The first superhero of the new year is here, and it is none other than Wonder Man! You’d be forgiven for not knowing who Wonder Man is in the world of Marvel comics, as he is very much not one of the mainstream characters. That is what gives this latest MCU project the differentiation it needs to stand out from the crowd.
The promotion leading up to the release has been a little cryptic and purposefully vague. All we know is Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is your average struggling actor, dealing with the day-to -day life as a generic day player who somehow lands the role of a lifetime as the titular character in the reboot of the 80s superhero action flick Wonder Man. The character’s ambiguity has allowed the team at Marvel Studios to lean into creative ideas well outside the MCU’s norms.
The heart of the series is the relationship that unfolds between the two leads. After another failed acting job Simon decides to catch a showing of the original Wonder Man where he meets Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) a formerly disgraced actor trying to reinvent himself after doing his time for his infamous role as the terrorist The Mandarin. The two form an unlikely friendship with Simon learning invaluable tricks of the trade from Trevor that help him not only in his acting life but in life in general.
Wonder Man is not a superhero show by any stretch; it is set in the world of the MCU, but those expecting action and or references to the past 18 years of superhero projects are going to be left very disappointed. Instead, Wonder Man takes a step back and focuses on the people and the life they lead. It explores some very deep personal issues of love and loss, self-worth and the inadequacies that can eat away at you as you struggle to achieve your dreams. It balances these deeper emotional tones with offbeat humour and the tension between the two leads, resulting in perfect chemistry.
Kinsley, whose time up till now in the MCU has been restricted to a background player and often used as a drug-hazed punch line, finally gets stuck into Trevor Slattery. Giving him the depth and range we all know Sir Ben performs with ease. He shakes off the role of the throwaway villain and transforms into a pivotal part of the series and complements Mateen as Simon, strangely effortlessly, given their very different styles and backgrounds.
There are some superhero moments sprinkled throughout, though they are treated a little differently. Simon may be an enhanced individual, but it has plagued him all his life because it is closely tied to his emotions and a little unpredictable. In moments of extreme stress or anger, he can release a volatile wave of energy, destroying all that is around him. In a rather poignant episode, we see why he is so hesitant to reveal to anyone his power, as he will never be able to work in film again. The world we are watching feels very real and lived in, a far stretch from the usual fantastical scenes we have become accustomed to.
Wonder Man isn’t going to be for everyone, and the hardcore fans are going to be the ones hardest hit. But those who can look past the reference material and see this for what it is may just find the next gem that holds a little bit of a mystery to keep them intrigued after the final credits roll. Simon’s evolution from a neurotic, self-absorbed nobody who is struggling for some real human connection outside of his family and aching for just a small sense of acceptance and worth into a confident man having finally achieved his goals is brilliant to watch unfold. Mateen is brilliant as Simon, yet it is all Kingsley who steers the entire series and keeps Simon focused and growing, all while things are unfolding around the pair.
Wonder Man sits just far enough outside the MCU for it to be left on its own. Mateen and Kingsley are wonderfully suited as the unlikeliest of friends and build a good foundation, expanding on their characters in the earlier episodes, but, again, we see a series that seems rushed to its conclusion, undermining the good work and the hard emotions it explores earlier.
I cannot see at this stage how Wonder Man could be brought into the wider MCU, and I doubt the team would be interested in doing so. His character is well explored, and you feel a connection to him through his very human struggles, but expanding the core has been a bit of a struggle in recent times.
For now, enjoy the 8 episodes for what they are, a quick bite-sized series that introduces a new superhero but does enough to cleanse the palette of the fatigue that sometimes comes with a new comic book-esque show.
All 8 episodes of Wonder Man is available to stream in full on Disney + from January 27th
