Review: Marvel’s ‘She-Hulk’ is too weak to be a success

Review: Marvel’s ‘She-Hulk’ is too weak to be a success

“She-Hulk: Defender of Heroes” it’s big, bright, colorful, and too silly for its own good. Trying to double down on the already established superhero genre of Marvel It’s fine in theory, but the mix of sitcom and gamma-irradiated powers produces a series that’s too weak to destroy anything.

Ironically, the most talked about element before the premiere — like the computer-generated title character — is the least of the show’s worries. For the most part, these scenes are good, perhaps a bit reminiscent of “Avatar” in the way the Hulks tower over ordinary people.

Instead, the series focuses too much on the “it’s not easy being green” theme, putting an emphasis on weirdness, as the story of how it all started doesn’t need to be told.

While there’s nothing wrong with comedy, based on the four episodes previewed, this genre hardly matches Marvel’s strengths.

For those unfamiliar with She-Hulk, the character Jennifer Walters, played by Tatiana Maslany, is the cousin of Bruce Banner, aka The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who accidentally mixes her blood with his, gaining strength and extraordinary size.

Unfortunately, that same transformation episode also establishes Jessica occasionally breaking through the wall, a well-used model that proves especially awkward in this context, as she adjusts to the whims of switching between her superpowers and normal life.

“There’s no going back to what you were before,” Hulk tells her, although part of She-Hulk’s DNA has been that she gradually recognizes certain beneficial aspects of her larger-than-life personality.

“She-Hulk” therefore offers what amounts to an informed, tabloid look at the world of superheroes, with Jessica, the reluctant newcomer, serving as a guide. If the idea is promising, the execution falls short, despite the occasional laugh.

Comedy author Jessica Gao and director Kat Coiro (whose recent work includes the Jennifer Lopez “Marry Me”) have fun with Marvel, from the various cameos to references to early Hulk movies, which don’t feature Ruffalo or even Jessica’s unhealthy interest in Captain America’s personal life.

In Tatiana Maslany, the chameleonic star of “Orphan Black,” they also have a solid lead, without giving her the kind of material to flex those muscles.

The main problem is that there’s nothing to really drive the narrative.

The underlying proposition of the Disney+ and Marvel series was the opportunity to present stories, characters and tones that wouldn’t have the weight or appeal to take the plot to the big screen – again, an approach not without merit.

The late effect, however, after an auspicious start, leaned more toward watering down Marvel than increasing it.

Even though the early series had their flaws, they often contained enough emotion to warrant considerable hype. On the other hand, “She-Hulk: Defender of Heroes” presents a fragile case to stay until the end. While the remaining episodes may reverse that judgment, so far, it lacks the resource to move forward.

“She-Hulk: Defender of Heroes” premieres August 18 on Disney+.

Source: CNN Brasil