REVIEW: 'Wonder Man' is the cure for the common superhero
As fans await the December release of Avengers: Doomsday, Disney+ debuted the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry in the form of Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Trial of the Chicago 7, Aquaman) in the title role. The series marks the second release under the Marvel Spotlight label, meaning that one doesn’t need a working knowledge of all 37 (and counting) MCU movies to enjoy the 8-episode series.
Abdul-Mateen plays Simon Williams, a struggling actor looking to make his name in Hollywood while keeping his superpowers a secret. When he crosses paths with disgraced thespian Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley, Ghandi, Sneakers), the two form a fast friendship. Soon, the pair is auditioning for roles in Wonder Man, a remake of a 1980s superhero film that Simon holds near to his heart. But with metahumans banned from the film industry, and the government cracking down on people with powers, Williams will have to choose between the promise of stardom and the only friend he’s ever had.
Without mincing words, Wonder Man is fantastic, taking a much-needed step back from superheroics to concentrate on the (mostly) regular people who have to live in the MCU. While the two leads are at completely different stages of their careers, both are on a quest for fulfilment: Where Simon craves validation for his life choices, Trevor is seeking redemption for his. The fact that their hopes and dreams hinge on being cast in a superhero remake is deliciously ironic.
Of course, the machinations of blockbuster filmmaking have always been ripe for satire, and showrunners Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi) and Andrew Guest (Hawkeye, Community) make full use of the premise; like Tropic Thunder and The Studio before it, Wonder Man is at its best when it reflects the absurdities of the industry it’s lampooning. And inasmuch as anxiety-ridden auditions, struggling with self-tapes, and the need to appease an award-winning auteur would have been amusing enough on their own, having them take place in a world where Captain America exists just makes them that much funnier.
Simon is a classic underdog, and Abdul-Mateen projects social awkwardness and guarded dignity in a way that drives home just how badly his talents were squandered in his previous superhero projects. The son of Haitian immigrants, Simon’s desire to prove his worth is eminently relatable, as are his tendencies to overthink and self-sabotage his efforts at the worst possible times. When Simon meets Trevor, he finds a kindred spirit, and their interactions form the soul of the show. There’s joy to be had from watching good actors perform well-written material, and Wonder Man features it in spades—try not to applaud when the characters shift from discussing insecurities to reciting their favorite monologues.
Ben Kingsley gives unexpected depth to Trevor Slattery, elevating a character whose entire existence as a punchline (in Iron Man 3) took the MCU eight whole years to retcon (in Shang-Chi). Now reformed from his time posing as The Mandarin, Trevor has an eccentric, hapless charm about him, dishing out acting advice with the gusto of a man who knows that his best years may well be behind him but refuses to dwell on it. Then again, the guy’s been tried, convicted, and sentenced as an international terrorist, so anything other than jail is probably an improvement at this point.
Wonder Man plays fast and loose with the intersection of the real world and the MCU, with DiCaprio getting a shoutout as one of the frontrunners for the role of Simon’s dream film, while Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix) pops up to shed light on Trevor’s past. The highlight, though, is when Josh Gad (Frozen) arrives as the star of a high-stakes action film, Cash Grab, and he understands the assignment to the point that one would be forgiven for wanting to see the whole movie.
Ultimately, Wonder Man may wind up as little more than a detour to the overall course correction that Doomsday represents, but it absolutely works. Simon and Trevor are the Marvel buddies we never knew we needed, and their misadventures engage the viewer in a way that a multiversal-MacGuffin-of-the-week likely wouldn’t have been able to. Detaching from the MCU at large was absolutely the right choice, and the result is a surprisingly poignant, altogether entertaining addition to a franchise greatly in need of it.
The sooner they get started on Season 2, the better.
Wonder Man is streaming on Disney+. Watch the trailer below.