When Jeremy Renner made his debut as Hawkeye in 2011’s Thor no one would have believed how far his character would come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hawkeye quickly became a fan-favorite and was even a pivotal focus in Avengers: Age of Ultron and later Avengers: Endgame. After Endgame, it seemed like the original Avengers would get slowly phased out and fans began to wonder when they would see Renner as Hawkeye again. With the creation of Disney Plus, it quickly became a reality that we could finally see Clint Barton get a solo mission. During the Marvel Studios presentation at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, it was revealed that Hawkeye would get his own series on the streaming service with Renner leading the charge.
Hawkeye quickly went into production in 2020, with a star-studded cast filled with the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Vera Farmiga, Tony Dalton, Linda Cardellini, Alaqua Cox and the heavily-rumored Florence Pugh. Steinfeld signed on to co-star as Kate Bishop, a famous character from the comics who becomes Barton’s protege and even takes over the mantle of Hawkeye. It would later be revealed that the series would take place during Christmas and be set in New York. We got our first look at the series through a fantastic teaser trailer and some promotional images and it was safe to say that Hawkeye looked like it’ll be a major hit for Marvel Studios. I recently got the chance to check out the first two episodes of Hawkeye and I have to say that it hit every target I wanted.
The Jeremy Renner-led Hawkeye series is full of holiday cheer… if a series of insane events led by the introduction of Kate Bishop, an underground black market auction and the track suit mafia is something you’d call cheery. Hawkeye is helmed under the expert eye of Jonathan Igla, who previously wrote on AMC’s Mad Men and the series definitely benefits from that. Hawkeye doesn’t shy away from the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe and instead embraces its history by using a integral point of the franchise as a major plot device. Hawkeye proves that the folks at Marvel Studios know what they’re doing as they continue to crush it with their TV arm. As soon as you finish the second episode you immediately need to see more from the series. From the slowly unraveling plot to the introduction of Kate Bishop, Hawkeye is definitely something you have to watch on a weekly basis.
The fourth Marvel Studios series to premiere on Disney Plus, Hawkeye finds Clint Barton on a family vacation to New York for Christmas. The vacation gets cut short when Kate Bishop somehow gets a hold of Clint’s old Ronin suit from Avengers: Endgame, leading him to take her under his wing while also protecting her from the danger that comes with putting on that outfit. The series is a fantastic display of what Marvel Studios does best: world building. Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop is such a rookie and it’s so good to watch. The scenes where Steinfeld plays off of Renner are so much fun and make you want to see more of this duo. Hawkeye seems to be setting up a very intricate plot, but it’s the performances that keep you wanting more.
Jeremy Renner reprises his role as Clint Barton, but things are very different this time around because Hawkeye is no longer just a side character but a main focus of the story and the actor has no issue returning to form. Renner feels like the patriarch of the series and he plays that role really well. The actor really shines when he shares the screen with Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. Bishop is eager and ready to become an Avenger, but she’s also very much a newcomer to crimefighting and it was so much fun to see the actress in action. The series also introduces us to Vera Farmiga as Eleanor Bishop and Tony Dalton as Jacques Duquesne who are both great additions to the MCU and I’m excited to see where the series takes there characters next. All in all, Hawkeye is a fantastic entry into the Marvel Studios library and I definitely recommend checking it out when it hits Disney Plus this Wednesday.
Overall Thoughts: Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye is fantastic. It’s a ground level hero story set during Christmas and that’s what makes it feel special. Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld are an excellent duo and I think their relationship was exactly what was needed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hawkeye‘s slowly unraveling story will make you want to tune in every week and that’s what really makes it work. The series is definitely very family-oriented so you and your kids will enjoy it. I can’t wait to see how it concludes.
Rating: 8.5/10
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