So far, Marvel Studios’ Disney+ superhero shows have been more misses than hits, and the new superhero show Moon Knight can be added to the latter category. 

The show is about an innocent British gift shop employee Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) who soon realises that his body is also controlled by an ex-US mercenary Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac). The two personalities reluctantly join forces to take on a dangerous & religious cult leader Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) while also trying to demystify the mysteries of Egyptian gods. 

© Marvel Studios

Jeremy Slater brings a fresh and never seen before take to the superhero genre in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the years, Marvel Studios was often accused of taking the set route for their superhero movies and shows and following the same pattern one project after the other. 

They tried to do it differently last year with Eternals and now, with Moon Knight, the studio has created a show that borders more on the DC territory while being an MCU show at heart. And gladly, it works. 

Despite being a superhero show, Moon Knight often plays like an adventure horror-thriller that works well with the screenplay and keeps the audience engaged. 

Writer & creator Jeremy Slater and director Mohamed Diab create a narrative that is unique and fresh to MCU fans. Unlike other MCU movies and shows, Moon Knight is presented as a standalone show that takes its own time with no pressure of following an earlier set tone or pattern. 

© Marvel Studios

The same aspect also becomes a hindrance at times when Moon Knight overindulges in its plot and starts to lag in between and the screenplay feels stretched in those moments. 

Coming to the performances, a few minutes into the first episode and you realise why Oscar Isaac showed interest in this show and got on board. 

He gets to display two different characters with different accents while being in the same body and also flex his muscles as well as comedic chops. 

Ethan Hawke has a towering presence. The calm & composure that his supervillain character carries is often terrifying. Moreso because Arthur Harrow is a kind of character that easily exists in real life. Of course, minus the superpowers. 

May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly is first-rate while F. Murray Abraham's voice over as the Egyptian moon god Khonshu is a masterstroke. 

© Marvel Studios

Overall, Moon Knight is The Mummy, Indiana Jones & a horror-thriller rolled into one with two powerhouse performers as its lead.

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