By Julia McGrath ’23
Staff Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 One-finned Goldfish
Warning: spoilers.
In the newest edition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, actor Oscar Isaac plays mild-mannered Steven Grant, an Englishman who is haunted by a mysterious voice and the violent actions of another person living in his body, an American named Marc Spector. When Marc takes over, Steven frequently experiences blackouts and gaps in his memory and sometimes ends up teleporting (for lack of a better word) to different places after falling asleep. Steven slowly realizes that what happens after he teleports is real, and he begins to gather clues as to what’s happening to him.
It’s made clear in the beginning of this episode that Steven has been dealing with this issue long before he could put a name to it. The first shot the audience gets of him gives a glimpse into how Steven attempts to stop himself from teleporting: with ankle braces chained to his bedposts and his apartment’s front door taped shut. Later in the episode, Steven is seen desperately trying to stay awake, doing everything from solving a Rubik’s cube, to reading and listening to a podcast. However, once the podcast starts playing on repeat in an anxiety-provoking manner, it’s clear that there’s no point in trying. Every night, Steven goes down the rabbit hole to another action-packed scene he wants no part in.
Despite the debilitating worry Steven faces every night, Oscar Isaac does a great job of giving Steven a charming personality and a sweet disposition. He’s fascinated by Egyptian history; and he has a one-finned goldfish named Gus, aspirations to become a tour guide and even a catchphrase. All of these attributes make it even harder to watch Steven’s affliction impact his life. The blackouts make him late to his job, chip away at his mental health and, on one heartbreaking occasion, cause him to miss a date.
This all comes to a head when Steven comes across Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) in one of his “dreams.” Harrow has a cult-like following and claims to serve the Egyptian goddess Ammit (Sofia Danu). He believes that it is his duty to judge souls on her behalf by using a scale tattoo. If a person does not pass this spiritual test, Harrow kills them. Once Harrow tries to judge Steven, Marc appears. Harrow sends hellhound-like monsters after Steven, and Marc convinces Steven that he can save them both. Once Steven gives Marc control, Moon Knight’s iconic white appears for the first time.
The series premiere of Moon Knight sets up an intriguing and horrifying adventure for both Steven and the audience. It teases the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s darker direction, as a perfect setup for the next film by Marvel Studios, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Oscar Isaac’s performance is stunning, proving that acting in a Marvel project involves more than fight scenes and witty jokes. It takes heart, emotion, and a little bit of adrenaline to pull off what Moon Knight does, and this writer is grateful for that.
Moon Knight can be found on Disney+ for $7.99 a month.
