Tag: Disney

Feature Length Films

Mr. Khan’s Review on The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Hollywood feature length film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025). The feature length is directed by Matt Shakman. The film stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is the third reboot of the characters of Fantastic Four on the silver screen and the first time they have been integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Matt Shakman
  • Screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer
  • Cinematography by Jess Hall
  • Edited by Nona Khodai and Tim Roche
  • Music by Michael Giacchino
  • Produced by Kevin Feige
  • Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

+ Note

After the conclusion of the ‘Third Phase’ of Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has struggled to maintain its box office dominance that it once had. With the introduction of the new streaming service ‘Disney +’, the output of Marvel content dramatically increased which directly led to decrease in quality of the content. On the other hand, Fantastic Four had been a movie property of 20th Century Fox and the studio has tried twice to make the brand a viable movie franchise. In order to regain the rights of their Marvel characters, Disney ended up purchasing 20th Century Fox altogether (which included the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties), ready to be used and integrated in their cinematic universe. And thus, we have this year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. 

After many mediocre attempts, Marvel Studios is desperate to regain the trust of its core and casual audience by placing a lot of care and attention to the first modern Superhero family of comics. 

 + Main Cast

  1. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
  2. Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
  3. Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing
  4. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch
  5. Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer

+ Plot

In Earth 828, the Fantastic Four protect the Earth and its inhabitants. They are already an established force with the support of the US government and its people. But when an alien lifeform visits New York City and warns them of the inevitable destruction of their entire planet at the hands of a cosmic entity named Galactus, the Fantastic Four must do everything to ensure that they are capable of protecting the earth and its people. 

+ High Points

i – Fantastic Four, on the silver screen, has always spelled disaster. Whether its the non-released Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four (1994), the clunky, comedic 2005 film or the disastrous, ultra dark 2015 film by Josh Trank. It was proven time and time again that Fantastic Four cannot be adapted to the big screen. Until now…

Yes. The Fantastic Four: First Steps accomplishes what others failed to do so. Kevin Feige (the producer) and Marvel Studios took their time and attention to adapt the charm, goofiness and the adventurous nature of Fantastic Four to their cinematic universe. As a long time fan of Fantastic Four from the comics (especially the Lee/ Kirby era), I was relieved to see the characters faithfully portrayed without overstepping their boundaries.

ii – As mentioned above in the Plot section, the film takes place on Earth 828. I believe this was a smart move as this led the writers to not carry the “baggage” of previous 15 or so MCU films. No questions can come up like “Why doesn’t Iron man or Avengers come and help?” or “Where were they when Thanos was whipping half of the earth’s population?”. It’s a self contained universe with Fantastic Four being the only Superheroes. The film obviously gives a very “1960s vibe” but doesn’t specifically state it out loud. Most likely a “Fantastic Four meet the Jetsons” look. The superhero team has an established headquarters, has the faith of the US government and its people and fights monsters and super villains on a regular basis. Which is why I’m glad that they kept the Fantastic Four universe separate from the rest…. At least for now. Eventually, we all want them to interact with the other superheroes but for now, they need to have their own separate adventure.

iii – I found the plot and the pacing of the film quite different from any other Marvel film I have seen before. The film takes its time to introduce the brand new world to the audiences, no constant quips or jokes that undercut a dramatic scene, the three act structure itself plays very “low key” and forgoes the importance of forced universe building over focusing on the central plot of this film alone. It clearly shows that Marvel did finally listen to its criticisms and tiredness of the “Marvel formula” being forced into each and every one of their films and acted upon it.

iv – The characterizations of all four protagonists was well executed. Whether it’s the brilliant but complex thoughts of Reed Richards, the down to earth approach of Sue Storm, the cocky yet heroic Johnny Storm or the loveable yet tragic figure of Ben Grimm; none of their character traits were ever forced or overstayed their welcome. They all played their parts well and had a reason to be there. The character that the audiences were most skeptical about was Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards and honestly, I think he did a much better job than I would’ve hoped for. Ultimately yes, it does seem like Pascal is holding a lot of his “charm” but that was not required for this role. Reed Richards as a character is an anomaly of this world. His brilliant mind alienates him from the rest of his family but at the same time, Reed knows that he cannot live without them.

I also thought that Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm was incredible who went beyond the stereotype of “the only girl of the team” by having no real motive in the plot of the film. She actually had some of the biggest setpieces of the film centered around her which was great. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm was of course, cocky and head on but never overplayed his role. His quips and comedic antics were lowkey and fit perfectly to the tone of the film.

v – As mentioned above, the futuristic 1960s aesthetic of the film is very charming and pleasant to watch. The addition of H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot from the cartoon show was a great move which cemented the “Jetsons’ vibe “ even further.

vi – One aspect that is almost always mediocre in superhero films (especially Marvel films) is the score of the film. Every dramatic set piece of the film was accompanied by Michael Giacchino’s outstanding music that elevated the scene even further. It’s perhaps comical to even mention this but while watching the film, I actually noticed the music being played in the background! Hallelujah! 

vii – Speaking of setpieces, the second act of the film when the Fantastic Four visit outer space was amazing and truly, one of the best scenes of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. It captured the essence of the source material so perfectly. 

+ Low Points

i – Because of the film’s unusual pacing, some viewers might find the film “dull” and I can understand it to some extent. The tone of the film is deliberately sombre and lowkey. The emotions do not flare up and the superhero team discusses its matters in a more calm and collective way (at least for the most part). So if you’re a fan of previous MCU films, watch this film with an open frame of mind. It is a stand alone film and refrains from any previous MCU events.

ii – Even though I liked that they mostly skipped the “origin story” aspect and replaced it with newsreels explaining the characters and their backstories, I felt like it was a bit too short for my liking. A little more explanation of these characters and their superpowers would’ve been welcomed. The first half of the film is at times, rushing through the plot points and would have preferred if the film stopped and took a deep breath before moving forward.

iii – Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm was not as much explored as I would have liked. In the earlier comics, the fact that Ben was the only one in the group who got turned into a hideous monster tears him emotionally apart. He is the only member of the group dissatisfied with his new found powers and questions his own mortality. In the film, we get to witness that very briefly before moving on with the storyline. Maybe a lot of such character building scenes ended up on the cutting room floor but they could have kept some of it as the film is less than 2 hours (including credits!).

iv – I’m not sure if having Galactus as the antagonist in the very first film was the right choice. Having a cosmic entity leaves very little room to “humanize” the villain so there’s almost nothing that the Fantastic Four can bounce off of when it comes to interacting with the enemy (so to speak). Its well known fact that the MCU is saving Dr. Doom for the upcoming Avengers films so they couldn’t work with him either I suppose.

v – Julia Garner as Silver Surfer also felt “underexplored”. I realise that Silver Surfer was transformed into a woman for the film so that Johnny could have someone outside to interact with but we never really get to understand her backstory until this brief scene near the end of the film which also felt rushed and unsatisfying. 

+ Overall

This film is exactly what it says in the tagline: ‘First Steps’. And these steps are essential in making Fantastic Four a doorway to Marvel’s greatness in superhero films once again. 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Loki (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on American Television miniseries, Loki (2021). The mini-series is created by Michael Waldron and directed by Kate Herron. The show stars Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Owen Wilson and Sophia Di Martino. The show is a continuation of the saga from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is a Disney Plus Original series.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Kate Herron
  • Cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw
  • Music by Natalie Holt
  • Edited by Paul Zucker, Calum Ross and Emma McCleave
  • Created by Michael Waldron
  • Production by Marvel Studios
  • Distributed by Disney Platform Distribution 

+ Note

The concept of Loki TV series was first introduced as a core part of the Phase Four MCU content. Since the success of Loki as a character in The Avengers (2012) and other MCU films, it was clear that Tom Hiddleston might reprise his iconic role and will be explored much more as a stand alone character. The series explores the concept of branching timelines which were first introduced in Avengers: Endgame (2019) where upon “disruption of the pre-planned events”, the past does not change but rather a whole new timeline is introduced. After the disruption of the main timeline by Loki in Avengers: Endgame (2019), the series plays as a redemption arc for the character as he follows through different versions of his own self due to the possibility of different timeline “variants’ “.

After WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki is the third in the Marvel/ Disney Plus series which brought worldwide praise from critics, especially for Tom Hiddleston’s effortless performance as the famous Norse Mythology trickster. 

+ Main Cast

  1. Tom Hiddleston as Loki
  2. Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer
  3. Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15
  4. Eugene Cordero as Casey
  5. Tara Strong voices Miss Minutes
  6. Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius

+ Plot

After Loki’s (Tom Hiddleston) devious escape with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame (2019), he ends up getting arrested by an organization called  Time Variance Authority (TVA). Their sole mission to avoid disruption of the timeline and capture ‘Variants’ who were responsible for the timeline split from the main continuity. At the TVA, Loki meets agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) who believes that Loki could be used for a mission that has been plaguing the TVA for a long duration of time now; to capture a renegade Variant who is hiding in the different timelines of the Marvel Universe.

As the story progresses, Loki and Mobius soon realize that something does not seem right about the TVA and combine strengths in order to search for the truth.

+ High Points

i – After watching the last episode, I can sincerely concur that Loki is the best Marvel/ Disney Plus show to date. Tom Hiddleston is once again fantastic as the charming yet devious Loki and the rest of the cast contributes wonderfully to the convoluted story of Timelines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While such thematic elements can get tricky at times, Marvel has done a brilliant job in maintaining a balanced view and moved the story along each of the six episodes. 

ii – Speaking of great performances, Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson work seamlessly as a buddy cop movie duo where the banter is fun and never gets overbearing like in some of the lesser MCU films. At this point, I feel Tom Hiddleston can play Loki with his eyes shut whereas Owen Wilson is a welcome addition to the MCU family with his dry dialogue delivery and wry humor. 

iii – Another vital character that is introduced in Loki is Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie. I cannot talk much about her character as it would prove to be a major spoiler for the show but suffice to say, she is very charismatic whenever she is alongside Loki onscreen. 

iv – I think what should be most widely applauded about Loki is the writing. Michael Waldron and team have done a really special job in bringing a whole new concept of TVA into the MCU without disrupting anything around the already established storylines from the previous Three phases of the MCU. The episodes move at a brisk pace, provide vital details along the way and most importantly, have a keen eye on character progression for each individual throughout the series. With such a convoluted plot involving timelines, the writing team has done a stupendous job throughout the 6 episodes. Well done!

v – Some of the cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw is truly inventive and much more creative than the previous two Marvel/ Disney Plus series. The frame travels alongside our main cast, explores the TVA’s corridors in the earlier episodes but pulls back in the later episodes, revealing odd and ominous landscapes (a galore of Marvel easter eggs!).

vi – The Music by Natalie Holt is haunting and memorable. The preference of introument’s lower bass range proves ideal for the series as it meticulously mixes vintage Sci-Fi elements with slow melancholy. 

vii – The Costume Designs, Special Effects and Set Design are all praiseworthy. What could truly be admired about Disney Plus is that they have undeniable trust in their Marvel content and are willing to financially back it up all the way. When they don’t, you can see the mediocre CGI in films like Black Panther (2018).

viii – Where both the previous Marvel/ Disney Plus shows (WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) staggered for me were the final episode. It was a barrage of unnecessary epic battles with virtually no real organic progression towards it. Thankfully Loki avoids all that and concludes the story according to the previous events leading up to it. A new character is revealed in the last episode which systematically changes much of the Phase Four and could prove to be a worthy foe for the next generation of the Avengers. I cannot reveal much but the actor who plays the role is just simply outstanding in this. Whenever he was on screen, he clearly hijacked it and the mesmerizing performance was just an icing on the Loki cake.

+ Low Points

i – With all that is great and praiseworthy about Loki, there are problems that could’ve been ironed out during the writing process, mainly the over reliance of exposition. During the first two episodes, there were just way too many scenes with 10 minute long explanations about what the TVA is, how it works and what it accomplishes. To soften the blow, the 1920s style animated character ‘Miss Minutes’ was introduced and while that does work to a certain extent, the exposition still continues on in the next few episodes which slightly bogs down the pacing of the show. A tighter, more fluid progression of scenes were needed and while it is never detrimental, it would have surely been improved upon.

SPOILER ALERT!: (From here on out, there will be spoilers for the show. If you still haven’t seen the show and would like to see it, you can skip directly to Overall section):

ii – The romance between the two Loki variants was not organically earned by the show. Although it’s an interesting concept, the romance did feel a bit rushed and perhaps, some might feel it to be unnecessary to the overarching story. 

iii –  The show looks really dark… and I don’t mean the tone. It is literally low on brightness at times. Whether it was to compensate on the greenscreen/ CGI backgrounds is anyone’s guess but a bit of vibrance would have made the moving images more appealing to look at.

+ Overall

Loki is a blast from start to finish! It respects and understands its cast of characters brilliantly while does not shy away from pushing the complex boundaries of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Rate : 4.25 out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on WandaVision (Ep VII-IX) – Series Finale! (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on American Television miniseries, WandaVision ep VII- IX (2021) which marks the finale of the show. The mini-series is directed by Matt Shakman and stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda and Paul Bettany as Vision. The show is a continuation of the saga from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is a Disney Plus Original series.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episodes, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

  • Directed by Matt Shakman
  • Cinematography by Jess Hall
  • Music by Christophe Beck
  • Produced by Chuck Hayward
  • Created by Jac Schaeffer
  • Production by Marvel Studios
  • Distributed by Disney Platform Distribution 

+ Note

WandaVision is continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Phase 4) where we get to explore more the relationship between the two popular Marvel characters; Scarlet Witch and Vision. The series is cleverly disguised as an American vintage sitcom with multi camera shots and canned Laughter from the audience in a (supposedly) TV Studio. WandaVision is clearly inspired from 50s-60s sitcoms like ‘I Love Lucy’, ‘Bewitched’ and later in color, ‘The Brady Bunch’, where situational comedy plays a key role to the show.

+ Main Cast

  1. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch
  2. Paul Bettany as Vision
  3. Debra Jo Rupp as Mrs. Hart
  4. Fred Melamed as Arthur Hart
  5. Kathryn Hahn as Agnes
  6. Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau
  7. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis
  8. Randall Park as Jimmy Woo

+ Plot

WandaVision starts off in 1950s suburban America. A husband and a loving wife have just moved in the neighborhood and get along with their neighbors quite well. But unbeknownst to the neighbourhood, they are no ordinary couple. In fact, they are the famous Avengers; Scarlet Witch and Vision who hide their super powers in order to live a happy, wholesome life. But something doesn’t seem right about this scenario. It’s almost too… perfect? How did present day Avengers end up in decades old American TV sitcoms? Where or how did they enter this delightful comedy of errors? What is exactly wrong with WandaVision?

+ High Points

SPOILER ALERT!: (From here on out, there will be spoilers for the show as it is impossible to discuss the plot points without spoiling anything. If you still haven’t seen the show and would like to see it, you can skip directly to Overall section below).

i – So the last three episodes of the show have all been about ‘Revelations’. Agnes, the nosy neighbor from the previous episodes, is the master manipulator Agatha Harkness who played the puppet master of sorts behind the curtain. Kathryn Hahn’s heel turn has been magnificently handled by the actress and was fully aware of the fine balance between campy and solemnity when necessary. Although it was far from perfect, Agnes serves great and memorable as Scarlet Witch’s formidable adversary in the series finale (and the catchy jingle at the end of episode 7 was just the icing on the cake!).

ii – Episode 8 “Previously On” was the best episode in the series. The emotional journey of what Wanda had to go through to become what she is now, was brilliantly handled and executed. It is indeed tragic to see in the past few MCU movies, how Wanda slowly lost everyone she ever cared for; her brother Pietro Maximoff (aka Quicksilver) to Vision’s sacrifice in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). The scene when Wanda has to witness the autopsy/ dismemberment of Vision’s body was gut wrenching and one could easily forget that WandaVision is supposed to be a mere superhero show. The question was set up in the first episode; why or what is WandaVision? And the answer has been well delivered. Kudos to the writing of the show.

iii – Although very short lived, the dynamics of Wanda’s family; her husband Vision and her twin sons, was fantastic. The actors work great off one another and bring a much needed warmth and empathy to the show.

iv – The newly designed costume of Scarlet Witch is slick but also does not deviate too far from its source material. The leathery, muted red can work very well on the silver screen.

v – Once again, I have to praise the lead actors of WandaVision. They were incredibly well rehearsed with the script, delivered with such impeccable precision and skill that quite frankly, is hard to pull off. WandaVision was comedic and dramatic whenever it needed to be and none of this would have been possible if not for Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s outstanding onscreen chemistry together. WandaVision is essentially a tragic love story between a Witch and an A.I. And as silly as it sounds, the lead actors managed to make it not only believable but relatable at the same time.

vi – While in the previous episodes, the scenes involving the S.W.O.R.D. were the more ‘boring’ aspects of the show, the last three episodes manage to make them more essential and interesting for the developing plot so that the center conflict of the show could flourish. As the show went on, the characters of Jimmy Woo and Rambeau became more central and integral to the plot and with good writing, became much more fleshed out as the show reached its climax.

vii – Even with the greenscreen fight scene at the end, the Special Effects were brilliant throughout the show and never faltered at any point. 

viii – After reaching its conclusion, one can mention countless assets to credit WandaVision’s success but none can be more important than the writing itself. Jac Schaeffer and co. really knocked this one out of the park and while the finale did turn out to be just another epic MCU battle in the sky (more on that in the Low Points section), the writing was consistent in quality throughout its nine episodes. And it cannot be emphasized enough how integral the writing was to WandaVision’s success.

ix – The emotional send off from Wanda to her family was tragic but beautifully handled. After 9 Episodes, the show gave enough time and space to understand Wanda’s actions and her motivations. The loss of her loved one and her wish to have a family became a distant dream. The show meticulously handles Wanda’s character arc, the crescendo and the finale of it. Where will Wanda go from here? That is a question MCU fans will be eagerly looking forward to. 

+ Low Points

i – With all that was great about the show, the finale was a disappointment of sorts. Instead of a clever and unique way to resolve the conflict, the producers felt the necessity to end this in the most generic fashion they could think of. Wanda battles Harkness in the red greenscreened sky, shooting magic lasers out of their hands. Yawn. The show really lost its luster during the fight and will leave viewers and fans disappointed with lack of creativity. Come on, Jac Schaeffer. I’m sure your team could have come up with something more inventive than that…

ii – It was also a disappointment that Evan Peters’ introduction as Quicksilver in the MCU was used as a punchline for a lackluster joke. Why? Evan Peters was fantastic as Quicksilver and a major asset to the franchise. Why throw it all away? A baffling decision really. 

iii –  So the two Visions have a go at one another, they talk and for some reason, the reprogramed ‘white’ Vision just gets up and leaves? Were the writers really clueless what to do with him? I understand they will introduce him later on sometime in MCU but this whole conflict turned out to be pretty forgettable at the end.

iv – By taking the whole town of Westview hostage, Wanda was psychologically torturing the citizens of the town. In the end, Wanda does the right thing and gives up on her fantasy life to release the Westview citizens of torment but are there no repercussions to Wanda’s actions? Is the S.W.O.R.D.  just going to let Wanda walk away from all this? Although it is understandable that the anguish Wanda had to endure after losing her loved ones but for Wanda to just walk away from all this scott free….it just feels wrong.

+ Overall

WandaVision is a show of many accomplishments. Not only was it engaging television but it proved that even with the current pandemic, Marvel Cinematic Universe can still flourish as a miniseries on the streaming platform Disney Plus. The finale was an unfortunate and predictable letdown but nonetheless, the show was still a triumph and a brilliant in depth look into the psyche and relationship of Wanda and Vision. 

The 9 episode mini-series is now complete and available on Disney Plus.

Rate (Ep VII – IX): 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rate (WandaVision): 4.0 out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on WandaVision (Ep IV-VI) (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on American Television miniseries, WandaVision ep IV-VI (2021). The miniseries is directed by Matt Shakman and stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda and Paul Bettany as Vision. The show is a continuation of the saga from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is a Disney Plus Original series.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

  • Directed by Matt Shakman
  • Cinematography by Jess Hall
  • Music by Christophe Beck
  • Produced by Chuck Hayward
  • Created by Jac Schaeffer
  • Production by Marvel Studios
  • Distributed by Disney Platform Distribution 

+ Note

WandaVision is continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Phase 4) where we get to explore more the relationship between the two popular Marvel characters; Scarlet Witch and Vision. The series is cleverly disguised as an American vintage sitcom with multi camera shots and canned Laughter from the audience in a (supposedly) TV Studio. WandaVision is clearly inspired from 50s-60s sitcoms like ‘I Love Lucy’, ‘Bewitched’ and later in color, ‘The Brady Bunch’, where situational comedy plays a key role to the show. Since Disney Plus has only released three episodes up till now, it is still unclear where they are heading with this but one can safely assume, WandaVision is unlike anything MCU has produced up till now.

+ Main Cast

  1. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch
  2. Paul Bettany as Vision
  3. Debra Jo Rupp as Mrs. Hart
  4. Fred Melamed as Arthur Hart
  5. Kathryn Hahn as Agnes
  6. Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau
  7. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis
  8. Randall Park as Jimmy Woo

+ Plot

WandaVision starts off in 1950s suburban America. A husband and a loving wife have just moved in the neighborhood and get along with their neighbors quite well. But unbeknownst to the neighbourhood, they are no ordinary couple. In fact, they are the famous Avengers; Scarlet Witch and Vision who hide their super powers in order to live a happy, wholesome life. But something doesn’t seem right about this scenario. It’s almost too… perfect? How did present day Avengers end up in decades old American TV sitcoms? Where or how did they enter this delightful comedy of errors? What is exactly wrong with WandaVision?

+ High Points

i – Since the last three episodes, many lingering questions have been finally answered as to what is actually happening in WandaVision and most of them have been fairly satisfying. What’s excellent about the show is that it has been brilliantly structured; Firstly, it lets you as the viewer in on the absurdity of the premise without giving much away. Secondly, it lets out short pieces of information which allows the audience to gather them together to fit the overall puzzle of the narrative. Say what you want about the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the creative team has a very clear vision and control over the plot and their interconnected Cinematic universe. The writers pay attention to every single detail in the show and Marvel rewards you for being a loyal, long time fan.

SPOILER ALERT!: (From here on out, there will be spoilers for the show as it is impossible to discuss the other plot points without spoiling anything. If you still haven’t seen the show and would like to see it, you can skip directly to Overall section)

ii – So Episode IV “We Interrupt This Program” was the expository episode in the series which explains what exactly is going on in WandaVision. Since the climax of Avengers: Infinity War, some heroes failed to make it out alive through this catastrophic world changing event, one being Wanda’s husband Vision. This prompted Wanda (through her magically, psyche manipulation powers) to take control of a town called ‘Westview’ and create a utopian, make believe world of her own which of course includes the American nuclear family; consisting of her, Vision and their twin children. This is such an excellent character development of Wanda, tapping into the unknown potential of her powers and in the process, also explains the Homage to American sitcoms throughout the decades of American Television. WandaVision is not a show taking place in a vacuum, it is directly and harshly affected by the cataclysmic events of the previous films. It’s a brilliant direction for the MCU and as a viewer, keeps you on your toes as to what could develop next in the overarching narrative of WandaVision. 

iii – I love that WandaVision is playing around, taking risks with their established characters. While It is still not a debate yet if Wanda has turned her back on humanity, one can sincerely sympathise with her emotional pain. Her loss of her brother in Avengers: Age of Ultron and her husband Avengers: Infinity War has left her emotionally in shambles and yearns for the perfect, happy world that she envisioned within herself. This character progression is organic and makes absolute sense to Wanda’s overall character arc.

iv – The “recasting” of Evan Peters as Quicksilver. And let’s be honest, the X-Men films’ Quicksilver is clearly the better choice here. He is infinitely the more charming and interesting one.

v – The eventual realization of Vision of how he might not even exist brings a great conflict to the forefront of the show. In Avengers: Infinity War, Vision was straight up murdered by Thanos and perhaps he will not take it too kindly that he has forcefully been revived by Wanda to take part in her fantasy of a perfect world.

vi – The Episode VI; “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!” comic accurate costumes for Scarlet Witch, Vision and Quicksilver were a cheeky touch and shows Kevin Feige’s respect for the source material.

vii – The visual effects by numerous SFX houses are top notch. This clearly shows that DIsney Plus always had strong faith and was 100% behind this show.

+ Low Points

i – Although WandaVision shines the most when the show is having fun with its own premise, it bogs down to a halt when we are forcefully thrown back into the “expository dialogue” scenes at the S.W.O.R.D. camp. The jokes seem forced, the dialogue is bare minimum and it only serves its purpose of moving the plot along so we can get back to Wanda and her family. It is obvious that expository dialogue is necessary but none of the characters there are engrossing enough to keep you interested.

ii – Up till now, Episode IV “We Interrupt This Program” was by far the weakest one and it’s no surprise that the majority of it took place at the S.W.O.R.D. base camp. Jimmy Woo, Monica Rambeau and Darcy Lewis; none of them are compelling enough characters to drive the episode through.

iii – Of all the characters they could have brought back for WandaVision, why did the writers decide on Kat Dennings’ Darcy Lewis? She is unfunny, fails to serve as a comedic relief and brings no urgency to the plot. It’s obvious that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has good and mediocre films along its three Phases. Why not settle for characters that were proven to be more likable?

+ Overall

Six episodes in and WandaVision still refuses to fade your interest away. It’s dark, unique and a shining beacon of hope that even after 12 years, MCU is still capable of coming up with fresh new ideas for its fan base and beyond. Although expository scenes can be made much more interesting, it is Wanda/ Vision that take the center stage and they have proven more than capable enough to captivate your attention through.

Rate: 4.25 (subject to change) out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on WandaVision (Ep 1-3) (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on American Television miniseries, WandaVision (2021). The miniseries is directed by Matt Shakman and stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda/ Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany as Vision. The show is a continuance of the saga from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is a Disney Plus Original series.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Matt Shakman
  • Cinematography by Jess Hall
  • Music by Christophe Beck
  • Produced by Chuck Hayward
  • Created by Jac Schaeffer
  • Production by Marvel Studios
  • Distributed by Disney Platform Distribution 

+ Note

WandaVision is continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Phase 4) where we get to explore more the relationship between the two popular Marvel characters; Scarlet Witch and Vision. The series is cleverly disguised as an American vintage comedy sitcom with multi camera setup and canned laughter from the audience in a (supposedly) TV Studio. WandaVision is clearly inspired from 50s-60s sitcoms like ‘I Love Lucy’, ‘Bewitched’ and later in color, ‘The Brady Bunch’, where situational comedy plays a key role to the show’s premise. Since Disney Plus has only released three episodes up till now, it is still unclear where they are heading with this but one can safely assume, WandaVision is unlike anything MCU has produced up till now.

+ Main Cast

  1. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch
  2. Paul Bettany as Vision
  3. Debra Jo Rupp as Mrs. Hart
  4. Fred Melamed as Arthur Hart
  5. Kathryn Hahn as Agnes
  6. Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau
  7. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis
  8. Randall Park as Jimmy Woo

+ Plot

WandaVision starts off in 1950s suburban America. A husband and a loving wife have just moved in a house next door but unbeknownst to the neighbourhood, they are no ordinary couple. In fact, they are the famous Avengers; Scarlet Witch and Vision who hide their super powers in order to live a happy, wholesome life. But something doesn’t seem right about this scenario. It’s almost too… perfect? How did present day Avengers end up in decades old American TV sitcoms? Where or how did they enter this delightful comedy of errors? What is exactly wrong with WandaVision?

+ High Points

i – The “I Love Lucy” meets “Bewitched” 50s situational comedy is perfectly replicated to a tee. The dialogue, costume design, make up, Production design; it perfectly fits to the vision (no pun intended) of what Marvel Studios were going for.

ii – Since working together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany have really grown accustomed to each other’s performances and are just picture perfect. For this show to work, their onscreen chemistry is undeniably vital and it’s always a treat to see them together onscreen.

iii – Ever since the trailer for the show came out, WandaVision felt unique and bold to what MCU fans were, for many years, accustomed to. After the end of the Thanos and the Infinity stones saga, MCU needed to move into a fresh new direction as the lack of innovative ideas made MCU films (for the most part) extremely predictable. And WandaVision does exactly that.

iv – The dialogues and humor of the show is witty, charming and at times, also very dark. The show does have a slight “David Lynch” surrealist vibe to it. One minute, you are witnessing a cute sing and dance number, the next you see someone on the dinner table, choking himself on a piece of meat. I loved it!

v – The multiple opening theme songs/ jingles are memorable and composed wonderfully by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez and Christophe Beck.

vi – The “Hand drawn” animations in between live action set-pieces play wonderfully to the overall vibe and atmosphere of the show. Love these little but essential touches that they’ve given to it!

vii – The “advertisements” in between the show are the “Bees knees!”. ‘Nuff said!

viii – Although only 3 episodes are out at the moment, the show has me hooked! The story and pacing takes its time but is extremely rewarding in the grand scheme of things. Let’s see where it all leads us to.

+ Low Points

i – The length of each episode is inconsistent. Not a huge drawback by any stretch of the imagination but old vintage TV shows had very strict time limitations. So if the show is going for that, might as well stick to a consistent 3 Act structure and the time constraints that come with making a TV broadcast episode.

ii – Although it’s hinted that the show doesn’t actually take place in decades old American history (or does it?), the racial diversity in the show seems too modern for the 1950s sequences and takes you out of the show time and time again. Segregation was unfortunately very prevalent in the US in the 50s so to see the characters mention contempt for the “Bolsheviks/ Communists” but are fine and dandy with a colored person sitting next to them at the dinner table, it’s just odd and the show seems a bit confused as to what it really wants to be. Even in a ‘make believe’ reality, the horrors of history should never be ignored (the perfect example could be the highly underrated 1998 film Pleasantville).

iii – Even after 3 episodes, the mystery of “what reality they are living in” might be a tad bit obvious to loyal MCU fans. Perhaps we all might be rightfully swerved by the end of the season. 

iv – Among all the episodes available, episode 3 was the weakest due to its lack of focus to the overall narrative and the situational comedy slightly overstaying its welcome. But cliffhanger at the end did make up for it I suppose.

+ Overall

WandaVision is fun, eerie and exactly what MCU needed to kick start their ‘Phase 4’ list of films and TV shows. The performances are wonderful by the two main leads and the show proves that Superheroes are not all about “Good Guy vs Bad Guy”. Comics is a medium explored to such vast lengths of ideas and it’s tremendous to see a commercial, crowd pleasing Disney corporation try something very different. Of course, this could all change for better or worst in the review for the next episodes so stay tuned! 

Rate: 4 (subject to change) out of 5 stars