Iron Fist may not live up to the other Netflix original series’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it is far from terrible.
The show follows the story of Danny Rand; a young man who disappeared in the Himalayas as a child and was rescued by an order of monks who took him to another world to train him in the ways of the warrior. As an adult, Danny returns home to New York to reconnect with his old world and find some answers about his past. The only obstacle in Danny’s way is that he was pronounced dead 15 years ago and nobody is willing to believe his story.
Finn Jones’ performance as Rand is rather wooden at times. His meditation scenes are laughable and Danny quoting his sensei grows tiring before the end of the first episode. Jones does occasionally manage to turn Danny into a sympathetic character, but this sympathy is often fleeting, as Danny’s attempts to prove his identity are too irrational to be relatable.
Not all of the blame for Jones’ performance can be placed on his acting, though. The lacklustre lines are the fault of poor writing and there is little the actor can do to salvage his performance when given so little to work with. Delivering the line ‘It’s protocol. I visit your dojo, I need to challenge your master’ with a straight face is a genuine accomplishment on Jones’ part.
The fight sequences are poorly executed and pale in comparison to those done in Daredevil, which is disappointing considering the show’s martial arts based content. The cinematography is decent enough but the use of flashbacks is excessive and jarring at times. In addition, the content of the story itself lacks the depth which Marvel proved themselves capable of with Jessica Jones.
Overall, despite the many flaws of Iron Fist, the show isn’t boring. It has its redeeming moments and it certainly isn’t beyond hope. It might not be ground-breaking or award worthy, but if you’re looking for a fun, easy to watch superhero ninja action show, Iron Fist may just be right up your alley.
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