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Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Entertainment
Hawkeye hits the bullseye in Marvel’s latest TV venture
By Rhona Lonergan Writer
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awkeye was the fourth Marvel show to come out in 2021 and initially felt like the youngest sibling in the Marvel TV family. The show didn't promise the scope or spectacle of any of the previous shows, nor was Hawkeye a hugely popular MCU character despite being one the original six Avengers. However, Hawkeye managed to turn what may have been perceived as a weakness into one of its greatest strengths. Hawkeye’s low stakes are a breath of fresh air
Belfast review: Branagh’s tribute to his home city is much more than just Oscar-bait By Harry Brown Writer t nine years old, Kenneth Branagh left Belfast with his family to escape The Troubles. Now he returns, half a century later, to direct a film based on his own childhood experiences. From the director of many Shakespeare and Agatha Christie adaptations, Branagh pens the script for only his second original screenplay. Belfastfollows a young Protestant boy named Buddy as he tries to navigate his everyday childhood in the titular city during The Troubles. Newcomer Jude Hill plays Buddy, a huge weight as the film views all t h e
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after the year of potentially world ending, reality and time altering consequences of its sibling shows, WandaVision, Loki and What If. In comparison, Hawkeye feels grounded and relatable, especially when it focuses mostly on our main characters, Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and newcomer Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), and the personal consequences of their actions. There is a comfortable simplicity in worrying about something so objectively trivial such as whether Clint will make it home to his family in time for Christmas. Based on the award-winning 2012 Matt Fraction authored run of comics by the same name, Hawkeye follows Clint post-Endgame as he attempts to clean up his Ronin legacy and protect newfound protégé – and Hawkeye superfan – Kate Bishop, when Clint’s past gets her tangled up with New York gang the ‘Tracksuit Mafia’. Hailee Steinfeld is undeniably likeable as Kate Bishop, a young martial artist and fencing champion, as well as an ace archer in her own right (as she likes to remind everyone, often). The introduction of Kate’s family gifts us a criminally underused Vera Farmiga as Kate’s mother Eleanor and the entertaining gem that is Tony Dalton as Eleanor’s fiancé Jack. Hawkeye doesn’t just draw inspiration for its style and imagery from the previously mentioned comic series of the same name. It also gets one of its best characters, Lucky the Pizza Dog who is just as adorable on the screen as he is on the page. The show takes full advantage of its festive timing. At its core, ‘Hawkeye’ is about the common Christmas theme of family. It explores the good and bad of both blood and found family. It leans
into the pain of losing those close to you and the joy of forging new close bonds, as well as the pressures and expectations that exist around family, particularly during the holidays. ‘Hawkeye’ does a good job with its central relationship between Clint and Kate. What starts off as a hero worshiping mentee and a reluctant and jaded mentor quickly grows as both Hawkeyes relearn what it means to be a hero. The interplay between the duo gives us an unusually intimate window into the visceral physical and mental effects of being a human superhero and the sacrifices that come with this life. The best example of this is the comics accurate hearing aid that Renner’s Clint is now sporting as a result of many years operating in active war zones. The weakest part of ‘Hawkeye’ is one that is common in the MCU. It tries to do too much in too little time. There are no less than five named villains
events through his eyes. He performs well, with a natural, eager inquisitiveness to his performance. Surrounding him is an outstanding support cast with Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe as Pa and Ma; his grandparents are played by Oscar-winner Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds. Their family unit is believable with a natural and loving chemistry between them all and each display a close and unique relationship with buddy as they mentor him through his childhood years. With this family unit, the film emits a warmth and humour throughout where you feel a part of the family’s in-jokes. It does not, however, shy away from showing the threat of The Troubles as Buddy and his family are confronted by Ulster terrorists and riots. The pavement slabs from their street are torn up around them and turned into barricades, clearly affecting the family as they try to find joy in whatever way they can for escapism. This gives justification for certain character decisions and conflicts that arise between Buddy’s parents. Kenneth Branagh collaborates again with longtime cinematographer Haris Zamabarloukos to create an enticing aesthetic to the film. Shot in black and white, Branagh and Zamabarloukos are able to vividly paint the streets of Belfast
with swooping shots then tell the personal story through the eyes of Buddy in close ups and tracking shots. Whilst being a lighthearted drama, it does not limit itself in terms of style, as confrontations are shot like a standoff seen in Western films like High Noon. They are able to blend those various styles of camerawork together masterfully. Belfast is proving to be a leading horse in the awards race, tying for most nominations at the Golden Globes and getting six nominations for the BAFTAs, including not only Best British Film but Best Film as well. Catriona Balfe’s and Ciaran Hinds’ performances are most noted of the various voting groups whilst Branagh’s screenplay, combining the realness of The Troubles with a childlike state of wonder and light-heartedness, is proving to resonate with voters and viewers. Belfast is clearly a film made with passion and heart by it’s Belfast-born director. Featuring natural performances and poignant dialogue, with a beautiful aesthetic to form his hometown o n film, Kenneth Branagh has crafted Belfast into much more than simple Oscar-bait.
(some new, one fan favourite) throughout this six-episode series, as well as our
two headline heroes, and there is not enough time for each of their arcs to be concluded in a satisfying manner. Hawkeye is a Marvel tie-in in the best way. It is given very little work to do in moving the overarching plot of the MCU forward, but it takes full advantage of our history with Clint and what he’s been through. It provides some satisfying emotional catharsis particularly for Clint and the guilt that he’s still holding onto from his actions as Ronin and in the aftermath of Natasha’s death. It was not unreasonable to question whether Hawkeye could hold his own show, but the verdict is a resounding yes, he can! In fact, Hawkeye is now many peoples’ favourite Marvel show with its fabulous spread of talented actors, hilariously fun action sequences and touching sentimental moments. Hawkeye has introduced so many great new characters and opened many interesting avenues for future exploration and I look forward to seeing what Marvel TV goodies await us i n 2022.