a dark and tortured vigilante in Marvel’s new psychological series

A new superhero has arrived in the Marvel universe: Moon Knight. The eponymous series, eagerly awaited by fans since its mystery announcement in November 2021, arrives on Wednesday March 30 on Disney+. A artwork dark signed in particular by Jeremy Slater, author known for his work as a screenwriter on the Netflix series Umbrella Academy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxcyFgJSpjQ

The series follows the adventures of Steven Grant, an employee of a museum gift shop. Victim of sleep disorders and memory loss, he is pursued by visions of another life. In fact, he suffers from dissociative identity disorder. During his “absences”, he becomes the mercenary Marc Spector. Steven will quickly be involved, against his will, in conflicts related to the Egyptian gods.

To mark his entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Moon Knight plays the intimacy card. The careful production takes up the codes of the thriller, focusing on the schizophrenia of its main character. The atmosphere is dark and the plot punctuated by several horrific scenes which accentuate the deranged and tortured nature of the main character.

The teams of Marvel Studios have chosen a more frontal orientation than usual for this sixth series, after the Wanda Vision, Loki and other Hawkeye. Like a fight club (a little) or a Total Recall (above all), we explore the hero’s perpetual quest for identity. Steven’s character quickly finds himself torn and lost, trying to find meaning in his miserable life and solve the mysteries of his duality. An original approach for a work stamped Marvel. “Without wanting to overdo it, I made sure that my artistic direction approached the theme of duality and darkness, like the main character.” we explains Mohamed Diab, director of Egyptian origin, one of the directors of the series. I just played with different ways of filming, especially with different frames, darkness, light reflection… to demonstrate the duality inside Steven“.

The main character played by actor Oscar Isaac (Dune, Star Wars 7, 8 and 9) bursts the screen with its inhabited performance. He embodies a two-faced hero with remarkable finesse and accuracy. A balancing act that makes him go from light to darkness sometimes instantaneously, especially in dialogue scenes where the two totally opposite facets of the hero confront each other.

Combining torment and humor in a morally ambiguous number, the 43-year-old American-Guatemalan actor makes a thunderous entry into the MCU, like the performance of a Robert Downey Jr., at his best in the movies. Ironman, or even the performance of a Josh Brolin in the skin of the titan Thanos in the saga Avengers. It’s a whole new caliber of heroes that Marvel Studios is looking to bring forth. “Marvel reinvents itself all the time. Here is a new light, a brand new kind of character and I’m proud to bring to life one of the most interesting protagonists in the universe of superhero series.” enthuses Mohamed Diab.

The Egyptian director will also give the reply to Ethan Hawke, in the role of a mysterious guru. The French actor Gaspar Ulliel will appear here in his last role, the series having been filmed before his death which occurred during of a skiing accident at the beginning of January. He plays Anton Mogart alias the criminal Midnight Man, one of the main antagonists of the series, presented during the first episodes as an exceptional thief and mercenary, excelling in the art of infiltration.

The series also offers its share of adventure scenes, largely inspired by films from the film saga IndianaJones by George Lucas or Benjamin Gates, bringing a certain amount of levity to the scenario. A risk-taking that contrasts quite radically with the ingredients of the thriller psychological put forward in the series, at the risk of disconcerting the spectators.

And of course, what would a work stamped Marvel without a dose of action? The new Disney + series is no exception to the rule by offering many spectacular scenes, between rhythmic chases and other beautifully choreographed fights. All against a backdrop of Egyptian mythology, with the appearance of reincarnations of ancient deities, such as the falcon-headed god Horus, Osiris or Anubis.

In addition, the hero embodies in person the avatar of the moon god Khonsu, which will prove to be both an asset during his adventure against his powerful enemies but also a curse, given the threat hanging over him during the very beginning of the series. Without revealing too much of the plot, this mythological framework spices up the story of the main character and feeds the desire of the public to learn more at each end of the episode. Often equated with “Marvel’s Batman”, Moon Knight and his ambivalent personality bring to the MCU a narrative track hitherto unexplored, which could well join the many arcs of the Marvel galaxy during its many projects to come.

Gender: action, super hero

Directors: Mohamed Diab, Justine Benson and Aaron Moorhead
Country : United States
Duration : 6 episodes
Exit in France : March 30, 2022
Distributer : Disney+

Synopsis : A discreet employee in a souvenir shop, Steven Grant suddenly suffers from memory loss and is haunted by visions of another life. He discovers that he suffers from dissociative identity disorder and that he shares the same body as a mercenary, Marc Spector. As the noose tightens on Steven / Marc, the two men, immersed in a perilous adventure among the powerful gods of Egypt, will have to find their balance in this double identity.