Iron Fist, an expected Marvel series on Netflix, debuted on March 15. However, unlike the other Marvel titles in the same portal, the show had major problems of reception and popularity. For example, Rotten Tomatoes, a site followed by many moviegoers in the United States, even gave an average of 12 percent approval for the first season, released last week – smaller approval than the new Power Rangers movie, something that, for fans of Marvel and superheroes in general, it means a lot.
Both the audience and the critics try to understand the cause of this apparent failure, simply calling the series boring or saying that its main character was not well developed by the writers.
Still, there are those who would like the main character Danny Rand (played by Finn Jones) to be Asian, as he is welcomed and educated by monks after his plane crashes into the Himalayas, killing his parents. Because of their training in martial arts and a Buddhist view of the world, many find it natural to choose an Asian actor, unlike the comic books of the same name on which the series is based, where Danny is white.
Finn Jones’s attitude does not help. Instead of letting the wave of negative comments pass, and wait for a possible improvement in a second season, the actor simply blamed the critics for not understanding the series.
While the reason behind the low popularity of the series seems to be a mix of these various reasons, Iron Fist suffers even for a lack of balance between style and magical realism during the season.
The first episode can be considered the best of the series. This is where we meet Danny, a young blond who dresses as a beggar (yes, like every good hero movie, we already know that Danny is not simply a beggar because of his curiously healthy appearance, facing a difficult life where the character had no contact with modern society). We also know more about Danny’s life, understanding that he is heir to a powerful company, Rand, but that is controlled by the sons of Harold Meachum (David Wenham), one of the villains in history. Finally, we identify more with the character when we understand that his parents died.
Plot conflicts aside, what really sets the tone for this episode is the contrast between a man who pretends to be a beggar, comically not even knowing what a cell phone is, and its mystical power: first, a superhuman force which helps him do acrobatics that at first seems to get close to Spider-Man and second, his ability to make his fist into an unbreakable weapon by concentrating his chi on his hands.
Such fun and entertainment, which are always part of the story of a superhero formation, get lost in the following episodes. Danny’s acrobatics become rare and not so impressive as his main weapon, the iron fist, seems to be placed in the background. In addition, the very issue of the series, which did not leave much room for unimportant scenes, now slows down and does not follow the style of the first episode.
Of course, the negative review may also have been born from the fact that other Marvel series and films have left the public not only accustomed but also waiting for an impeccable product. For example, some fans think Iron Fist would be a big hit if it had premiered years ago.
However, the lack of a time machine on the Marvel series does not stop producers from looking back at the first episode and repeating the formula used – improving the editing and use of the magical realism of a hero who has not yet unleashed , but that can still win.
(article translated from the original version in portuguese, by Google Translate)