Hawkeye

An insightful and, most importantly, lighthearted Christmas superhero story where neither the Earth nor the universe is in danger of extinction and it's "just" about one criminal plot and one man getting home for the holidays. In Joss Whedon's Avengers, Hawkeye was the least interesting character, and I was sorry because Jeremy Renner is a likeable guy. But the Russo brothers afforded him a number of opportunities in subsequent films, which he has taken advantage of, and this series definitely makes him a really great character. The fact that Hailee Steinfeld is as important to his story as he is doesn't bother me at all, because she's simply a hit too. (08/01/2024)

Winter, or even Christmas, canapé, which is irresistible. Whether the main hero is uttering lines like from Die Hard, enjoying perfect friendly chemistry with an unexpected partner, or just sadly staring ahead, I marvel at the perfect symbiosis of everything and everyone. A cult villain, a dramatic storyline, a dog, and last but not least, a fulfilled dream in the form of Hailee and Florence as possibly my favorite talents of recent years, who have come together to chat over a pile of pasta. (08/04/2024)

Hawkeye is far, far better than I originally expected, and immediately after the last episode I am cheering with joy. The plot is straightforward yet entertaining, the running time is reasonable yet quite comprehensive, and as a whole it just works perfectly. Jeremy Renner is great as always, he's well assisted by the lovely Hailee Steinfeld and we even get to see Florence Pugh as Yelena, her arrival on the scene is unexpected and hilarious at the same time. There is plenty of action, quips and plot development dispensed throughout the series, we even get a perfect twist, but the biggest kick comes in the final episode, which doesn't pull any punches, it's literally packed with action from start to finish and gives all the characters a chance to shine at their best – from the LARPists (whom the series makes fun of throughout and I was dying laughing) to Jack and his swordsmanship talents, to Yelena and the bad guys. The most euphoric moment for me was when Kingpin came in, who as a Daredevil and The Punisher fan I simply adore, and at his reveal I had the pure urge to jump and scream with joy. At first I was a little worried that this would be just another forced Avenger solo and that the series would be stuffed with trendy cringe, but those fears weren't realized and the further Hawkeye progressed, the more it won me over. A very strong four star. (22/02/2022)

Christmas popcorn from Marvel with two diametrically opposed halves. While the first 2 or 3 episodes are almost pure candy for small, young and simple viewers, where the cute little dog has to have only one eye and the black policewoman has to be a lesbian and say it out loud with nonchalant elegance in order to make everything as politically friendly and correct as possible, from the middle onwards the pace picks up and the story builds up solidly. Hawkeye ultimately deepens the Marvel universe pretty cleverly, revealing cards that we haven't quite got to see in the big movies or the series spin-offs. And with the arrival of Florence Pugh, everything jumps up another level. Four stars, but just barely. (23/01/2022)

Happy Holidays! A lightweight, enjoyable snack, nicely following up on and complementing events at Marvel. Renner is excellent and passes the baton on to a thrilled Hailey Steinfeld. Bishop has the balls to be in the Avengers, but it remains to be seen who else Feige will cast in the movies. It’s good to see Yelena and Wilson here and their appearances are meant to be the high points of the series. But it turns out that the real high point is the chase through the streets of New York with the souped-up darts. The series is worth watching for this alone. We're all gonna die. (23/12/2021)