DUBAI: An espionage thriller that channels the Cold War of the 1980s is not what you would typically expect from a star-filled Marvel Cinematic Universe vehicle but the Disney+ show, set to premiere on the streaming platform on June 21, delivers a rock-solid series at the height of Marvel fatigue.
“Secret Invasion” finds Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury return from self-exile in space to present-day Earth where trouble is brewing. Waiting for him are Skrull General Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), who inform him that a rebel Skrull group threatens the very existence of the human race.
Shaken and helpless by the loss of control following the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” Fury is a changed man.
A further burden comes in the form of his inability to have found a home for the displaced Skrulls, whom we previously met in the 1990s-set “Captain Marvel” film.
While Carol Dancers (Brie Larson) and Fury had promised to find a new planet for the Skrulls after the Kree-Skrull war, the threat from Thanos and other extraterrestrial creatures meant that the project had taken a backseat. Now, feeling abandoned by Fury and having run out of patience, rebel Skrulls want to claim Earth for their own.
Once the coolheaded superspy who was always two steps ahead of everybody, Fury is now blindsided by his own grief, guilt and shame. Couple that with old age and the countless losses he has had to suffer over the years, the toll on his psyche is insurmountable.
Emilia Clarke in ‘Secret Invasion.’ (Supplied)
Jackson conveys Fury’s inner turmoil with practiced ease and perfection that comes from having lived in the character’s skin for almost two decades.
Meanwhile, trust is a tight currency in “Secret Invasion” and with the shape-shifting Skrulls having seamlessly blended in with humans for a couple of decades, there is no telling who is who. However, disappointingly, “Secret Invasion” — at least in the first two episodes made available for review — fails to capitalize on the shape-shifting aspect of the story.
What should have looked and felt cool, mysterious and polished, comes across as banal.
Series standouts include Marvel newcomers Kingsley Ben-Adir, who plays Skrull extremist leader Gravik, as well as “Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke in a role that we will not spoil here. Academy Award-winning English actress Olivia Colman is also stellar as a ruthless MI6 agent.
For those who have tired of Marvel’s cosmic and interstellar encounters, “Secret Invasion” will come as a welcome escape and a story that feels more grounded and solid. A must watch if you are looking to find that spark with the MCU again.
