While I thoroughly enjoyed “WandaVision” and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” (the previous two Disney+ shows), none of them fully lived up to the hype. “WandaVision” had a really promising and creative start, but then drifted into the very generic Marvel tone. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” had very good character study, but it didn’t really take any risks. “Loki,” however, finds the perfect balance of creativeness, character development, and connection to the extended universe.
Even though Loki died in “Avengers: Infinity War” back in 2018, a Loki from the past managed to escape his destiny when the Avengers went back in time. The show picks up right where we last saw him, stranded in the middle of nowhere in the year 2012. That’s when the TVA (Time Variance Authority) comes out of a portal to punish him for “crimes against the Sacred Timeline.” Basically, when Loki escaped when the Avengers went back in time, he created an alternate timeline. This makes Loki a “variant”—an alternate version of the original Loki.
The theme of variants and timelines is one that constantly comes up in the show. The TVA’s goal is to make sure that no alternate timelines are created, and they do that by taking in variants and “pruning” them.
The MCU has not been the best at world-building. For all the time we spend in Wakanda or New York, they never really explore the world around them, going through the inner workings of our heroes’ cities. But this show changes all of that. Probably a quarter of the entire show is two characters talking about the rules and workings of the TVA, something that really helps to flesh out the location we spend most of the show in. It doesn’t feel too expository either; all of it is very relevant to the plot and is done very naturally. I just loved every minute of this world, and was overjoyed to hear more about it.
I think the cast is absolutely stellar. Owen Wilson undoubtedly played a great character, one who you actually start to care for as you go on. Sophia Di Martino played the female variant of Loki; and while at times her acting was a little bit stiff, I think overall she delivered a great performance. Richard E. Grant was the highlight of “Episode 5” as the old version of Loki, and I hope they find a way for him to return. There is one performance that I won’t get into due to spoilers, but it might be my favorite of the entire MCU. They play such an interesting character, and I can’t pull my eyes off the screen when they’re acting.
The only actor who kind of disappointed me was Loki himself. Tom Hiddelston always had this chaotic, wild energy in previous films, and he just kind of lacks that here. Especially since this Loki is back from 2012, when he hasn’t redeemed himself from being a villain. He’s supposed to be less subdued, not more. He’s less mischievous and more of a straight man, a choice that I’m not particularly fond of.
This is definitely the best looking Marvel project to date. From post-apocalyptic planets, to wastelands at the end of time, to an enormous castle—all of the sets look absolutely brilliant. The characters so seamlessly walk through the world, and it really makes it feel real. The special effects are on a whole other level, especially compared to the CGI in “WandaVision” that looked somewhat iffy at times.
The fight choreography, however, was pretty underwhelming. I didn’t expect amazing fight scenes in such a cosmic show like this; but some of the hand-to-hand fight scenes looked genuinely awful, like something out of a CW show. It hurts to think that those scenes were in the same universe as “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” a movie that highlighted its impressive fight choreography. But for the low amount of action that is on-screen, I’ll let it pass.
Like I said before, most of the show is just the characters interacting with each other. In fact, the entire last episode has no big CGI battle, just Lady Loki and Loki talking to the person behind the TVA. It feels so refreshing in a universe that only knows how to solve conflicts if it involves two superheroes shooting colorful laser beams at each other. “Loki” takes a step back, really allowing the characters to breathe.
The dynamics in this show are great too. My personal favorite was the relationship between Owen Wilson’s character and Loki; the duo fits well together, even though they couldn’t be more different. And while the romance was rushed a tad, I thought that Loki and Lady Loki had genuinely good chemistry, especially when you look at the other attempted romances in the MCU.
I was just impressed with how creative this show was. It wasn’t afraid to get crazy, but still maintained its seriousness. I also love anything involving timelines or time travel, so this show was right up my alley. And it never pulled back from the craziness either, unlike “WandaVision.” It embraced it. That’s why “Loki” is my favorite Marvel/Disney+ show…so far, at least.
