So, Echo finally arrives today at Disney+ (first one in the new “Spotlight” series) and yesterday I got the chance to watch the first couple of episodes…
After shooting Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) at the end of Hawkeye, Maya (Alaqua Cox) goes back to her natal Oklahoma, where she tries to take over Kingpin’s empire, without knowing, that despite having shoot him on the face, her previous mentor and employer is still alive, and he is sending everything and everyone after her. To make things worst, Maya has to deal with strange visions from her ancestors and some powers that come with them. Will she use them for right or wrong?
So, Marvel finally decided to make a more violent and brutal show. And by releasing all the episodes at once, it seems as if the studio doubts its own product. Now, I think that making films and series that seek to entertain a more adult audience is something that Disney+ has been seriously missing. But it’s exactly the action that Echo brings that ultimately makes it successful.
Not that this means that Echo is without flaws, cause even when the first episode is great (it includes an awesome fight with a certain blind fearless vigilante), the second one deals with some lethargic moments that I hope won’t happen again in the last 3.
Kevin Feige has been trying to freshen up the superhero genre mixing them with different styles of production. A risky move, yes, but an interesting none the less. This time we get a series with great action and fights that are beautifully choreographed along with camera movement, trying with every kick and punch, to speed up the audience heart rate to the max with it’s brutality.
But not everything in Echo is about violence. The narrative is also integral to understanding the character’s origin. It also celebrates both Choctaw culture and Mayas legacy by talking about its myths and origins. I especially liked the recreation of an old ball game (that I guess we’ll get to see other moments like that through out the ages), and being those the ones that show us about Echo’s special abilities. And even though she walks what seems to be a villainess path, seeing the relationship with her family, especially with her cousin, is what makes us think she destined to join the right side…eventually.
Overall, Echo feels like a more mature Marvel. While it has its moments, because it’s the first official step towards the street-level characters in the MCU, it feels like it’s still missing something – and I don’t mean more Daredevil.
Personally, I’d give it a 7.5/10, and that’s because I’m optimistic it’ll get better.
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