After a long gap of eight months, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is back on the small screen with Secret Invasion, with the first episode having dropped on June 21.
Directed by Ali Selim and Written by Kyle Bradstreet and Brian Tucker, the ninth series to come to the Disney+ platform from Marvel Studios ‘Secret Invasion’ shows Nick Fury and his allies race against time and together fight to stop an impending Skrull invasion and save humanity.
Plot
The show’s opening episode, Resurrection shows a group of the shapeshifting race of Skrulls threatening Earth with a secret invasion. Nick Fury learns about the clandestine attack and comes back to earth and joins his allies, including Maria Hill, Everett Ross, and the Skrull Talos. Talos who have made a life for himself on Earth. The team races against time to thwart an Imminent skrull invasion and save Earth.
Review
The show emphasizes political espionage more than the normal action-packed Marvel fare. Additionally, it uses the tension between the US and Russia as a backdrop to intensify the fight. Marvel appears to have substituted covert relationships and coded communications for superhuman abilities and dazzling gear. The series promises to be one of Marvel’s gritty, edgier productions. However, The skrulls’ capacity for shape-shifting, is the only supernatural power they have managed to keep. All the way to the top of the government, they have snuck into the nation. On several occasions throughout the episode, ‘human characters’ faces ripple to disclose that they were actually Skrulls all along.
Samuel L. Jackson and Olivia Colman’s performance has received high accolades from the critics. Their excellent acting boosted the entire episode. But it appears that’s the last of the praise from the critics. Many have criticized the script, for being simplistic and unimaginative. The characters, and the antagonists in particular, appear to follow cliched trops.
Also, Method Studios believed the opening sequence designed using artificial intelligence played with the very ideas of the show, however, fans were not impressed. They call the sequence “gross” and attribute the poor production value to AI. It appears to be a significant step back from Marvel’s earlier, highly appreciated moments. Marvel has come under fire from them for turning to AI rather than hiring skilled artists. As a result, many people intend to boycott the series.
In conclusion, only one episode has been released thus far, so there is much room for improvement.
Brief about Skrulls
Native to the planet Skrullos, Skrulls are technologically advanced reptilian humanoids. Their most recent appearance was in Captain Marvel, where Nick Fury and Carol Danvers made a commitment to find them a new home. However, thirty years have passed, and the Skrulls are still upset with Fury for breaking his promise. In the present day, the recession episode timeline is roughly November 2025.