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The Defenders, a new addition to the Marvel universe on Netflix, unites the titular superheroes from four previous series (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist). The first three forced short-form superheroes to up their game, blending well-choreographed action with themes like addiction, African-American culture and identity, and abusive relationships. This made for much grittier content than anything Marvel had tackled before. Iron Fist, the most recent release, is the weakest of the four, tackling such difficult issues as what it’s like to be white, rich, and good at karate. The stark variation in quality becomes particularly evident under the intensity of The Defenders. The Iron Fist segments of the episodes are replete with stilted dialogue and wooden acting. Thankfully, Charlie Cox’s Catholic guilt-ridden Matthew Murdock/Daredevil, Krysten Ritter’s foul-mouthed, hard-drinking Jessica Jones, and Mike Colter’s formidable yet charming Luke Cage, have enough charisma to pull the audience through any tedious moments.
The Defenders essentially devotes its first two episodes to character re-introductions, so viewers unfamiliar with Marvel’s superhumans should have no trouble catching up as our heroes join forces when an ancient organisation known as “The Hand” threatens to destroy New York City (for permanently unclear reasons). “The Hand” is a vague threat throughout, though its mysterious leader, Alexandra, is played by a captivating Sigourney Weaver who makes for a fascinatingly nuanced Marvel villain. Unfortunately, the series as a whole spends too much time setting up the plot, and not enough exploring the core characters in this new four-way dynamic. A scene in which the leads hang out in a Chinese restaurant is a notable moment, a rare opportunity for the cast to have a little fun with the premise of a ragtag group of semi-heroic misfits forming an unlikely alliance.
Though it benefits from a shorter eight-episode order than its sister series’ (with thirteen episodes each), it still manages to waste plenty of time meandering at a glacial pace. After a slow start, the series picks up halfway through, only to lose momentum again as it approaches a lacklustre climax. It struggles under the weight of expositional storylines and awkwardly-staged fight scenes – a huge contrast to the slick action of Daredevil and Jessica Jones. It’s not all bad, and there are definitely some inspired moments, but it’s sadly not enough to redeem Marvel’s latest pet project. If you’re looking for fun action sequences and thoughtfully examined themes, you’re better off returning to one of the original series, all of which provide much more in the way of compelling, exciting television than what’s on offer here.
