Marvel’s “The Defenders,” premiered August 18 on Netflix and it's getting good reviews from most of the critics, who have watched the series’ initial episodes. Rotten Tomatoes gave the series an 85% fresh rating among the top critics while overall, the show got a 78% fresh rating.
“The Defenders" is an 8-episode series that features Marvel Comic characters like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. This series is also interconnected with all other movies and shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The main cast for this new Marvel show reprised their roles from their individual series.
Matt Murdock aka Daredevil is played by Charlie Cox while Jessica Jones is played by Krysten Ritter. Finn Jones plays Danny Rand aka Iron Fist while Mike Colter plays Luke Cage.
Foursome riot
TV critic Sophie Gilbert of The Atlantic described the series as not “good” in terms of writing, depth of the plot, and actors’ performances. However, Gilbert said none of these matters because once the four characters come together, they are simply a riot.
She discussed a fight sequence of such “exuberance and energy" that the whole universe seems to click into place. The characters’ heroic vulnerabilities and the show weaknesses were overcome by how the foursome fight and vanquished villains of “soulless corporate henchmen.
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Gilbert pointed out that “The Defenders” clearly avoided the mistakes of the other four individual series by making its episodes shorter and fight scenes tighter. However, this “pared-down structure” allowed less time for each character, especially that of Jessica Jones.
Gets the job done with energy and flair
Variety’s Chief TV Critic, Maureen Ryan described “The Defenders” as “a series that gets the job done with a reasonable amount of energy and a few bursts of flair.” Ryan said that it is significantly better than Marvel’s “Iron Fist.”
One of the notable merits that Ryan pointed out was the performance of Sigourney Weaver, who she described as “elegant and fierce.” She said the Weaver has an almost “supernatural ability to make her scenes crackle with electricity.” Weaver plays Alexandra, a malevolent criminal mastermind in the series.
Series can’t make the combination work
TV critic Kelly Lawler of USA TODAY meanwhile said that Marvel can’t make the combination of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist work. However, she also praised Sigourney Weaver’s performance calling it a “bright spot.”
Lawler pointed to Iron Fist as the weak link in the series.
She described the other heroes' characters as appealing and well-formed backed by strong acting. Iron Fist’s character, on the other hand, is “annoying, boring, and poorly acted.”
Lawler, however, said that “The Defenders” will likely please avid Marvel fans who want to see the four heroes combined. They will be satisfied with the fight scene that finally brings the four heroes together. But viewers who are looking for unique perspectives will be disappointed.
