Within Marvel’s latest miniseries “Wonder Man,” there’s a scene where thespian actor and former terrorist Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley) laments to a fictionalized version of Joe Pantoliano: “Acting isn’t a job. It’s a calling. It’s the single most consequential thing anyone could do in their life.”
This occurs after Pantoliano patronizes him and his new friend Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). It’s also the same philosophy that underpins Slattery and Williams’ friendship, the driving force that powers this ambitious buddy superhero comedy.
Williams is a second-generation Haitian-American with aspirations of stardom. He struggles as a day player whose selfishness and overanalytical approach undermine his talent. On a day that includes him getting fired from an “American Horror Story” episode and his ex-girlfriend Vivian (Olivia Thirlby) moving out of their apartment, a lonesome Williams meets Slattery at a repertory screening of “Midnight Cowboy.” Because he possesses encyclopedic knowledge and a love of acting, Williams fanboys Slattery about his pre-Mandarin career, and Slattery chooses to impart his knowledge and classic Hollywood experience to the aspiring actor.
Slattery tells Williams about an audition for ‘Wonder Man,’ a remake of his late father’s (Béchir Sylvain) favorite ’80s movie that sparked Simon’s acting desire. Williams obsesses over the titular role, believing he was born to play the part. The two establish an immediate connection and try to assist one another to revitalize their respective careers.
However, they both harbor a secret: Simon possesses unstable ionic powers that are activated when experiencing intense anger and/or frustration. And Trevor is an undercover agent, reluctantly working for the US Department of Damage Control under the supervision of Agent Cleary (Arian Moayed), tasked with spying on Simon.
The MCU is occasionally at its finest when it paves its own mythos. Even if its execution falls flat, it’s not for the lack of trying. Showrunners Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest inventively forgo a conventional superhero series in favor of a “Birdman” meets “Rush Hour” Hollywood-set buddy series. “Wonder Man” derives its superhuman strength from the character writing, which specifically illustrates the co-lead’s developing friendship as they hope to escape the hardships of their burdening past in this movie. They skillfully introduce their own unique and seamlessly integrated interpretation of Williams within this overpopulated world. At the same time, they transform Slattery from a comic relief/joke character to a fully developed individual with a depth that rivals that of many of the MCU’s roster.
“Wonder Man” illustrates the duo’s mutual yearning for fulfillment and their pursuit of the American dream by elaborating on their respective pasts: Slattery’s tragic origins that contributed to his role as Mandarin, and Williams’ challenging childhood. Kingsley and Abdul-Mateen are nothing short of exceptional in their on-screen chemistry. They evoke a classic buddy-comedy spirit with their charming charisma and clever banter, which contribute to the show’s emotional turning points and comedic moments.
I was more enthralled by Abdul-Mateen, who captures Williams’ external fragility and internal pain with care. He shines, but the characterization is muddled. Williams’ adult stunting was a result of his self-isolation and repression of his abilities following two traumatic childhood events. The approach is fairly sympathetic, and the second-generation Haitian experience is even more detailed and precise (especially for someone from the same background) and feels universal. Besides pushback from his older brother Eric (Demetrius Grosse), Williams’s mother (Shola Adewusi) is relentlessly supportive, even in ways he arguably doesn’t deserve.
Additionally, there’s a frustrating pattern of rewarding Simon’s narcissistic behavior. It is challenging to support him as an underdog, as he rarely apologizes or even contemplates his shortcomings. Even his friendship with Trevor is on the brink of toxic codependency. Oftentimes, “Wonder Man” is so concerned with the buddy comedy identity that it mistakes Williams’ developing friendship for character development. Despite being more enticing than many other Marvel characters, there’s glaring potential that goes unexplored due to his lack of introspection and the little discernible growth.
The show’s half-hour runtime per eight-episode count, which breezily moves through its Hollywood-set narrative, further exacerbates this issue. Like its other MCU TV shows, “Wonder Man” suffers from constrained half-hour runtimes that require more time for character and story development. In a bizarrely short 23-minute midpoint episode, the two get entangled with a young blackmailer. While the episode is funny, it’s far removed from the rest of the plot and the overall groundedness of the tone.
Nevertheless, Kingsley and Abdul-Mateen’s glowing chemistry and heartfelt attempt at newness contribute to a decent, wildly entertaining miniseries in “Wonder Man.” Though its ambition surpasses its grasp, it leaves one yearning for more of this dynamic duo in the franchise’s ever-inconsistent future.
