Review Roundup: “Loki” Mixes Wit, Wackiness, and the MCU’s Most Beloved Antihero
It seems as Marvel Studios is now 3-for-3 on the limited series front. WandaVision started things off as the first Marvel Studios Disney+ series, and creator Jac Schaeffer and director Matt Shakman‘s delivered a charming, beguiling, and ultimately heartbreaking mediation on love, grief, and sitcoms. (Just writing that sentence makes you appreciate what they pulled off). Then came creator Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland‘s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, a ripping action series with cinematic sweep and a finger on the pulse of real-world events, turning Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson into a one-of-a-kind Marvel superhero. Now the third series is upon us—writer Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron’s Loki, centered on everyone’s favorite meddlesome trickster god, set to debut on Disney+ on June 9. The early reviews of the first two episodes are here, and while that’s only a snapshot of the big picture, it’s still a good enough chunk to get a sense of the show. Unsurprisingly, combining Tom Hiddleston’s Loki with a stellar cast (including the likes of Owen Wilson, playing Agent Morbius M. Morbius), Richard E. Grant, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and one of Lovecraft Country‘s breakout stars, Wunmi Mosaku) with a time-hopping, MCU-mixing narrative is a winning combination.
Before we get to the spoiler-free review snippets, a brief synopsis on Loki. The series centers on Thor’s lesser half as he’s arrested by the TVA (Time Variance Authority) for having broken their temporal laws when he snatched the Tesseract during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Working at the TVA are Owen Wilson’s aforementioned Agent Morbius, and the series will track Loki’s incarceration, his pending trial, and the many, many shenanigans he’ll get into.
Now, let’s take a brief stroll across those reviews, with links if you’re the sort who likes to know as much as possible before dipping into a show:
YouTube‘s Perri Nemiroff writes, “The Beetlejuice-like atmosphere and wildly creative details of the TVA are hugely appealing, as is how the exploration of time will challenge Loki to assess/reassess his actions.”
Paste Magazine‘s Allison Keane writes that “the key to Loki—both the character and the show—is always Tom Hiddleston.”
Collider‘s Liz Shannon Miller writes, “The wit and wackiness on display here is tempered by life-and-death stakes, as early on a clear mystery of sorts is established, offering up just a touch of a classic procedural format to help ground the action.”
The Chicago Sun-Times‘s Richard Roeper says, “Loki” is a great-looking, well-paced, original piece that’s equal parts workplace comedy, time-hopping adventure, murder mystery and superhero fantasy.”
ComicBook.com‘s Adam Barnhardt writes, “Balancing the standard Marvel comedy with strong character beats and heart-tugging moments, Loki is a well-balanced series that never once takes itself too seriously.”
i09‘s James Whitbrook writes, “Appropriate perhaps then, that in a series for a character as shape-shifting and tricky as Loki, that we’re given the chance to add new layers to our definition of the character in such a charmingly clever manner.”
The Verge‘s Andrew Webster writes, “The chemistry between Wilson and Hiddleston is great, with the pair able to seamlessly transition from throwing barbs to contemplating serious revelations.”
Loki begins streaming on June 9 on Disney+.
For more stories on what’s streaming or coming to Disney+, check these out:
“Black Widow” IMAX Screenings Will Boast 22 Minutes of Expanded Aspect Ratio
New Footage Revealed in Ripping “Black Widow” Featurette
“Thor: Love and Thunder” Wraps Filming as Taika Waititi Promises It’s Craziest Film He’s Ever Done
Behind the Costumes, Wigs, & Makeup of the Deliciously Punk “Cruella”
“WandaVision” Production Designer Mark Worthington on Creating Wanda’s Ever-Changing Worlds
“WandaVision” Director Matt Shakman on Landing His Dream Job
The First “Eternals” Teaser Has Arrived
Featured image: Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in Marvel Studios’ LOKI. Photo Courtesy Marvel Studios.
