Â鶹´«Ã½

Entertainment

    • Oscar Isaac's 'Moon Knight' is a refreshing change of course for Marvel: TV Review

    Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight." (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios) Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight." (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios)
    Share
    LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) -

    Last year, Marvel made a serious run at using streaming TV to do something qualitatively different than what it does on the big screen.

    With "WandaVision," the first of its series to stream on Disney Plus, the studio used familiar characters to animate a story that, in its early going, was substantially more pliable and strange than what they were willing to attempt in a heavily leveraged movie.

    "WandaVision" played with the nature of its reality, and did so using characters familiar from more conventional works.

    That series ended up, in its final moments, reverting to form; despite terrific work by Elizabeth Olsen at its centre, the conclusion of "WandaVision" looked like a Marvel movie, which is to say professionally made, blunt, and familiar.

    It remains, though, as a signal of what Marvel is willing to attempt when it steps beyond its core franchises.

    Now the studio steps yet further out with "Moon Knight," its fifth live-action Disney Plus series, and its first to be solely based on a character who hasn't yet featured heavily in onscreen adventures.

    Here, Marvel's attempting to do something it hasn't lately done: Break a new character through the medium of TV.

    And "Moon Knight," an adventurous limited series, suggests a way forward for a content-creation engine that's come to feel overwhelming.

    There's a freshness to it that's enticing even for those outside the fandom.

    A huge part of that is owed to Oscar Isaac and to Ethan Hawke, two actors whom the series trusts with edgy material that makes the first "Doctor Strange" look, well, like Doctor Normal.

    We meet Isaac as Steven Grant, a museum gift-shop employee who's haunted by what happens in his mind when he sleeps, when he finds himself overtaken by a force he cannot understand.

    Eventually, it becomes clear that Isaac's playing a panoply of characters, the dissociative states of Marc Spector, an American-accented mercenary who shifts personae and manners and has become a human embodiment of the Egyptian god Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham).

    Meanwhile, Hawke plays cult leader Arthur Harrow, whose loyalty to the goddess Ammit leads him to an apocalyptic version of "healing" the world that necessitates removing a lot of its people.

    The two actors are locked in a battle for the future of Earth in which both call on the powers of ancient divinity -- and the intrigue comes from the fact that Isaac's characters are only fitfully aware of the rules of the game.

    May Calamawy plays a figure who attempts to bring Spector back into touch with himself, with flickering success.

    At times, "Moon Knight's" first four episodes resemble the early going of "WandaVision," which was similarly unabashed about using shifts in tone to convey the roiling of a mind troubled by the pressure of needing to save the world.

    Episodes are directed by Mohamed Diab and by the team of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, and the care all take with setting up a neat and tidy world to summarily destroy lends a unifying sense that anything could happen throughout "Moon Knight."

    Indeed, this new series feels liberated from certain pressures that held "WandaVision" in place.

    Marvel hasn't used TV to introduce new onscreen characters since its Netflix era, with shows like "Luke Cage" and "Jessica Jones"; those series were of variable quality, but all felt like attempts to map superhero sensibility onto familiar and somewhat safe styles of serialized TV.

    "Moon Knight" isn't unfamiliar, exactly -- the subjectivity-drenched psychodrama freakout is a prestige-cable staple -- but it's a new look for Marvel, and feels like an attempt for the dominant force in screen culture to try out new gears.

    Certainly it's exciting that the sort of work actors like Isaac and Hawke get to do when they inevitably end up doing their Marvel tour of duty can push this far into disorientation, into insecurity.

    "Moon Knight" drags a bit towards its middle; its fourth episode, the final one made available to critics, has some baggy moments ahead of a closing sequence that provides a much-need kickstart.

    And the show may yet wrap up with a bow, or use its final installment to explain how these characters really have a role to play in the next "Spider-Man" film.

    But there's a high-stepping riskiness to its first four episodes that is a good look for a studio that's often more careful than it is wild.

    Exploring other facets of the universe while trusting audience members not to wonder how it all connects has enabled Marvel to make a series that is finding its way towards a genuinely compelling portrait of dissociation, anchored by two terrific performances.

    The fact that it can be watched on its own terms is icing on the cake.

    "Moon Knight" premieres March 30 on Disney Plus.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    Canada

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

    • The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • Thousands of people gathered in downtown Vancouver Monday to observe the 100th Remembrance day ceremony at the Victory Square cenotaph, paying their respects to the Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

    • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.

    • Getting out to the mountains is even easier with a new bus route from a growing Germany-based service.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • The Fleet Street Pumping station is Ottawa's oldest water facility. Up to two-thirds of the city's water supply can move through it,

    • The company confirms it will open the new Chipotle at 5671 Hazeldean Road on Thursday, in the former location of Benny & Co.

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • Private Martine Roy was only 20 years old in 1984 when she was arrested, interrogated and dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces for being what was then termed a "sexual deviant."

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.

    • Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

    • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Thousands gathered at the RBC Convention Centre on Monday to bear witness to a sombre and historic Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • One Manitoba veteran is on a mission to commemorate and honour those who served our country, and not just on Remembrance Day.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Fire crews reported that no one was hurt after flames broke out in a home on Robinson Street in central Regina.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • The memory of Cpl. Poland is honored at the school where he once studied – every year, Errol Village Public School remembers the man that their school playground is dedicated to, and distributes the Corporal Brent Poland Eagle Award to a graduating student.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • A Barrie man is at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • The 75th anniversary of the Barrie Santa Claus Parade will feature floats, live entertainment, and new attractions, including Santa’s Fireside Gathering.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½