Hawkeye

Winter, or even Christmas, canapé, which is irresistible. Whether the main hero is uttering lines like from Die Hard, enjoying perfect friendly chemistry with an unexpected partner, or just sadly staring ahead, I marvel at the perfect symbiosis of everything and everyone. A cult villain, a dramatic storyline, a dog, and last but not least, a fulfilled dream in the form of Hailee and Florence as possibly my favorite talents of recent years, who have come together to chat over a pile of pasta. (2024-04-08)

Pathetically mediocre Marvel projects on Disney+ just keep on coming. Hawkeye had the potential to be an awesome show - excellent pair of leads, MCU setting, and an atmosphere that automatically makes you think of Die Hard. You'd think nothing could go wrong here, but sadly that's not the case. The series looks awfully cheap, the fights and action scenes in general are downright terrifying, and the bad guys and most of the supporting characters are totally bland. Even the pace of the narrative itself is unnecessarily fast. By the time the story gets going, it's actually all coming to an end. I really wanted to enjoy the series, but it was difficult. Not to criticize too much, it wasn't a disaster like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't bored most of the time with all six episodes. Finally, let me just say that I've hated Florence Pugh's "Russian" accent since the first Black Widow trailer, and I literally had to suffer through it in the film. Here, it's to be continued. Enough is enough, please, I can't take it anymore. (2021-12-23)

Happy Holidays! A lightweight, enjoyable snack, nicely following up on and complementing events at Marvel. Renner is excellent and passes the baton on to a thrilled Hailey Steinfeld. Bishop has the balls to be in the Avengers, but it remains to be seen who else Feige will cast in the movies. It’s good to see Yelena and Wilson here and their appearances are meant to be the high points of the series. But it turns out that the real high point is the chase through the streets of New York with the souped-up darts. The series is worth watching for this alone. We're all gonna die. (2021-12-23)

Hawkeye is far, far better than I originally expected, and immediately after the last episode I am cheering with joy. The plot is straightforward yet entertaining, the running time is reasonable yet quite comprehensive, and as a whole it just works perfectly. Jeremy Renner is great as always, he's well assisted by the lovely Hailee Steinfeld and we even get to see Florence Pugh as Yelena, her arrival on the scene is unexpected and hilarious at the same time. There is plenty of action, quips and plot development dispensed throughout the series, we even get a perfect twist, but the biggest kick comes in the final episode, which doesn't pull any punches, it's literally packed with action from start to finish and gives all the characters a chance to shine at their best – from the LARPists (whom the series makes fun of throughout and I was dying laughing) to Jack and his swordsmanship talents, to Yelena and the bad guys. The most euphoric moment for me was when Kingpin came in, who as a Daredevil and The Punisher fan I simply adore, and at his reveal I had the pure urge to jump and scream with joy. At first I was a little worried that this would be just another forced Avenger solo and that the series would be stuffed with trendy cringe, but those fears weren't realized and the further Hawkeye progressed, the more it won me over. A very strong four star. (2022-02-22)

Hawkeye is Disney’s Christmas gift to Marvel fans, especially those who’ve been rooting for Jeremy Renner’s bow-wielding Avenger. It’s a light, fun series that doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a plot that’s more of a backdrop than the main event. The real focus is on the cozy, family vibe, wrapping up some loose ends, and delivering a few key moments that Marvel fans have been waiting for. The holiday setting adds a nice, festive touch, making it the perfect watch for this time of year. (2021-12-31)