Moon Knight is a Step in the Right Direction for the MCU
I’m sure I’m not the only one who is getting a little tired of the MCU, and the overexposure to quick-witted, family-friendly superhero films. There’s an incredible success story within the MCU, and it truly is one of the greatest achievements in recent years, but the franchise desperately needs a change in direction. Moon Knight is the first glimpse of this much needed change, and although not perfect by any means, it represents a step in the right direction for the MCU.
Feige needs to greenlight more risks; the MCU needs to break free from its rigid comfort zone and start experimenting more. Disney needs to hire experimental filmmakers and inject some art and pizzazz into the increasingingly bland franchise. As Martin Scorsese famously said, ‘the MCU is not cinema’, and although controversial, the acclaimed director is not exactly wrong.
There really aren’t very many serious, memorable or impactful scenes in the entire MCU run. There’s the occasional reference to a slightly deep motif, or a surface glimmer of exploring a character in an interesting manner but nothing ever gets explored to the point of being monumental. Moon Knight, and the introduction of Mark/Steven’s BPD, is the first time the studio has explored any significant avenues surrounding mental health and abuse. And Moon Knight actually manages to tackle the subjects in a mostly coherent, and engaging fashion. Oscar Isaac carries the series, there’s no doubting that, and he delivers one of the best performances of the MCU in recent years. It is through his performance, and director Mohamed Diab’s vision, that Moon Knight is enabled to flourish into something different. It’s darker, grittier and carries a heavier tone than previous MCU titles, reflecting a creative change that is beginning to show some signs of blossoming.
The MCU needs to start exploring new genres. It needs to stray from the beaten track and stop playing everything safe. I want to stop feeling like I’m being spoon-fed an easily digestible, simple plot and consume some more meaningful narratives and topics. Marvel comics have offered some of the most intriguing and impactful storylines of all time, narratives that require the reader to think a bit deeper than surface level, and the MCU needs to start taking inspiration from some of these intricate stories.
It’s not an acceptable excuse to keep playing it safe, and to keep sticking to what the audience enjoys. However, this does summon an issue amongst audiences themselves. If the demand for change is not prevalent enough, then of course Disney will never switch up their formula for Marvel properties. It’s time to take a stance. The MCU needs to change, and we need to help it on its way. Audience numbers matter to a studio like Disney. If they keep offering the same bland, banal, repetitive approach to the superhero genre, and viewers keep buying tickets, then nothing is going to change.
The Disney+ shows, especially Moon Knight, have shown glimpses of a creative desire for change, but there is still a long fight ahead of us.
