Marvel’s latest superhero is ready to shake up the cinematic universe, giving viewers an unexpected journey through ancient mythology, frightening adventures, and a whole new kind of power. Starring Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight follows Steven Grant, a lonely British Museum employee whose world is shaken by discovering he’s the vessel to an Egyptian moon god.
First debuting in 1975, the character leaps onto our screens—and into the MCU—with an adaptation sure to satiate fans looking to see something more unique. Going beyond an action-adventure as series creator Jeremy Slater is clearly on a mission to bring more horror elements into the show, something he’s quite familiar with. It offers some genuinely tense and creepy moments, especially when our protagonist has his eyes open to the truth.
It feels within Marvel’s wheelhouse but pushes the boundaries to develop its own tone and identity. It’s complex in the psychological aspects between the characters that Isaac is juggling, and he nails it. Overall the series has some very smart writing, but his performance takes it to a different level. Conflicted characters are being unveiled and it’ll be so interesting to see how he further develops them.
The series also carries a lot of beauty, with some exceptional costume design and set pieces. The full hero ensemble is stunning, and its big reveal in the show left me with chills. Directors Mohamed Diab, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead create a lot of impact in their storytelling (the latter two with plenty of horror filmmaking experience, I should mention). There’s a lot of great visual appeal in general.
Each episode feels cinematic, and the CGI versus practical effects feels seamless. Particularly with the look of the gods, which again adds to the horror piece with their powerful skeletal appearance. And it all comes together with stellar editing. Giving viewers a sort of mind-bending experience, most notably when playing with the character’s perspective between identities.
While I’ve only watched the first four episodes, there’s something so intriguing about everything I’ve seen so far — quickly becoming one of my favorite Marvel series. And Ethan Hawke is also making his mark as a truly insidious villain that’ll captivate viewers.
A lot of fun is to be had with Moon Knight, even if it does feel more mature for the most part. Isaac does a great job of balancing some of the more humorous moments before spiraling back into the darkness. And since it’s a more intricate narrative and character, I’m glad we’ll have the series to familiarize ourselves with him before he (eventually) joins the full MCU.
Moon Knight starts streaming on Disney+ on March 30
Jordy Reviews It 
Having only seen the first episode, I love how disconnected it feels from the rest of the MCU.
Moon Knight is like Marvel’s answer to The Mandalorian (at least Mando season 1). Not every story has to be about world/universe ending catastrophe to be great! Sometimes smaller, more character-driven plots are the best.
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Totally agree! I’m definitely a big fan of the big MCU connected series, like WandaVision, but I especially love how separate this feels. It lets the character breathe on its own and it’s a great way to intro in new characters.
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