As with any new Marvel series or Marvel Studios film, the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Moon Knight — has gotten a lot of attention. The series premiered on Disney+ on March 30, with its launch being celebrated in the Louvre museum of all places — and now that the Marvel show is streaming on Disney+, it’s time to take a look at the first episode!
Oscar Isaac plays Steven Grant and Marc Spector in the new Marvel series Moon Knight, and this particular actor is known for his dramatic, serious roles, so it’s no surprise that the critically-acclaimed actor has chosen a Marvel show that is unlike any Marvel series that came before it.
“It’s kind of a mess,” Oscar Isaac joked when discussing the Marvel comics that inspired the Marvel series. “[Moon Knight is] quite a mutable character.” In Moon Knight, Oscar Isaac’s character Steven Grant is a run-of-the-mill citizen who struggles with blackouts and unfamiliar memories. He soon learns that he has Disassociative Identity Disorder and that he is actually ‘sharing’ his body with someone else: Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight, who is an Egyptian mercenary from ancient Egypt.
An unreliable narrator is always an intriguing addition to a storyline, because it means that viewers can’t really be sure of anything that they’re seeing onscreen. We already know that Steven Grant has a skewed understanding of what’s going on in the plot, so it stands to reason that we’ll be kept on our toes throughout the series!
Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke also promises to be an interesting villain in this new series; he is playing cult leader Arthur Harrow, and has specifically pointed out to viewers that the main character’s unreliable perspective might even put Harrow’s status as a “villain” into question. He might not really be a villain, because the audience can’t trust anything from Steven Grant!
“The whole thing really is a story of a struggle with mental illness,” Oscar Isaac said to BBC, and that definitely rings true in this Marvel show. If Marvel movies like the Avengers films and Marvel shows like Hawkeye are the popular students leading a pep rally, Moon Knight is the pensive and conflicted student hiding behind the bleachers — so while there are definitely some adrenaline-inducing action scenes, the overarching theme of the bizarre show is not superhero landings and epic blockbuster moments!
If you prefer to see more wholesome, PG Marvel superheroes, then Moon Knight might not be for you. However, if you would like to see some gritty, raw, and emotional drama interspersed with some cool fight moves, then it might be right up your alley!
