Critical popcorn

Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, the latest installation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), marks a significant albeit unlikely departure from the more eccentric cosmic narratives that have dominated the MCU’s recent projects. Despite focusing predominantly on the Skrulls – a race of shapeshifting aliens introduced to us in Captain Marvel – it seems that the MCU is trading up its interstellar exploits (for now) for a far more grounded, Earth-centric story of displacement, geopolitical destabilisation and perhaps most interestingly, the immigrant experience.

The exploration of this displacement, as seen through the plight of the Skrulls, is a significant departure from the staple superhero narratives we’ve come to expect. By portraying the Skrulls as displaced immigrants, relying on Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury to search for a better life and place to belong, Marvel’s foray into the realm of socio-political commentary deepens, offering a potent reflection of the all too familiar narratives of marginalized groups driven to extremes by systematic neglect. What is fascinating is how the series explores the impact of the Skrulls’ desperate and unmet need for a home through the antagonistic forces led by Kingsley Ben-Adir‘s Gravik and his shocking plans for domination, which will undoubtedly please long-time fans and will likely set the stage for Marvel’s future.

Every now and again, it feels as if a lone voice cutting in Marvel’s R&D department is somehow able to cut through the noise, fundamentally providing an answer to the rife superhero fatigue that seems to dominate the discourse of recent years. That certainly seems to be the case here with Secret Invasion, which, like its political predecessors – Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – it boldly tries to be so much more. Marvel is at its best when it elevates itself through the lens of genre and reminiscent of classic espionage narratives and 1980s political thrillers, Secret Invasion attempts to build a sense of tension and intrigue through subterfuge, suspicion and shapeshifting shenanigans. Though we only have the first two episodes to draw from, it seems as though the series has yet to fully capitalize on the paranoia-inducing potential of this premise and at times struggles to deliver the gripping pull it’s looking for.

Despite this, the series does a respectable job at setting the stage for the ever-evolving geopolitics of the MCU’s new world order; power and responsibility on a (other) worldly scale. This is a world in which the Sokovia Accords, which previously criminalised and regulated the capacity to which superheroes could operate, have been repealed. A world in which the U.N.’s increasing involvement after the events of Falcon and The Winter Soldier marks a significant shift in the political landscape of the MCU. These changes introduce us to new characters, such as the sure to be fan-favourite Falsworth – played by Olivia Colman, and old friends, such as the welcome return of Ben Mendelsohn‘s Talos, or the surprising star of the second episode – Don Cheadle, who returns as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes and who will undoubtedly play a much larger role throughout the series (as well as having the best monologue in the last decade’s worth of Marvel speeches).

Secret Invasion shows promising signs of a mature and compelling narrative that explores deeply complex and dark themes, which ultimately warrants investment for its potential to provide a welcome break from the spectacle-centric narratives of recent MCU projects. However, to fully deliver on its potential, the series needs to pick its moments, knowing when to linger and when to snap in its storytelling and effectively ramp up the tension and suspense inherent in its espionage and political thriller roots.

The series stands on the precipice of a significant shift in the Marvel narrative and it will be interesting to see how it navigates these challenges in the episodes to come.

Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion is streaming on Disney+ from 21 June