Introducing the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Moon Knight” is now available for streaming on Disney+ with a new episode every Wednesday. Based on the comic book hero of the same name. Directed by Mohamed Diab, this six-part series premiered March 30 and centers around the identities of Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac,) a mercenary who serves as the avatar of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu (F. Murray Abraham). He is initially introduced as Steven Grant, his alter identity, who is a meek gift shop employee at a London museum, who ironically, specializes in ancient Egyptian history. Unlike other beloved Marvel characters we have met, this show presents a unique anti-hero who struggles with dissociative identity disorder (DID) and amoral inclinations as the audience witnesses him battling an internal conflict — literally.
Spector is known to embody Moon Knight — a mysterious knight who dons an all-white cape and suit with moon crescent spears attached to his chest, and a mummified face-covering that only reveals his white glowing eyes. Together, Steven and Marc must stop religious zealot and cult leader Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) from resurrecting evil Egyptian deity Ammit, all while fighting for full possession over their shared body. With the help of Marc’s archaeology wife Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy) they travel together to Cairo to expose Harrow and his followers’ plan to the other deities. Amid the enduring chases and near-death violent battles, it is remarkable to see Issac’s transformation from the show’s beloved protagonist to the magically-powered, brutal Moon Knight.
The first episode of “Moon Knight” is packed with ambiguity and foreshadowing, making it a relatively slow-burn series that forces viewers to wear Steven’s shoes as we navigate through his perplexing life circumstances before the truth unveils itself towards the end. However, the following episodes gradually provide more background context on Marc Spector and Khonshu that helps Steven and viewers piece everything together slowly as the series progresses. Although viewers who have never heard of Moon Knight may find the show confusing at first, the show still successfully captures viewers’ attention with its mysterious and ominous atmosphere, such as its opening shot of a man smashing glass and putting the shards into his shoes before he proceeds to put his bare feet inside them and walk away, leaving viewers to question who he is and why he is doing it.
Following the essence of other Marvel’s TV series and films, “Moon Knight” is action-packed with an equal balance of drama and comedy, especially when it comes to the socially awkward Steven interacting with the intimating Marc, who is his total opposite. In one instance, Steven hilariously refers to Marc as “the little American man living inside me.” Steven’s nervous fidgeting and goody-two-shoes behavior of not wanting to hurt other people or engage in any trouble only makes him more lovable and relatable. Most memorably, Steven did not know that Marc arranged a steak dinner date with a female tour guide, leaving Steven to attend the date. Even though he missed the actual steakhouse date, he still eats steak, despite being a vegan and not knowing how to order steak. When the waiter asks how he liked his steak cooked, he sheepishly says, “Good, very good.” Funny enough, this scene was almost deleted before Diab fought for it to be aired. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Diab says that this scene is intended to show how “[Steven] can’t have a lover or a normal relationship with anyone because of what he’s been going through. It’s such a black comedy kind of moment, but it’s the moment that the audience can connect to Steven.”
The casting of this show’s characters is phenomenally done. Hawke’s portrayal of the villain who creates a cult-of-personality of him as a loving and wise leader is eerie and unsettling that may have viewers doubting his trustworthiness. Moreover, Abraham’s roaring voice brilliantly brings out the arrogance and sanctimoniousness of Khonshu and may be the show’s main scene-stealer with his funny one-liners like “Kill him! Break his windpipe!” when giving Steven combatting advice. Most importantly, Isaac’s hard-hitting portrayal as both Steven and Marc is truly admirable to watch, given the challenging changes between a British and American accent and embodying two completely different personalities on-screen. Especially given Isaac’s incredible range as an actor — from being adventurous and snarky Poe Dameron in the final “Star Wars” trilogy to being the emotionally-vulnerable Jonathan Levy in “Scenes of a Marriage”— it most certainly pays off very well in showcasing his acting talents in this series.
It is hard to pinpoint how Moon Knight actually fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its other characters such as Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch. However, its exploration with the divine is no stranger to Marvel fans, who have watched this development evolve from “Eternals” with their Celestial creators to “Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings” with its Chinese folklore magic. The end of the Avengers had fans questioning the fate of future Marvel superheroes and stories, but “Moon Knight” is here to reassure fans that Marvel still has a couple of things up its sleeve that involves venturing into otherworldly cosmic forces. While “Moon Knight” marks the character’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, we can only anticipate his potential upcoming appearances in other Marvel films.
Annabella Johan is an Entertainment Staff Writer. She can be reached at ajohan@uci.edu.