For the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is the most ambitious project to date. It's an arthouse project using our known Marvel characters with an interesting premise. You will be warned before any major spoilers.
***The title itself, WandaVision, is a reference to the popular VistaVision. This 35mm format was revolutionary in the 1950s when this first episode takes place.
STORY: An ideal suburb houses Wanda Maximoff and Vision who are trying to fit in, but everything can't be as it seems. What's going on in this unique cinematic affair?
The idea is curious and alluring. It may seem like I'm not saying much now because I don't want to give much away. It is entertaining to try and guess why certain oddities are occurring, but I will discuss spoiler-related plot points after the rating is given.
We learned through promos the setup of the show is a sitcom. Starting in the 1950s and progressing, we see Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda and Paul Bettany's Vision living the sitcom life complete with gags, laugh tracks, and more. The creators used actual cameras from the '50s and used their same lighting equipment. They even had a live studio audience that dressed in the attire appropriate for the era. Paul Bettany had a blast saying he wished he'd done more of this type of acting work. I thought the first couple of episodes had a slow start, but it picks up fast leaving me hooked.
As mentioned above, the star actors do a wonderful job. Olsen and Bettany prove their acting range chops since each episode has slightly different premises. They keep the fun spirit of the sitcom while having doses of serious drama injected keeping the viewer guessing.
Again like I mentioned above, it's fun to guess what's ensuing. How is this possible? How is Vision here? Why is this a sitcom style? I recommend watching with or simultaneously viewing with a friend, so you can pitch your thoughts and ideas off each other.
Think of what Wanda has gone through to get to this point. *Endgame Spoilers* She lost her brother and Vision. Her parents died when she was young. She's been tortured by Hydra. She has experienced a copious amount of trauma, and it plays into the show.
The CGI, production design, cinematography, and more are all top-notch. Production companies are investing more into the budget, and we are coming to expect that these days. The popular TV shows from Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and any premium network like Starz and HBO will have the same effects as theatrically released films.
We do get to see some characters from previous MCU films including Kat Dennings as Darcy from Thor and Thor: The Dark World as well as Randall Park as Jimmy Woo from Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Give this show a shot! The story is exciting and challenges what you think you know about Wanda Maximoff. I'm decidedly interested to see where this story will go whether with a new season or in a movie she'll be in soon. My season rating is an A-.
Spoilers Ahead
What's interesting in this show is that you'll think you know the plot but then you're completely wrong. I thought Wanda was being controlled then she was actually in control then she was being influenced by a different witch then she really was still in control and so on. The Agatha Harkins reveal was interesting, and Kathyrn Hayn does a great job in the role. She's a powerful villain.
We finally see how powerful Wanda really is in this show, and it's immense. She literally willed a version of Vision into existence. That's crazy. She can control hundreds of people at once. She can literally change the very fabric of someone on a molecular level. She finally becomes Scarlett Witch and gets her costume! That was fine and dandy. Also, White Vision is pretty cool, and he's still out there.
We have to talk about the fact that Wanda does some awful terrible things. She's a domestic terrorist. She held people against their will for weeks. Even after Vision told her they were in constant pain, she kept holding them prisoner. I understand her trauma and strong desire to have a family, but the cost to others is far too great. Keeping people away from the families while in misery is something no one can do without receiving severe consequences. That's why she's on the run at the end.
The post-credit scenes are interesting, and I don't know what the second one means. Are her created kids actually alive and conscious somewhere? I don't know, but I want to find out.
