By: Ashton Newton Entertainment Editor
Marvel’s Netflix shows have proven one thing in the past: they know exactly what they’re doing. “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones” both had incredible performances, compelling stories and plenty of details straight from the comics. Marvel’s “Luke Cage” is the next show in the ever-growing lineup, and it follows the footsteps of its predecessors.
Luke Cage made his debut in “Jessica Jones”: the bulletproof man with a mysterious past. The new show picks up right where the first left off. Cage moves to Harlem and tries his best to live a normal life by working multiple jobs and trying his best to lay low. Obviously, things don’t go as planned.
“Luke Cage” makes it clear that everyone is human. Although Luke has bulletproof skin, he reacts to things and feels the same emotions that any human would. On the other side, the villains Cornell ‘Cottonmouth’ Stokes, a Harlem crime lord, and his cousin, Mariah Dillard, are equally human. The hardships and tragedy these characters endure make them feel both real and relatable. This is done by fabulous performances all around.
The side characters don’t get as much focus as the main characters in “Luke Cage”. While Misty Knight plays a prominent role, her presence almost never seems necessary. Claire Temple plays a larger role. She is the only character to have appeared in “Daredevil”, “Jessica Jones” and “Luke Cage”. She is what holds these heroes together so her presence in “Luke Cage” is only logical. Her character arch has been building over years in television and I imagine that “Luke Cage” is just a small step in a long journey for her.
One of the biggest differences between “Luke Cage” and previous Netflix shows is the soundtrack. Main events and action sequences are almost always accompanied by music. Scenes at Cottonmouth’s club repeatedly show live music; sometimes the musicians are featured just as much as the actors. The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and is used to convey common themes and emotions.
While the story is very strong, the writing feels a little off at times. There are cheesy lines so predictable they made my eyes roll. Luke Cage, specifically, is super corny. It’s partly his character, getting called out on it by other characters, but it felt a bit distracting.
The show is also a bit more adult than “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones”. While those were very mature in their own right, “Luke Cage” has some pretty strong language and graphic violence. It’s mostly the characters in the show staying true to comics, just as The Punisher in “Daredevil” is more foul mouthed than anyone else on the show.
“Luke Cage” fits well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are plenty of callbacks to other Marvel films. At one point Luke is referred to as “Harlem’s Captain America”. I’ve wished that there were more ties to the Marvel Universe since Daredevil season one, and I felt that Luke Cage did a very good job. There are huge ties to “Iron Man 2”, and for the first time, Avengers Tower was even in the background of the promotional art.
Overall, I’d recommend “Luke Cage” to anyone. It doesn’t require an extensive knowledge of superheroes, it’s culturally relevant, there’s action and drama and the performances are top of the line. It’s well rounded, wildly entertaining and easily the best Netflix Marvel show yet.
Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu
