Secret Invasion Review (Episodes 1 and 2): The Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming back with a new highly anticipated series after a long wait starring Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury, Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, Emilia Clarke as G’iah, Olivia Colman as Sonya Falsworth, Don Cheadle as James Rhodes and others. And as far as this genre of MCU’s sci-fi spy thrillers is concerned, no one can be trusted.
The 2023 title is the first Phase Five series in the lot. It has been created by Kyle Bradstreet, who’s the head writer of the miniseries with Ali Selim by his side as the director. Secret Invasion Episode 1 has a runtime of 53 minutes, while Episode 2 runs for 55 minutes.
Secret Invasion Review (Episodes 1 and 2) Does Not Contain Spoilers
Secret Invasion Review for Episodes 1 and 2
Boy does it feel good to see the good old OG characters of the MCU we first fell in love with. Samuel L Jackson and Cobie Smulders don’t necessarily make grand entrances when it comes to MCU projects. Nevertheless, they’re impactful and ones that grant the viewer a sense of stability, especially in times like these when nearly all original Avengers are off the table and we’re treading through an arduously chaotic Multiverse concept that has rarely stuck the landing. Seeing these familiar faces from the get go of the first episode is like a softening balm that equally riles up the surge of an emotional volcano. Just seeing their faces is healing enough.
This is a different side of Marvel – one that is grounded, yet fast-faced at the same time, and even in places its not, it still holds its ground. The initial episodes build up suspense and despite the skrulls now walking amidst human beings, it leads with a vision of humane gravity like never before.
Olivia Colman is a chilling highlight of the show even though we’re just talking about the first two episodes here. She’s clearly having a gala and enjoying every moment, which again only further adds to her underlying mysteries as a character.
The show is all about field work that a spy job entails and the first two episodes go out with a boom, setting up the stage for a promising season ahead. In a room filled with flashy content that has barely stuck the landing, Secret Invasion involves tight discussions about geopolitics that were very merely hinted at in Captain Marvel, wherein the skrulls were introduced to us for the first time.
People who’ve detested Marvel for pulling in fluff comical remarks every now and then will be pleased to know that the new series knowingly omits this incorporation, and rather choses to be all business from the start. Especially with the Avengers not in the picture at the moment, the looming threat feels enlarged, and Fury’s vulnerability is palpable through the screen. Samuel L Jackson’s portrayal of the old Avengers Initiative’s creator is wildly different from how we’ve seen him before (a 50% population blip will do that to you).
Although many of us may not appreciate the inconsistency with which things have been dealt with post the Avengers era, I certainly applaud how Thanos’ doings haven’t been brushed aside instantly. Characters are clearly still reeling in from the shock and the past is equally a major player in the shaping of today in Secret Invasion, especially since bonds forged in the previous chronicles of the universe are further dug into and the exploration of the same or their transformative nature after all this time make for a compelling case.
As always the main goal is to save the world, but what Marvel seems to have forgotten recently is that relationships shared between these super individuals (or non-super, yet still daunting) and their impact on to the story at hand are what made these stories so good once upon a time. With the new show, we get a taste of that same understanding.
Hand to hand combats and some explosions take the lead, as we’re not yet dealing with spaceships opening fire on to the ground below. Therefore, the action feels a lot more personal. If I had to pack in the individual takeaways from either episodes, then the Secret Invasion Episode 1 review could be summed up by stating that the premier episode packs in a punch, making for a strong start.
Conversely, Secret Invasion Episode 2 review would narrow down the talks about how the following entry casts a doubt on everyone, not leaving room for trust to flourish. The second episode also begins to forge a bridge between the past and the forbidding present commanded by Kingsley Ben Adir’s antagonist, who has a lot of room to tango and prove his stance as a worthy villain over the season.
Secret Invasion Episodes 1 and 2: Final Thoughts
The coming episodes will likely deal with the same question that’s been raised by everyone at this point in the first two episodes – Has Nick Fury lost his edge? And so, as much as he’s a sight for sore eyes, especially with him being gone for so long, the mystery about the grief burdening him will be hopefully equally cathartic in the end.
But that’s not all. The dark and broody situational front put on by the premiere right during its initial moments is quite similar to the much-loved MCU project, that, to this date, can’t be appreciated enough – Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So, if you loved that classic noir Marvel cinematic release, you’re also bound to warm up to Disney+ series.
The Secret Invasion Disney+ Hotstar premiere is slated for June 21, 2023, while the remaining episodes will stream on a weekly basis. The season will have a total of 6 episodes, with the finale concluding the run on July 26, 2023.
Also read: The Flash Review: Ezra Miller Takes Us Across the Multiverse in a Fun Superhero Flick