'Loki' Series Review: Prepare for the Unexpected
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- Published: Tuesday, 08 June 2021 09:00
- Written by Lupe R Haas
The Loki series is not what you’d expect. The new Disney+ series is a time traveling crime thriller. The first two episodes are heavy on the exposition between Owen Wilson’s Mobius and Tom Hiddleston’s anti-hero, and light on the action but it is full of intrigue with a set up that’ll keep viewers tuned in.
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki died at the hands of Thanos in INFINITY WAR. In ENDGAME, Loki was given a second chance when the Avengers traveled back in time to retrieve the tesseract during the events of the first Avengers movie. A snafu between the future Avengers sent the tesseract into Loki’s hands so he skipped town. But where did he go?
Owen Wilson Required A Loki MCU History Lesson from Professor Tom Hiddleston
That’s where the Loki series picks up. The Asgard god lands sometime in the ancient past. Troopers then appear through a portal, and whisk him away to the TVA. The Time Variance Authority in the Marvel comics monitors the multiverse for infractions in the timeline. Loki’s crime of violating his timeline carries severe consequences, but Mobius recruits the God of Mischief to find a serial killer of sorts.
There’s a lot of explanations in the first two episodes of the Marvel series. First we get an amusement park-style tour of the TVA through a 2D animated reel that introduces the time keepers.
Mobius gives Loki a psychiatric evaluation as he replays Loki’s greatest hits while exploring his motives behind his actions. There’s ton of exposition between the two characters but they’re a fun duo to watch on screen. Some of the best one-liners come out of their discussions. “You sure lose a lot,” Mobius tells Loki. The way Mobius delivers the line is iconic Owen Wilson.
Anyone not familiar with the MCU can jump right in on this new Marvel series because they lay it all out there in the first two episodes.
As usual, Hiddleston brings depth to the mischievous anti-hero as he ponders his past actions. However with Loki you never know if he’s sincere or he’s up to no good again. That’s the beauty about that character - you never know if you can trust him but you desperately want to. Mobius is in the viewer’s position. In classic Loki, Thor’s troublemaker brother assures Mobius he won’t stab him in the back if he joins his quest to find a killer. “That’s a boring form of betrayal!, says Loki. So he’s not exactly denying he won’t go back to his old ways.
Once the introductions are out of the way, Loki kicks into action in episode #2 looking for clues in finding the mysterious killer who uses the time portals. There are a few twists and turns in the second episode but they present more questions than answers.
Wilson seemed like an odd choice to bring into the MCU as Mobius, but his chemistry with Hiddleston works. The duo make a funny pair, and Mobius has Loki down to a science. Their dialogue flows so naturally with Wilson delivering his usual quirkiness in the banter.
Directed by Kate Herron ( Daybreak, Sex Education), the British filmmaker brings a sensibility and visual style very different from the previous Marvel Disney+ series. The visual style is reminiscent of the Doctor Who series which favors dark sets and low-key lighting. It definitely feels British especially in the long-winded banter.
Marvel is really striving to bring something unique to each Disney+ series. This series certainly feels vastly different from Wandavision’s nostalgic romp and the action-heavy The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Loki can best be described as old school sci-fi. It may not be for everyone but Loki fans will undoubtedly enjoy Hiddleston’s return as the Marvel character.
Loki will be available on Disney+ on Wednesday, June 9, with a new episode airing every week.