Moon Knight Episode 1 Review: Marvel’s Twisted Superhero Take That Dives Into Horror Territory

It is a promising start, to say the least

The wait is over, and the first episode of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight is out. From the start, we can understand how Marvel truly wants to change their image and is aware of their long-running formula. Let’s discuss below in detail, but be weary as there are plenty of spoilers.

Moon Knight Episode 1: The Goldfish Problem

Moon Knight
Marvel Studios/Disney

Episode 1 has quite the disturbing start. We are greeted by Ethan Hawke’s character Arthur Harrow in the first scene. He is seen crushing glass, layering it on his own shoes, and walking away. Ouch. Let’s hope we see why it happens in the later episodes.

We are then taken to the apartment of Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac), a bumbling museum gift shop employee. Steven’s first day is normal, except we see signs of his memory loss. It is worth praising Isaac’s performance as Steven because it is very endearing, and completely sets aside the other personality that murders without blinking an eye.

We soon see that Steven is living half a life, as the moment he wakes up, he’s in another country, and is chased by Harrow’s religious organization/mercenaries. A truly fun, but exciting thing we see is how his personalities change. Marc is kept hidden until the ending, and the other scenes where Marc pops up are kept from us, and only carnage as the proof. Creator Jeremy Slater has applied the same needle drop moments that he has done in The Umbrella Academy.

Staying True

Ethan Hawke in Moon Knight
Marvel Studios/Disney

Moon Knight is a thoroughly unhinged character, and has been reinvented numerous times in the comics. However, Slater, director Muhammed Diab, and star Isaac has given us a whole new take, but still kept in live with classic interpretations. The horror, suspense, and the intro to this deadly antihero will surely keep viewers on edge.

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