Echo may not be a character that Marvel fans were clamoring for, but the tone and moments of incredibly choreographed action that her new series delivers is exactly what the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs at this stage in the saga. Unfortunately, all of the best elements of the series are buried in a messy and jumbled narrative in need of a strong edit.

Plot

Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) is a highly trained assassin waging a war against Wilson Fisk, the most powerful criminal in New York. When she returns to her hometown in Oklahoma and reunites with her extended family after decades apart, the war follows her, placing her, and the only people she cares about, in imminent danger.

Echo Critique

Also Read: Loki Season 2 Review – The MCU Needs Loki

Ushering in the newly established Marvel Spotlight banner, Echo also acts as the first Mature rated series in the expansive universe. That rating generated a lot of buzz, with fans speculating that we’d receive a darker and more violent vision than we’d previously experienced in the MCU. Echo certainly does make use of its Mature rating — most prominently beginning in its third episode — but the freedom to utilize more graphic violence is never used to the story’s benefit. The extra spurts of blood and expanded gore often feel like a gimmick, desperately shouting to viewers, “Don’t forget that I’m different from the rest of the them! I’m more adult!”

Much of the anticipation for the series stemmed from Maya’s connection to Daredevil and Kingpin in the comics. While Daredevil’s presence is brief (yet memorable), Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin plays a prominent role. D’Onofrio’s return is a highlight of the series. His villainous portrayal has been lauded since first appearing in the Netflix Daredevil series and his transition into the MCU has been a breath of fresh air. 

Echo is a character that doesn’t carry the name-recognition of some of the tentpole heroes; however, that has never been an issue with the right creative team behind the project. Jon Favreau made Iron Man a household name, and James Gunn constructed one of the best trilogies of the decade with an ensemble of relatively unknown characters and outcasts. The problem here is that Maya isn’t treated with the same care and respect as those other properties. Despite having five episodes to explore her backstory, the entire endeavor is rushed.

She gets a stereotypically tragic past and redundant flash-backs to her time in Hawkeye, all leading to a conclusion that feels hurried and unearned. When Echo hits, it hits hard; however, it swings so fast and chaotically that it misses far more often. The pacing, editing and story development all fall flat, crushing the moments of greatness that are clearly visible beneath the rubble. It left me yearning for what could have been with a more cohesive vision and execution.

In Conclusion

There are moments of stand-out action and some fantastic performances; however, Echo feels like it set its sights too high. All fans really needed — all they wanted — was a solid bit of entertainment that set itself apart from the steady decline MCU. Loki managed to deliver exactly that with its second season, and Echo comes close on more than one occasion. Is it worth watching? Sure, I enjoyed myself and I have no problem admitting that, but I was left feeling disappointed and wanting more for Alaqua Cox.

6/10

Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.