Secret Invasion streams new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.
Synopsis
Nick Fury learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by Skrulls.
Review
It’s hard to believe it but it’s been 10 months since Marvel Studios debuted a new series on Disney+. In the time since She-Hulk hit our screens plenty has been written about superhero fatigue, the state of Marvel’s slate and even the future of streaming content itself. Post-pandemic, post-Endgame, it felt like Marvel needed a surefire hit and based on this episode, Secret Invasion is just what the doctor ordered.
The series absolutely falls in to the same category of MCU projects as Winter Soldier, Black Widow and Falcon and the Winter Soldier. It sits squarely in the murky waters of politically-charged, espionage thriller. But unlike Falcon and the Winter Soldier, this first episode of Secret Invasion feels like a fully-fledged TV series and not a movie cut in to smaller chunks.
Much of this first episode is set in Russia and kicks off with a very familiar face, Agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman). The scene is perfectly set for the series as Ross seemingly attempts to secure information on what the Skrull forces are doing on Earth. Writers Kyle Bradstreet and Brian Tucker encapsulate the aesthetic that Secret Invasion is hoping to portray in this one scene. There’s spy-talk, double-crossing, a chase, a death and a big reveal. What more could we ask for from an MCU series?
That all comes before the stylish and AI-generated opening credit sequence. It seems fitting that in a series that will make us question every character motivation and identity that the opening sequence be created by the most dubious and questionable force in the real world today. The opening sequence gives us our first chance to appreciate composer Kris Bowers (Chevalier) for his brilliant score. It feels very grown up and worlds away from the usual superhero fair. It’s going to be exciting to see how the series develops musically across six episodes.
There’s no escaping the prerequisite introductions and setup required to get Secret Invasion off the starting block. Whilst fans will be familiar with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Maria Hill (guest star Cobie Smulders) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), there are plenty of new faces that we need to get used to. “Resurrection” introduces us to three major new players: G’iah (Emilia Clarke, Games of Thrones), Sonia (Olivia Colman, Heartstopper) and Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir, Peaky Blinders).
It’s Clarke who gets the most screen time, finally revealing just who she is and how she fits in to this world. Her character provides the much-needed grey area between the bad Skrulls (Gravik) and the good Skrulls (Talos). It’s clear she’s somewhat caught in the middle and that adds extra tension to the events in this episode as the viewer is left to try and interpret her actions. But it’s Colman who makes the biggest impression. Sonia has, so far, come across as very Colman-esque. She’s fast-talking and has a sharp wit to her character. It’s clear she has a history with Fury that needs to be explored but for now her inclusion feels like perhaps one piece too many on an already busy chess board.
The grounded nature of Secret Invasion pulls back on the huge visuals that Marvel is known for. Harking back to those other espionage style movies and shows, Secret Invasion is more practical and more intimate. It works well and means the production can use its VFX budget for bigger impact. There’s plenty of shape-shifting Skrulls and those transformations look great for the most part. The final set piece in Russia is as big as it gets this episode and is both tense and engaging.
This is certainly a strong start for Marvel Studios…
Verdict
An incredibly self-assured and scintillating debut. Secret Invasion feels like a create breath of fresh air for Marvel Studios and is easily their most exciting Disney+ debut since WandaVision.
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