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Posted in: Disney+, Marvel, Review, TV | Tagged: Wonder Man
Wonder Man Review: Abdul-Mateen & Kingsley Shine in Redemption Story
Wonder Man might just be Marvel's most heartfelt series yet, thanks in large part to Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sir Ben Kingsley's chemistry.
Article Summary
- Wonder Man stands out as Marvel's most heartfelt series, focusing on redemption and personal struggle.
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley deliver compelling performances with standout chemistry.
- The series emphasizes character-driven drama over typical superhero action, exploring deeper themes.
- Supporting cast adds humor and depth, while themes echo X-Men’s focus on powers as both blessing and curse.
On the surface, Wonder Man seems a bit of a parody of live-action superhero projects with its The Studio approach to the genre. It's far deeper than that, thanks to its two leads in Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who plays Simon Williams, and Ben Kingsley, who reprises his Iron Man III (2013) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) role of Trevor Slattery. Simon is a struggling actor who's been searching for stable work for over a decade and has become increasingly frustrated by his failures. When he meets Trevor, who has seen his own share of struggles after his stint posing as international terrorist The Mandarin during the events of the Shane Black film, he sees a lot of potential in the younger talent. The two stumble upon an opportunity when there's a remake of Wonder Man in the works, looking to cast. The following contains minor spoilers.
Wonder Man Is Light on Superheroics, Heavy on Heart
To understand Simon, there's a dark secret he harbors that he's trying to keep contained, which would warrant the kind of attention he doesn't want beyond the typical kind that comes of being a celebrity. To keep his powers in check, he tries and often fails to keep his feelings in check, which results in seismic consequences affecting those around him. To help give him hope, Trevor tries to keep him in check while focusing on the task at hand.
A side gripe here, I understand the appeal of Trevor and the way Kingsley plays him with such humility, sticking to his grounded nature. It feels like there's so much belief to suspend if you know the impact his character had in the Robert Downey Jr.-starred film and how much his character was plastered. It's understandable that his character went into hiding in the Destin Daniel Cretton film, since he did play a terrorist after all, and was serving time before being broken out. It's feasible that Trevor couldn't live that public life as an actor again, and the series does address this numerous times, but the way contemporary audiences would see it as some cool thing. It also speaks of the tragedy that most never acknowledge any of his roles. Still, he's walking out and about, being recognized for all the wrong reasons, and still somehow, hirable.
That being said, Cretton, who created the series alongside Andrew Guest, infuses so much into the series because it's so uniquely different in trajectory than most of the other MCU stories, which includes Shang-Chi, that the hero has no intentions to become a superhero, and all series dealing with the subsequent discrimination and baggage that comes with the powers. It shares the cathartic tones of the X-Men, where powers are more often seen as curses than blessings. Even if you take it out of the Marvel setting, the series stands alone as two men trying to make sense of their past, forgive themselves for past transgressions, and grow.
While the series features Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley throughout, we get a wonderful mix of supporting characters, including Josh Gad and Joe Pantoliano playing fictional versions of themselves, which bring some more lighthearted and comedic moments. Other noteworthy performances include Demetrius Grosse, who plays Eric Williams, Simon's older brother, sharing one of the most intense and dramatically visceral scenes opposite Abdul-Mateen II in the series; and Shola Adewusi as Martha Williams, Simon and Eric's mother, who brings much of the heart in the series.
For those looking only for wall-to-wall action, I suggest you pass on this, but you're missing out on a gem of a story. As I can see Abdul-Mateen II and Kinglsey with future adventures in subsequent seasons, it feels like it would be hard to top what they've accomplished this season, and it would take away from what has been established. I wouldn't have a problem seeing them in Shang-Chi 2 if it happens. Wonder Man also stars X Mayo, Zlatko Burić, Arian Moayed, Béchir Sylvain, Olivia Thirlby, and Byron Bowers, and is currently streaming on Disney+.
Wonder Man
9.5/10
Wonder Man embraces its non-traditional approach to as a superhero limited series as a story of two men with ton of regrets looking for their own respective paths to redemption. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley provide some award-worthy performances as Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery that would stand on its own as a quality story, but has the added benefit in taking place in the MCU.
Credits
Creator
Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest
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