Nov. 24 marked the premiere of the first episode of Marvel’s, “Hawkeye,” found on Disney+. PHOTO CREDIT: imd.com
The Disney+ addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), “Hawkeye,” comes just in time for the holiday season with the festive setting of New York City in December.
The show itself is centered around Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a college-aged female archer who finds herself in a messy situation when she dons the Ronin suit used by Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) in “Avengers: Endgame” to act as a vigilante. “Hawkeye,” which has three episodes out now, releases new episodes every Wednesday, so stay tuned.
The first episode opens with the events of the first “Avengers” Battle of New York scene playing in the background, as Kate’s parents have a disagreement. Kate sees Hawkeye save her from an alien ship headed towards her home, and from there on, idolizes him. However, her father was a casualty of the Battle of New York, and we see Kate use this as fuel to start her superhero aspirations.
“Hawkeye” seems to show what everyday people who aspire to be superheroes in the MCU go through, and how unrealistic it is. Kate and Clint have a witty banter between the two of them and a kind of father-daughter-type relationship sparks as Kate subconsciously tries to fill the hole her own father’s death left in her life.
The opening credits have an intriguing animation style with purple themes throughout to mirror the comic book costume of Hawkeye. Here, we see Kate’s preparation for her soon-to-come superhero debut throughout her youth, as she masters martial arts, fencing and archery.
Kate’s character is pretty likeable and the kind of person you’d want to befriend, or who you’d probably want to be if you lived in the MCU yourself. She’s funny, skilled and personable. However, her character is a bit unrealistic in portraying an “everyday” person (as most superheroes are), as she is from a rich family and even finds herself in a black market underground auction.
Clint’s struggles with letting his past go are evident, yet comical, as it plays like a family-friendly Christmas special in New York City with streets covered in trees and lights. He and his children attend a Broadway musical about the Battle of New York, where we see him struggle with the loss of his best friend, Black Widow, who is portrayed in the musical along with him, eventually stepping out of the theatre.
The second episode, with live-action role playing, molotov cocktails and a home fencing bout, ended with a cliffhanger which will keep audiences hooked and waiting for the next episode to come out.
Going forward, based on the trailer for the show, I think it will give off a vibe reminiscent of “Die Hard,” as Kate and Clint join forces to fight criminal activity in the New York City area and save Christmas.
I think this is in the running for my second or third favorite of the MCU Disney+ shows behind “Wandavision” and “Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” I look forward to what the rest of the show has to offer. Rating: 7/10.