one, it doesn't concern itself much with the MCU. This might be a boon for some and a curse for others, depending on how much you want your chocolate to touch your peanut butter. This was supposedly the draw for Isaac, who only signed on for one season, leading many to believe that not only was this a completely standalone story, but it was also a one-and-done, season-wise. Whether that turns out to be the case is unknown at this point, but the fact that, within the design of the show, Moon Knight as a costumed crusader already exists at the start of the series, and has existed as a lethal supernatural vigilante for years, is a good indicator that the show is an isolated affair. And given the special circumstances of Isaac's lead character, it makes sense why this would be a confounding, compartmentalized story. Much of it is a loop, with signals going both ways: that everything is an illusion or the illusionary aspects are part of a more devious plot meant to trick our hero.
Sadly, if Moon Knight is forever destined to remain detached from the MCU (there are a few verbal nods to other MCU things, but not enough to matter), then this show is hogging a lot of wondrous magic pertaining to Egyptian mythology and lore about deities and the afterlife. The series can certainly operate on its own, but there are still moments where you'll wish characters and concepts could bust out and play around in the larger sandbox down the line. And with this unique and rarely explored supernatural backdrop also comes some extraordinary special effects, ranging from spinning the night sky like a globe to sailing giant boats through sand dunes of destiny to monstrous Kaiju-style brawls between towering gods.
Marc Spector/Steven Grant
Isaac carries the bulk of Moon Knight with his remarkable portrayal of two minds inhabiting one body. It feels almost too strange to say that he anchors the series, since his character is often befuddled, unreliable, and in the dark. To that end, co-stars Ethan Hawke and May Calamawy are the more solid characters as they begin the series with an actual idea of what's come before. Steven Grant -- a bumbling, disheveled, rom-com-style museum gift shop employee -- knows nothing about nothing and he's our in. So the series is designed to hit you with a barrage of questions right out of the gate as Steven deals with what he believes to be a sleepwalking condition. Still, we're keen enough to realize that a person who perhaps was not designed to ignore and deflect trauma and sadness would seek medical attention for these kind of extreme blackouts and time-loss.
It's enough to let us know that there's something wrong with both the world of the show and also Steven himself. He's not reacting like someone should react, except in heightened circumstances when he's confronted by something powerfully crazy. And even then, his next step is usually to just go right back into his life. As the story progresses, and the answers flow in, Isaac meets every acting dynamic challenge with superb skill, whether it's arguing with reflections, acting opposite himself or an insane, bellowing creature, or navigating his own mind's "organizing principles." As the stakes raise and the adventure takes us into a more extreme version of Total Recall -- where you're not sure what's feeding into what, whether Moon Knight is the disease or the cure -- Isaac is always real and truthful to every moment, running the full gamut of emotions and action.
Not only is this an exploration of what it might be like to be a superhero with Dissociative Identity Disorder, but also if you were hand-picked by a opportunistic cosmic being because of said disorder, with the intention of manipulation. It's here that Isaac's Marc Spector, the mercenary who agreed to Egyptian god Khonshu's terms and conditions, exhibits aspects of David Haller from the Marvel comics (though mostly from FX's Legion's take on Haller). Anyhow, because Isaac is so good, it doesn't even matter that Moon Knight, in full costume and battling bad guys, is the least interesting part of it all. In fact, the show even knows this well enough to take Moon Knight out of the picture for a good chunk of the season. The idea here may have even been that if Moon Knight, as a hero, was at all fun to watch, we'd have started this story from the beginning.
Layla, the Tomb Raider
At first introductions, Calamawy's Layla feels undercooked and underserved. By the time the tale transports itself to Cairo, though, and she's able to be more than just the perplexed wife Marc thinks he's protecting by shunning, she's able to grow into a much more complex and complete character as a crafty Indiana Jones-type hero capable of outsmarting soldiers, besting ghouls, and quirkily falling for both sides of Marc in a Bizarre Love Triangle™ that feels genuine and not forced.
Like the story's villain and even Moon Knight itself, Layla isn't needed in every episode (since the crux of the season involves Marc and Steven's clarification and alignment), but she's still a very cool calling card for the series. As one hero's journey seemingly comes to an end, another's begins. Layla rarely finds herself in the usual traps of sidekicks or love interests, though the finale still has rushed elements, as most Marvel finales do in their attempt to sew up every snag while also ramping up the CGI-driven action.
Arthur Harrow, the Bad Guy with a Good Idea (but a Bad Plan for It)
Moon Knight boasted two stars who were attracted to the project, apparently, because of its untethered nature. Movie vet Hawke was a major participating force here as Harrow, the cult leader baddie looking to pre-crime the entire world, sending anyone, no matter how old or young, to the cruel sands of the Duat if the goddess Ammit deems their hearts unworthy. Here, Hawke got to revel in the quiet intensity he's honed over decades on screen, giving Harrow a humbleness and a true purpose.
As a "by any means necessary" villain, Harrow is a nice foil/reflection for the Khonshu side of the equation in which the "good guys" are pawns of a god who has his own major gaps in morality. Only trifle separates Khonshu and Ammit, with Khonshu's only saving grace being that he believes punishment should follow a crime, and not precede it (the only thing he has in common with Steve Rogers?). So both camps here are kind of warped and both are fueled by a dangerous fervency. Thematically, it's another interesting play by Marvel Studios, which likes to ensure its big bads have more going on than just world domination. Honestly, at this point, a simple-minded conquerer might be refreshing in its own way.
Hawke was instrumental in helping craft the character of Harrow, who, as a name, just appeared in the Moon Knight comics briefly. He's such a quiet storm that when he does act out, in large supernatural ways, particularly in the finale (where villains tend to get reduced to banal form), it makes a much bigger impact. Likewise, that whispery earnestness is a good counterbalance for Isaac's Steven Grant, who's often in a state of mental shambles.
Enhancing the Action
With nearly 15 years under its belt, the MCU has found itself in a spot where you really have to do something special to grab fans with an action sequence. After the Russo brothers' Winter Soldier/Civil War/Endgame extravaganzas, it's way harder to thrill with the "pew pews" and "ka-pows." That feels counterintuitive since, like, who wouldn't want to see superheroes doing superhero stuff? But, yeah, something needs to be going on --, something deeper now -- for these action moments to pop. Like, for example, three Spider-Men, right? (Spider-Mans?) Anyhow, Moon Knight, sometimes called Marvel's Batman (for reasons that don't really apply nowadays), isn't particularly thrilling to watch. They didn't crack the code here on that baseline level.
But they did provide that "something deeper." Again, we're joining this story as it ends. Years and years have gone by with boring Moon Knight fights. Now things are going to get crazy. Marc's recent mental split, in which he has very little control over his shifts, gives this Moon Knight a bit more looniness to show us, hence the "Mr. Knight" suit and the overall struggle accomplish anything. By the end, in a finale that still engages in a few super-short cuts, Moon Knight's final bow is a wonderful culmination of character work and very much helps the action stand out as something entertaining rather than mundane. To that end, the use of the Egyptian gods and having an entire series representing this ancient culture makes for a fascinating watch -- even beyond the DID aspects, the narrative trickery, and the thin line between good and evil.
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