With an old skool Cold War vibe, a dash of alien infiltration, and the emergence of an avenging angel from his intergalactic safe house, Secret Invasion starts strong as Marvel attempts a resurrection of sorts spearheaded by one grizzled Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).
Donning a beanie hat and wealth of facial hair, audiences are quickly introduced to this post-blip head honcho, as he emerges from blinding white light and re-connects with Agent Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) in quick succession. Each one doing their best to catch up this out of shape operative, as episode one takes its time to unpack essential plot points.
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Aside from that, Secret Invasion also touches base with newbies G’iah (Emilia Clarke) and Skrull separatist Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), who form a pivotal part of proceedings going forward.
With the revelation that Skrull shapeshifters have infiltrated society and are slowly replacing them with carbon copies – Secret Invasion takes on shades of John le Carre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Except this time, rather than having John Hurt at the head of the circus, that role falls to Olivia Colman (Sonja Falsworth).
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As Emmy nominated creator Kyle Bradstreet (Mr.Robot) digs deeper into this espionage premise, expanding on the multiverse elements, and giving audiences a peek behind the curtain of this intricate resistance network – it becomes clear Nick Fury has his work cut out.
However, despite all the Marvel branding Secret Invasion rarely betrays any comic book connections, choosing instead to tone down fantastical elements. For that reason, Skrull tech looks rudimentary, lacks polish, and feels like salvage. A design choice which ensures this limited series remains in the moment and keeps both feet on solid ground.
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Across the board in that opening hour things might feel slow, but those low-key performances from a top tier ensemble cast are note perfect. Olivia Coleman (Empire of Light) is having tremendous fun, while Emilia Clarke (The Pod Generation), and Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano) are on devastating form.
Yet the largest cheer should go up for Samuel L. Jackson (The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey), who simply slips Nick Fury back on like a second skin. In the midst of dramatic carnage, or emoting like mad as mayhem unfolds, this seasoned veteran ensures that Secret Invasion has the firmest of dramatic foundations going forward.
Amid Oscar winners and a cast packed solid with heavy hitters, this alien espionage thriller offers up more than an accolade laden cast with Emmy nominated pedigree – it gives the MCU a glimmer of hope that there may yet be life after Kang the Conqueror is laid to rest.
Secret Invasion is available to stream on Disney+ now.