Secret Invasion (Disney Plus 2023 review)

Secret Invasion is a Disney Plus Marvel Studios 2023 adaptation loosely based on the Marvel Comics of the same name. In the comics, the Skrulls have infiltrated the Superhero community, and have managed to do it so well it can evade Spider-Man’s spider sense, Wolverines and Daredevil’s senses. In the MCU Disney Plus series, Nick Fury returns to Earth learns of a secret invasion by a fanatical group of Skrulls, and joins his allies to stop their plans and save humanity. The series has elements of misdirection and surprise due to the fact many of the characters could be shapeshifting aliens. The tone and feel of the series had a similarly to Winter Soldier in the feel of a spy thriller from the trailers, but in reality Secret Invasion comes off very differently. Overall in the early episodes the show tries to build towards something, but the storytelling lacks weight, and it doesn’t really pay off as it should as it feels like the ideas aren’t explored aswell as they could have been. Particular standout episodes are 4,5 and 6 - episode 4 - Beloved, episode 5 - Harvest, episode 6 - Home as they do move the story forward - we get to see the rebel Skrulls led by Gravik (the series villain) carry out their plans, and Fury is practically a one man army trying to stop them. Fury is supposed to be one of the most wanted people on the planet due to events in the series, but you don’t really get a sense that’s the case in this series, compared with Captain America Winter Soldier where it did feel like Steve Rogers was a wanted man by the Hydra elements in Shield during the movie. That’s a small example of how Winter Soldier got the spy espionage elements right, but in Secret Invasion they don’t really hit home. Interesting elements include seeing the introduction of the Super Skrulls in a clever way, and alot of the characters play their performances well, what would have really made this series more engaging would be tension or thrills, but they are nowhere to be seen much like many of the Skrulls in disguise here on Earth.