Where do I begin? Moon Knight is phenomenal in every sense of the word. The show is unlike anything that we’ve seen before in the MCU. Dark, trippy and wonderfully acted, Moon Knight is giving Hawkeye and Loki a run for their money when it comes to my favourite MCU series. Let’s get into why I loved Moon Knight.
The show is carried by the excellent leading performance of Oscar Isaac who has the difficult task of playing the roles. Isaac is both Marc Spector and Steven Grant in this show but his performance of each is so distinct that the viewer easily knows which character they are watching at any given moment. Isaac gives it is all in these roles and I think that fans will agree when I say that he has a bright future ahead of him in the MCU.
Other than Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy is probably my favourite part of the show. She plays Layla El-Faouly, a mysterious woman from Marc Spector’s past. This character was created for the show and Calamawy takes this role and makes it her own. In addition to her great performance, her chemistry with Isaac is incredible. I have not seen Calamawy in anything other than Hulu’s Ramy, but I am certain that this show will give her greater exposure and lead to many more opportunities in the future.
Ethan Hawke is terrifying in the role of Arthur Harrow. He took a VERY obscure comic book villain, who only appeared in one issue, and reformed him from a mad scientist to a brutal cult leader who will go to great lengths to get what he wants. Hawke’s performance is very subtle and nuanced and yet, he is still a formidable foe for Moon Knight.
The crew behind the show is excellent as well. Moon Knight was directed by Mohammed Diab and duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Diab is an Egyptian-born director and screenwriter who is known for delivering provocative and thoughtful material related to pressing issues in Egyptian culture. He is a perfect fit for a show that has strong ties to Egyptian mythology. For Diab, this is his big directorial debut in Hollywood and his first English speaking film, but it is clear this is also a love letter to his Egyptian heritage. I hope we see Diab do more work for Marvel Studios in the future. As for Benson and Moorhead, it’s now easy to see why they were hired for Loki‘s second season. They bring so much to the table and know how to tell a story well. The entire directing team brought their A-game for this show and I believe it will be a great success.
The tone of the show is very interesting and a bit of a shift for the MCU. The cast and crew refer to the show as Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Fight Club and I have to say, by the third episode, it’s clear that they are right. The show has a very different tone from the usually light-hearted MCU. Most of the jokes are quite dark in tone, and while this is a very dramatic shift, I loved it.
Something that really made an impression on me in Moon Knight is the story. It doesn’t rely on any lingering plotlines or returning characters to help move the story along. You will find yourself getting really invested in the characters and their arcs and will likely forget that this show takes place in the MCU. In fact, the MCU isn’t referenced once in the first four episodes and, but for the Marvel Studios logo at the beginning of every episode, you wouldn’t even know it was set in the MCU.
In case it isn’t already clear, I adored Moon Knight. It’s so great to see this character finally make the jump from the comic book pages and I think once fans see the show, they’ll agree that Moon Knight is here to stay and will be a big player in the MCU going forward.
One Take News 