Marvel's Inhumans - Episode 1 Review
There's a few notable differences from the IMAX version here. The title sequence is shortened from a Netflix-style minute long sequence to a much shorter, credit-less version, while we're actually given the opening few minutes as a pre-credits sting, or prologue. There's also a whole plot-line in which Maximus murders the leader of the Inhumans genetics council, which from memory was absent from the 'movie'. I also believe that there were some additional scenes with the Earth-based scientists, although a plot-line from that has not yet emerged.
That being said, getting to watch both versions has been very interesting for me. I've had a certain amount of distance to make re-watching Inhumans somewhat worthwhile, and the small changes made have been of interest to me. I'm surprised the 'movie' version was the shorter, but regardless it should be interesting to see if both cuts are included on the inevitable Blu-ray release. Do these changes make a difference? They aren't too major so far, although cutting them seems a little odd all things considered, regardless of which version they were included in.
But I feel like I'm getting off-track here. On a second viewing, Anson Mount's performance as Black Bolt definitely seems better. I'm not sure if my criticisms mostly came in the second half of the 'movie' (in this case, episode 2 of the series), but I wasn't bothered by his performance at all. Serinda Swan is still quite weak as Medusa, and while the wig definitely doesn't help, Swan just doesn't have the necessary screen presence to really convey the character well. Maybe if she was playing another character, Swan would be much better.
Getting to see it all again, I think the dynamic between Gorgon and Karnak have a really great relationship - it's just such a shame that Scott Buck keeps the two separate, as the two actors clearly have great chemistry with one another. Isabelle Cornish is probably the most likable character overall, as her and Lockjaw appear to be the only happy and optimistic characters in the series. When a giant CGI dog is so much more likable than the main two characters, there's a bit of a problem here.
What's particularly baffling though is how strangely likable and understandable Maximus is, despite being toted as "Maximus the Mad". He's overthrowing a King who's imposed a strict class system on a city he can't and isn't interested in controlling - there's not really anything wrong with that. The only character he kills is the leader of the genetics council, and even then does so after trying to win his favour. Hell, even the leader of the genetics council is terrified of Black Bolt - our main "hero". What does that say? The only way Maximus is actually conveyed as genuinely evil is his close relationship with Auran - who's so obviously evil that she barely needs to speak; perhaps a testament to the actress as much as anything.
There's several awkward edits in this Episode 1 version, but the ending is particularly clunky. Quite why Sky One couldn't just show us the first two episodes for this week I have no idea, but the way they swiftly moved on to their next original show suggested that perhaps even they were a little embarrassed to be left with Inhumans after the...not especially positive critical reception. "Watch the series everyone's talking about" says the continuity announcer. Hmmm...what are they saying exactly?
On a second viewing, I still contend that 'Behold... The Inhumans' is about average as far as a television episode goes. The Visual FX aren't that great, but on TV are much more forgivable - especially Lockjaw, who manages to look as realistic as, say, King Shark or Gorilla Grodd on The Flash (and yes, for those who haven't seen The Flash, those are actual characters). It has very little to stick out, but I can't say I hated it. Inhumans isn't so much terrible as it is misguided - a missed opportunity that everyone seems to take as some kind of personal affront. Yes, Scott Buck should have made better - but what he hasn't made really isn't as awful as its reputation suggests.
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