Throughout the previous four collaborations between Marvel and Netflix, there seemed to be something of a pattern emerging. While the majority of the title characters of the cinematic arm of the MCU all seemed to be predominantly white, able-bodied and male (Black Panther didn’t get his own movie until 2018 and Captain Marvel didn’t show up until a year after), the various, unassembled future members of the Defenders all seemed to buck that trend. Sure, Daredevil’s of the caucasian persuasion, but he’s famously blind and in rapid succession we also got a female lead with Kathryn Ritter’s Jessica Jones and an African American one with Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. Hell, you could even argue that Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher was a nod to military guys suffering major, post-war PTSD and it was this exact mixing up of expectations that’s allowed the various shows to make it past any noticable shortcomings in their seasons. However, with their latest entry, it seems that Marvel/Netflix will have their work cut out for them. In a series of shows that’s delivered organic diversity, is there space for a rich guy who has co-opted Asian culture and reeks of white savior tropes? Never let it be said that the Immortal Iron Fist doesn’t like a challenge.
Walking barefoot through the streets of New York, we’re introduced to the bedraggled form of Danny Rand. Well, we think that he’s Danny Rand, as the man he claims to be has been presumed dead after the private jet his family was in crashed over the Himalayas fifteen years ago. Arriving at the skyscraper belonging to Rand Industries, he apparently has long overdue questions for those who now run the company his father founded with Harold Meachum. While security have an issue with a raggedy, bearded man entering the building, claiming to be the lost heir to the business and demanding to speak to the owner who died twelve years earlier due to cancer, “Danny” still manages to get upstairs and speak to Meachchum’s children, Ward and Joy, who now run Rand Industries.
Obviously, they don’t believe him any more than the security did, and after Danny discovers that Joy also lives in his old house, he realises that his claims do sound rather preposterous. However, Ward doesnt seem to want to leave it at that and sends thugs out to make his point even harder – however, during numerous instances, Rand shows ridiculously agile physical prowess and seems to be in possession of remarkable abilities.
Still, that doesn’t save him having to sleep rough, but he does manage to awkwardly bond with Colleen Wing, a martial artist who teaches at a nearby dojo. However, it seems that the tricksy nature of the Meachums needs to be watched, because not only is controlling patriarch, Harold, actually still alive and running the company from seclusion, but Joy manages to drug Danny where he wakes up to find that his outlandish claims have gotten him institutionalised. Oops.
While it’s always suggested that we should treat every new entry to a connected universe firstly as its own thing, it proves to be something of an impossibility when you’re already four shows in. However, whether taken on its own merit or stacked up against the previous form of the future Defenders, Iron Fist unfortunately comes out of the gate a little weak. No doubt some of you out there recoiled at my mention of diversity (you might need to get that looked at), but one of the strengths of the other shows is truly that it’s the very nature of those other characters that gives their shows the distinctive personality they all had. Matt Murdock’s blindness genuinely added to the drama as he plunged headlong into a war against organised crime, while Jessica Jones allowed a superhero spin be added to the horrors of rape culture and gender inequality. Likewise the racial politics of the blaxsploitation pitch of Luke Cage managed to make it feel quite unlike anything else we’d seen before, but it’s genuinely tough to see what angle Iron Fist could conceivably come from other than just it’s concept to randomly making Danny Rand homeless.
To be fair, having a guy living rough who seemingly has mental issues suddenly walk into the lobby of a huge business and claim to be the owner is actually a potent source for drama – but the mix with the more superhero elements of the story is rather shaky. For a start, regardless of issues of the white savior tropes that came with the original comic, the original Iron Fist concept was born from the Kung Fu explosion of the 70s, not unlike Luke Cage emerging in the wake of films like Shaft. But while Luke Cage fully embraced a post-modern version of that genre, the opening episode of Iron Fist displays a disturbing lack of martial arts right off the bat. Even the action films of the 70s and 80s knew full well that you needed to include a scene as early as possible to show off the hero’s ability to righteously fuck people up, as the likes of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and even Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Segal always got a first act opportunity to shine.
However, apart from some rushed moves here and there, Iron Fist neglects this rather vital component, instead relying more on big business backstabbing and corporate dickbaggery to carry the opening episode. Yes, it’s early days yet, but the fact that this martial arts show containing a man with a superpowered punch doesn’t include much martial arts or even a showing of that titular ability is more than a little alarming.
Still, the cast seem fine so far. Finn Jones obviously needs a little time to settle into the role, but a wide-eyed, man-child with stunted ability to comprehend modern life seemed to work for other things such as Peter Quill in Guardians Of The Galaxy and… Elf, I guess? Likewise, Tom Pelphrey, Jessica Stroup and a sneering David Wenham all deliver variations on corporate indifference, but it’s already obvious to predict who will soften and who will go full villain. However, the real standout so far seems to be Jessica Henwick’s Colleen Wing who, with limited screentime, not only builds important chemistry with Jones, but seems like a breath of down to earth fresh air among unworldly martial artists and scheming trust fund brats.
Still, we’ve still got a whopping twelve episodes left to go, so obviously judgement is being reserved. However, I have to say, the opening episodes of each of Danny Rand’s future team mates all felt like statements of intent to show us exactly who these lesser-known characters truly are. While I’m not saying that Iron Fist should be skipping the mystery concerning who our lead is and where he’s been, a stand alone, kick-ass fights to go with his zen-musings wouldn’t have gone amiss – y’know, considering that this technically is supposed to be a martial arts show…
While wisely straining hard to contain the fact that the comics character is one of the greatest martial artists on the planet who also owns a multimillion dollar corporation (if you started here, where could you possibly go?), Iron Fist’s opening episode doesn’t quite have the attention grabbing power of his fellow Marvel/Netflix stable mates. Best charge that chi up Danny, otherwise it’s going to be a long season…
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