She-Hulk, the funny and spicy comedy? Verdict after four episodes of the new Marvel series.
While Marvel sticks to its track record on the big screen, the franchise indulges a few times in the small skylight. New inspirations, new formats and above all new characters, the Maison des Idées rejects anything.
After the teen movie with Miss Marvelsitcom with Vision of Wanda, this time the studios explore the universe of legal series with She-Hulk. Superhero production requires, however it has some specific characteristics. Series she Hulk showed us the green half empty? Critic.
Jennifer Walters is a seemingly ordinary lawyer. This young lawyer is not only related to one of the most famous superheroes in the world, but she also leads a very normal life. She navigates between her single life and her professional responsibilities. A balance that she is put to the test when she accidentally receives a few drops of Bruce Banner’s blood.
There is no doubt that it can quickly transform into a huge uncontrollable green monster. Uncontrollable? Not really, because unlike her cousin, she seems to be in complete control of his abilities. His life will therefore not be a long, calm river. After losing her job, she is entrusted with a team of lawyers specializing in superhero law. Through these different cases, Jennifer Walters will learn to deal with this new identity and the responsibilities that come with it.
Let’s face it, the series is inspired by many of the genre’s iconic productions. From New York Criminal Police Bee Grabto come Drop Dead DivaJessica Gao’s production isn’t new. However, at Marvel, within a very marked universe, she at least has the merit of exploring new territories.
Let’s briefly discuss the legal aspect of: reckless, the series developed by Netflix that is not officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When Matt Murdock appeared in … Spider-Man: There is no way to go homethis is the first time the franchise has explored these paths under its own license.
In act of fan service
It won’t have escaped your attention, Marvel makes it a point of honor to link its productions together. Rare are films and series that evolve completely freely. Recently we can mention: Knight of the Moon which had never referred to any other MCU production.
Front she Hulk, it is just the opposite. The series relies on its close relationship with the Avengers to attract the curious. The references, guests and other Easter Eggs are many, the series does not hide its intentions. Through various camera faces, the series enjoys consistently breaking through the fourth wall and referencing this fan service that has brought a lot of criticism to the studios.
Also, we could essentially sum up the chaotic first episode with this word. This crude introduction ticks all the boxes of the genre, never finding the right time. He dodges a lot, sometimes freezes too long and has a real rhythm problem.
she Hulk then it appears as a cheerful mess, struggling to convince us. The series tries to do too much, a bit like a child who can’t channel himself. References to MCU movies and series abound, but the narrative forgets to construct a true origin story.
The presence of the Hulk aka Bruce Banner doesn’t help, it evokes the mentor scene we’ve seen hundreds of times. Fortunately, the second episode serves as a step forward for what the series will look like in the future.
Who wants to do gender justice?
Since the emergence of SVOD platforms, series are less real-life series productions than fragmented films. Netflix is also a past master of the genre, it does it for all or almost all content. On Disney +, series are less in the minority in the very academic sense of the word.
Vision of Wanda for example, he wanted to pay homage to sitcoms by taking on the narrative. Same strategy for The Mandalorianwhose episodic construction was the main topic.
she Hulk uses this formula by examining different lawsuits in each episode, at least in the four chapters we have seen. It must be said that there are many aspects to be explored, the advent of superheroes will be a real headache for law enforcement and institutions.
This is where the series finds its strength. If we regret the way the narrative flies on some issues, we have to admit that we rather like to see Jennifer Walters address these issues. Less ceremonial than reckless, the series mixes comedy and legal battle with a certain relaxation. If we were afraid of this mix of genres, the series finally manages to distill its inspiration sparingly. We crack a few smiles, laugh candidly from time to time, and Tatiana Maslany’s performance isn’t for nothing.
The actress, who had already proved herself in the series Orphan Black, replicate the exploit. With an unmistakable sympathy for capital, he manages to convince the spectators … finally the judges. However, the ensemble sometimes lacks a bit of subtlety, especially in the feminist approach. The series supports his argument with long militant diatribes. The message at least has the merit of passing through. And then, at the start of a failed match, she Hulk seems to have finally found its rhythm. The series likes to hijack the clichés of romantic comedies to embody the protagonist and the problems she faces.
Crime against good taste
The first images shared by Disney + were far from eye-catching. While the House of Ideas is at the center of a controversy over its visual effects, the rendering of the series confirms that if you want to do too much … you end up getting lost in an ocean of bad taste.
Recently, many visual effects artists have shared the problems they faced while working on various Marvel projects. Unrealistic deadlines, backtracking and small savings denounce the firm’s strategy. It must be said that they do not stay still at the cinema and on Disney +.
But to keep up with this schedule, the Kevin Feige company has to make some concessions. Obviously it conquers the realism of the visual effects. If improvements are planned over the first trailers, we are still a long way from a satisfactory rendering. The plot, or rather the lack of plot, the light, everything in this series is reminiscent of the bad times of television.
The same goes for the controversial choice of She-Hulk’s silhouette. If he’s much less sexualized than some comics, he’s severely lacking in reach. We would have liked him to reinvent himself completely, to truly serve the story. Why the hell does he dry a Farrah Fawcett with every transformation?
Furthermore, the series explores the visual codes of the genre without ever standing out. It should be noted that, while a little confused at first, the looks of the camera and other interactions with the audience eventually allow the series to find a semblance of identity.
In the first episode we will briefly retrace the scenes of cartoon clashes, which contribute to the making of she Hulk a series of scams Hopefully the series pays homage to the characters that will soon appear, starting with Daredevil. You can’t forgive a mistake when it comes to the beloved Marvel fan character.
At least the first four episodes of she Hulk, while confusing, in the end they are very encouraging. If everything is far from perfect, the series has five more episodes to prove. verdict next 13 Octoberon the occasion of broadcast of the last episode of the series. Until then you still have nine episodes to be resolved.
Check out She-Hulk on Disney +