Moon Knight - Limited Series

 

Moon Knight

Is a bold and different choice of hero to join the collective that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This portion of the blog is based on watching only the first 3 episodes of the limited series.

The show begins with cold opens for both the pilot episode and the third episode; the pilot cold open really sets the tone, with Ethan Hawke’s Character Arthur Harrow.  Arthur is already seated at a table bearing a tattoo of a scale or the deity Ma’at in symbol form on his right arm. Breaking a rock glass by the metal handle of his cane, in which he had prior poured some water and drank from, then proceeds to walk with shards of glass in both his shoes. I hypothesize this as a sign of his righteous commitment in his belief for a cause; of what we will learn to be bringing forth Ammit the devourer of souls. The tonal shift and difference begins here with the music selection,  though there is no dialogue in the cold open, a song plays through the open, Bob Dylan’s ‘Every grain of Sand’ it’s  somber in delivery which In both lyrics and Dylan’s intention  was  allusions to faith and spirituality. The next scene is the Marvel Studio’s logo opening and like the cold open, the musical bed or orchestral score is removed and Engelbert Humperdinck 1968 hit song ‘A man without love’ is played. The song is continued over into the first scene with Oscar Isaac’s Character Steven Grant awakening in bed undoing his safe guards used to prevent his sleepwalking patterns.

Whether or not Isaac’s British accent is plausible is of no concern, It is the examination and introduction of the character of Steven Grant.  A mild manner character, working in a museum gift shop who just so happens to be versed in Egyptian history & mythology.  That small detail becomes paramount in telling this series.  After watching the first 3 episodes, the first scene becomes somewhat ironic and easily overlooked.  Steven is speaking to his mother via her voice mail happy to receive her posted letter.  We learn by episode 2 that his alter has not spoken to his mother in years, and Steven ends the voice recording saying ‘later gators’  which is animal head of Ammit. 

The show feels it was shot less on green screen and more on location; however, make no mistake the show is heavily laden with special effects and all sorts of composites, proof is sitting through the closing credits which was 95% CGI departments and personnel.  Director Mohmad Diab is an Egyptian filmmaker and given the title of ‘lead director’ as he directed 4 of the 6 episodes. This includes the pilot, while doing press to promote the series Diab had mentioned in several interviews that he was disappointed of the depiction on how Egypt was received in Wonder Woman 1984, and wanted to really show his homeland as it was meant to be seen. That meant scrubbing the Hollywood interpretation which left him feeling a better representation was required.  With a place that felt lived in with a vibrant and enriched cultural mosaic, an example would be Marc and his wife are on a small-to-mid size boat sharing  space with a wedding party  demonstrating life is going on all around them.  The Pilot episode is outstanding as it plays it from Steven’s perspective a man who we learn is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)   the use of mirrors, reflective surfaces, shadows and darkness for Khonshu  or Marc Spector to communicate with Steven. This was exciting and delivered in a way that would be considered horror but, lands just as effectively without the scares.

The plot is straight forward, a prevention of an Egyptian minority report; there are ancient beings called the Ennead who are Eternals from another dimension from a place called Heliopolis, the gateway to Earth connects through Egypt.  The Ennead as an article reads “the rift between man and god”   are a group of 16 who have human avatars, and like Eternals they have inhabited Earth 10,000 years ago and have chosen not to interfere, but merely observe humans.  Khonshu was the only member who actively disobeyed that rule with his Moon Knight Avatar.  Ammit appears to be another member who actively went against the collective and was imprisoned sometime prior.

DID  has been used in cinema , for decades ,  Films that come to mind are the 1994 Movie Color of Night starring Bruce Willis where the victim had form of DID as a coping mechanism to survive their situation. 2003 Thriller ‘Identity ‘starring John Cusack, where identities were cannibalized until the single dominant survives.  2007 BBC mini-series ‘Jekyll’ starring James Nesbitt as Dr. Tom Jackman and Mr Hyde, when ultimately faced with an even greater threat that either of his alter states can escape from; they form an alliance which has an almost supernatural effect.   2016 Hindi film Housefull 3 with a character named Sandy/Sunday whose split personality is incredibly destructive. The 2017 film from M. Night Shyamalan titled ‘Split’, where a motherly persona named Patricia oversaw all 23 personalities and the 23rd personality was the most dangerous of them all. 

 In Moon Knight, Marc Spector and Steven Grant are the 2 distinct personalities but by the third episode a 3^rd personality appears to take hold and murdered a few assailants without either Steven or Marc being made aware of.  The slow building revelation is very reminiscent to the 2009 Showtime series “The United States of Tara” a Character who suffers from DID and later develops additional personalities on top of the 3 characters she had inhabited when the show began. 

The cold open in episode 3 revolves around Marc Spector’s wife Layla, who is not only aware of Marc Spector’s lifestyle but his alter ego and powers of the Moon Knight costume, She is forging passports and falsifying  documents for herself with routine knowledge and ease that is both alarming and curious. The history of not seeing Marc for months distills the notion that Steven is the more recent construct personality from Marc’s mortal agreement with Khonshu.  Steven’s  love for French poetry, the location of his flat are indicators of Marc’s earlier relationship with Layla; of when they first met and highlights a more softer and tender side of Marc Spector when he was courting Layla.

Pros and Cons - (Pro)Marc can call upon his costume at will; as it manifests around him like armor and provides healing and invincibility. Episode 3 displays Moon Knight getting stabbed deeply with 4 or 5 Javelin spears.  (Con) On the other hand the character is unreliable as hero to be part of a team like the avengers initiative, and too mythical and rooted with his environment to be in a Space odyssey like with Guardians of the Galaxy, Characters like the Eternals or Blade are likely areas for further character involvement if Moon Knight Branches beyond the limited series run.

Strange New Worlds

 

Strange New Worlds, debuted in the summer of 2022, as a spinoff of the series Star Trek Discovery, with its star Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) having ties to the original 60’s series. Hardcore fans will find easter eggs connecting planets, ships and names of characters popping up somewhere in every episode, with an underlining storyline that leads up to an inevitable future for both its captain and crew.

We learn Discovery commenced a mission unsanctioned by Starfleet to jump into the future to defeat an A.I., While Pike and the enterprise stayed in the present, Pike saw his future, and to fans of 60’s series titled The Cage/The Menagerie. Fans old and new know what the future has in store for its captain.    Looking back to the original series; episode 4 – titled The Naked Time, it shares a story to that of Strange New Worlds Episode 3: Ghost of Ilyria -how the crew become infected with an alien virus.  New Worlds episode 5 Spock Amok , that plays with original season 2 episode 1’s  Amok Time, we witness the first meeting, and the start of Nurse Chapel’s crush on Spock, that pays off in The Naked Time several years into the future.  Which puts a question of chief security officer La’an Noonien-Singh a descendant of Khan who in accordance with the original series episode called Space Seed, has Khan currently adrift in space in suspended animation. As he and his augmented crew where tyrants in the 1990s and attempted to take over world, her last name is a source of ridicule and a reason why the federation does not accept creatures who genetically modify themselves.  Which sets up the character Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijin), Captain Pike’s number One. In episode 3 Ghosts of Ilyira – Ilyrians were never accepted into Starfleet as they experimented on themselves with genetic modifications, and Una is an Ilyrian but from a distant planet.  …  Trivia note - Majel Barrett played unnamed first officer for Captain Pike in “The Cage” episode; which was also Barrett’s first role on Star Trek…  making her the original Number One.

As tightly woven Strange New Worlds is to shows of the past like Enterprise, Discovery, Deep Space Nine, Next generation, and the original series.  The show keeps the traditional format of an A and B story subplot, but that B subplot will have a C & D side story that along with keeping true and accurate to the rich lore of Star Trek history. ….  In layman’s terms, if you never watch Star Trek, you will find each episode engaging with a new set of circumstances and location, while also getting a closer look at a crew member and situation involving them to this over arching story and how their captain and crew work in that member’s situation. Making each episode engaging, complex and packed with story; fans of previous shows will draw lines, find small connections, they will debate or have water cooler talk of who is the better captain, that can begin from Pike losing crew members early in the season, The Kobayashi Maru, the test Kirk reprogrammed to cheat the no-win simulation test; to each Series Captains’ sense of charisma and valor. Or just the shear performances of other actors on their captains’ interpretations from Janeway, Sisco, Picard, Archer, Lorca and Kirk.  It honestly should come down to who would you want to be your boss, that you’d have to report to for 5 straight years, A surprising number has pointed to Strange New Worlds Christopher Pike, his fatherly warmer approach to his crew, and open lines of communication is more calm, easy, and mutually enriching as compared to the more ritual hierarchy of past/future commanding officers.