Secret Invasion has been one of Marvel’s more anticipated projects for some time, with fans looking to the series as a possible return to form for the increasingly lackluster franchise. Movies like Thor: Love and Thunder and Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania have effectively chipped away at the good-faith and trust that the Infinity Saga had built up over the course of ten years. Much of the excitement stems from Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury getting to take center stage in a story of his own, and the promising concept adapted from the popular comic book, crossover event.

Keep in mind, I received early access to the first two episodes of Secret Invasion for review considerations, and at the time of this writing I have only seen those two episodes. This review is not for the series as a whole, which will consist of six episodes.

The Plot

The shape-shifting species of Skrulls are here on Earth. While Nick Fury and Captain Marvel had developed a relationship of trust and cooperation with the species thirty years back during the events of Captain Marvel, a large group of Skrulls have grown tired of waiting. They were promised a new place to live, a new planet to call home. Feeling that Fury has broken his promise and abandoned them, they decide to make Earth their permanent residence by annihilating the human race and taking over. But when the enemy could literally look like anybody, who can you trust?

The Critique

Secret Invasion should have been Marvel’s version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers or The Thing. It has everything needed to create a taut, paranoia fueled thriller; however, it treats its source material with a lackluster disregard for depth and instead chooses to skim the surface of its possibilities. The series’ pilot episode is likely the weakest pilot episode of any of Marvel’s Disney+ shows. It moves at a quick pace, starting the action off early and building from there at rapid speed. The issue is that each step of the way is built upon a poorly written, clichéd attempt at an espionage thriller while giving no time or effort to building suspense.

Rather than treating the Skrulls as an unknown force shrouded in mystery and hiding in plain sight, Secret Invasion places too much of the focus on the alien species. We see detailed depictions of their headquarters, their planning and their motivations. It effectively wastes the greatest element that the story provides. Rather than using the mystery to fuel the suspense and paranoia, it seemingly lays its cards on the table too early. It’s trying to be a puzzle, but the pieces are too few and they’re incredibly obvious.

The series also marks the long-awaited return of fan-favorite character Nick Fury. He’s literally the man behind the Avengers, yet as a character, he’s been criminally underused. Samuel L. Jackson is a legend, and for good reason. While it’s always great to see him on screen, there is a noticeable lack of enthusiasm and energy. It’s no fault of the actor and at seventy-four years old its remarkable to see him still leading an action franchise. However, it’s a shame that we didn’t get to witness a Nick Fury led film or project while the actor was still in his prime.

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In Conclusion

I’m sure there will twists and turns to come in future episodes, and I’ll be tuning in to see them unfold. But Secret Invasion fumbles the ball early. It’s not Captain America: The Winter Soldier, although it certainly thinks it is. It’s a lazily written and poorly paced story with nothing new to bring to the table. Granted, episode two was a significant improvement over the first one, and Olivia Coleman is a standout addition to the cast; however, I still wonder if it can dig itself out of the rut its created this early on.

6/10

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