So I thought I would switch things up and do a review for a tv show as I have just finished bingeing all of Iron Fist.
PLEASE NOTE - THE FOLLOWING IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW. I WILL NOT REVEAL ANY MAJOR PLOT POINTS FROM THE SHOW. While the MCU is killing it at the box office, the DCEU is struggling. However, on the small screen, DC are absolutely smashing it, with The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl all massively popular and appealing to many different demographics. Meanwhile, Marvel's tv shows are seriously lagging behind. But not when it comes to Netflix.
With two amazing seasons of Daredevil, a great season of Jessica Jones and the timely socially relevant Luke Cage all blowing up the internets, Marvel's Netflix-verse (MNV) is doing fine and dandy. Being on Netflix has freed up Marvel from any constraints that may have been placed on them if these shows were on network tv.
In an effort to bring more comic book properties to life, the ultimate aim of the MNV is to have the ultimate tv team-up by bringing the superhero team The Defenders to the small screen. By focussing on the more "street level" heroes that Marvel has in it's stable, we have been given some dark 'n' gritty character pieces that have been thoroughly entertaining.
So, how does Marvel's latest release Iron Fist shape up? Is all the so-called "cultural controversy" well-deserved? Were the poor critics ratings on point?
The story/plotAfter being presumed dead for 15 years after the plane carrying him and his parents crashes in the Himyalayas, Danny Rand comes back to New York to reconnect with childhood friends and try to live up to the legacy of his new status as the Iron Fist.
Overall opinionFrom the off, let me state that all the critics who gave this shows poor ratings were wrong. Do not misunderstand me, the show has it's problems which we will get to in a minute. However, let me address the "cultural controversy" first. We all know that Hollywood and network tv has a tendency to appropriate aspects from other cultures and use that as a basis for a "great white hope" in movies and shows. It's been going on for years and is nothing new. And we all know that there has been a greater cry in recent years for wider diversity for actors, allowing more ethnically diverse actors to be cast in roles. With Iron Fist, there were some corners of the internet accusing Iron Fist of having a white character to be teaching an Oriental character aspects of her culture. This is sooooo not true and it just goes to show how little understanding and/or background research into the character those commentators did.
Secondly, there have been some people who complained that a show that features a lead character who is skilled at martial arts, doesn't feature masses of martial arts action. Again, this is unfair. Not only can you not just have 13 episodes featuring lots of action (as that would get monotonous and get in the way of the storytelling) but I feel those critics misunderstood that Iron Fist is more an exploration of an individual trying to find his path and place in the world; it is a character study about an individual who just happens to have some amazing abilities (similar to Logan) rather than being a show purely about super powers. That is very consistent with the tone and storytelling that has already been seen in Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.
Now, onto the good stuff. In my opinion, the show is really good. It is not as dark and gritty as Daredevil or socially relevant as Luke Cage, but it definitely deserves it's place in the MNV and does a decent job of pulling together certain plot threads from the other MNV show as we approach all the characters teaming up as The Defenders. It's not perfect. Some of the dialogue can be very generic and unbelievable although all the actors involved do as well as the can with the material they have been given. As far as I'm aware, the creative team that was behind the other MNV shows was not (heavily) involved with this show and it is obvious at times that this is the case. The best analogy I can think of is Rocksteady producing the first Batman games (Arkham Asylum and Arkham City) and then a different company made Arkham Origins, trying their best to emulate the style and feel of the predecessors but not quite getting it right. Not bad, but just noticeable.
Despite all that, I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I know some people who read a synopsis of the show may compare the character to Bruce Wayne. I can see why people would say that. However, in Batman Begins when Bruce Wayne comes back to Gotham after his 7 year absence, Alfred comes and picks him up at the airport. He has a shower, shave, grabs a new suit and then takes a trip to Wayne Enterprises where everyone instantly recognises him. Imagine, instead of that, he disappeared at 10 years old and no-one recognises him as an adult. He has no living family and no kindly old butler. Because he was a kid (and rich) he has no fingerprints or DNA on file. How would he prove he is who he says he is? (especially showing up without shoes and looking homeless). That is how the first few episodes of the show are and I found that take on the character quite interesting.
The PerformancesFinn Jones - Danny RandI have seen some people say that Finn plays Danny devoid of any charm or personality. That was not my experience at all. I found Danny to be likeable and sweet, albeit quite naive and too quick to trust. Which given the fact he went missing when he was 10 years old and then raised by warrior monks for 15 years in isolation is kind of understandable. All-in-all, this was a good introduction to the character who still have plenty of room to grow.
Jessica Henwick - Colleen WingShe did a good job with the character and added some depth to a conflicted personality throughout the show.
Rosario Dawson - Claire TempleShe is the Agent Coulson of the Marvel Netflix-Verse. Ever since her brief appearance in season 1 of Daredevil she has gradually been given more to do with each new show that comes out. This time around she appears in quite a few episodes, providing a nice touchstone for the previous shows, but still being consistent with how the character is after all she's experienced. Always a welcome addition seeing her on screen.
Jessica Stroup - Joy MeachumChildhood friend of Danny's, Joy is by far the most interesting, layered and real character on the show, thanks in large part to Jessica's acting chops. The show was always the better for having scenes with her in them.
Tom Pelphrey - Ward MeachumWard is Joy's dick older brother. As dick characters go, Tom did a good job of making you want to punch this guy all the time. He strayed into outlandish "villain" mode a couple of times, with his performance going a little too far sometimes, but thankfully he always managed to wrangle it in before it got too out of hand.
David Wenham - Harold MeachamPlaying Dillios in 300, David is very used to appearing in comic book material. Here, he has a lot of material to work with and does a decent job of playing an almost self-serving character. As with Tom who plays his son, his performance goes a little too far sometimes, but he reels it in and (usually) sticks the landing.
The actionNot as good as we have seen in Daredevil but not awesome. You could tell that the actors were trying their hardest to be convincing martial artists, rather than relying on stunt doubles. I suppose that's one area where having a costumed hero comes in handy (less obvious when the switch has been made). But if Hollywood has taught us anything, it's that it'll be easier to take a good actor and make him be a believable martial artist than to take a martial artist and make them a good actor.
Some of the fight scenes lacked the weight and brutality of other MVN shows, but it wasn't bad. I was always thoroughly entertained, just never really blown away by anything. But all the action was in-keeping with the plot point at the time.
The effectsSome episodes had a little CGI shots in them (literally one or two shots, never any long sequences). They did what they needed to so the story/scene could move on. Too quick to judge harshly
Other stuffI wasn't a huge fan of the opening credits look and song, something that has been an artistic high-point for other MVN shows.
I was hoping for more of a Defenders lead-in when the series ended, but I suppose Marvel want to keep the anticipation for that low at the moment.
There are a couple very subtle nods (mainly from Claire) to the other shows, including a hilarious "sweet Christmas" moment.
Speaking of Luke Cage, because it was so cool that show single-handedly has ruined all tv soundtracks for me. I didn't think much of the music soundtrack for this show, but that's probably because I am so in love with Luke's (and listen to it on Spotify regularly).
Final verdictIt's not as great as the previous Marvel Netflix-verse shows, but that doesn't make it bad. Iron Fist was enjoyable and engaging and I am definitely looking forward to seeing The Defenders team-up
Score - 6.8/10My TV rating system
10- Breaking "F*%king" Bad (A+)
9- Bloody Great (A)
8- Really rather good (A-)
7- Pretty decent (B+)
6- Definitely above average (B)
5- Middle of the road average (C)
4- Mediocre (D)
3- Meh (E)
2- Crap (F)
1- Why the hell did I waste my time on this abomination (unrated)
After-thought - CriticsEarlier in the week I was counting down the days until Iron Fist dropped. But then, mid-week, I saw a video by Screen Junkies News that highlighted the poor critical reception the show had. I was crushed, all my enthusiasm shrunk down to tiny grains of sand. However, despite all that, I was still determined to see the show. Given my review, maybe I enjoyed it as much
because my expectations had been lowered. Or maybe not (we'll never know). So, my question is: Should we listen to critics and let their opinion influence our expectations for a tv show (or movie)?