IR TV Review: MOON KNIGHT - EPISODE 1 [Marvel/Disney+]

The intention of “Moon Knight” whether it be the context of a shadow figure or the scales of truth is bathed in a texture of comeuppance. Oscar Isaac in a way is a good actor to take this one because he has always been good at duality and jumping back and forth. Unlike Poe in "Star Wars" who never quite had the depth he needed, the character here simply because of his nature and grip on reality is a different thing. Episode 1 is about setting up the rub of the series and it does so in an interesting way because it uncovers details in a way as he is. The actual superstructure and the reasoning of how and why is integrated in many ways of course to Ancient Egypt and perhaps the notion of good and evil. Ethan Hawke plays a sort of antecedent to this who has much more information than Isaac has. An early scene (even the opening one) paints this in an ironic way and the details are intrinsic because even with the duality later in the episode they cancel each other out.

What is also interesting to ponder because it has connections (though probably just because he existed there) is that Isaac was the villain in "X-Men: Apocalypse" (granted in a different Marvel realm per se) but that can't be denied because there is an encompassing parallel. The scale doesn't disappoint in certain ways but doesn't feel the need to amp it up too far. What is interesting (though simple in a way) is the transitions between states. Isaac has always been a physical actor and able to relate different physical states even with a psyche base (look at "Ex Machina"). Episode 1 of "Moon Knight" is just the substructure but wants you to see a man (even the Id of him) either built for protection or for reason. B+

By Tim Wassberg