'Iron Fist' Season 1 Review
After a plane crash in the Himalayas that killed his parents, 10-year old Danny Rand miraculously survives and is rescued by warrior monks from the mystical city Kun Lun, where he is trained in the martial art of Kung Fu. 15 years later, Danny has become a master of his craft and has earned the mantle of the Iron Fist, having gotten the mystical power from the dragon Shou-Lao.
Danny returns home to New York 15 years later, as the path from Kun Lun has opened up. Presumed dead, Danny is presumed to be an imposter from the people he once thought of as family. Without going into detail about every single plot point, this review will cover my likes and dislikes of the season.
We've gotten some really great action scenes so far in this Marvel Netflix universe from Daredevil, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist doesn't disappoint. The Kung Fu style that Danny and the other characters use was a welcome addition to the straight-up brawling we've seen in other series. The fight choreography didn't overdo the spectacle a la 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' and felt very grounded in reality for the most part. There were so many cool fights and broken limbs throughout the season with nods to classic kung fu films.
The storyline was also captivating with many twists and turns that kept things interesting. The theme of the season was very yin and yang in the duality of each of the characters. We see Danny go from a fish out of water to a rage-filled revenge monster. We see Colleen Wing turn from a reluctant teacher to a badass fighting machine. Each of the Meachum family members also have their motivations change frequently, leaving viewers wondering where their true loyalties lie.
I loved how focused the season was on The Hand, as we've seen them play a major part of Daredevil's story in each of his seasons. Getting to learn more about the organization and the inner discord amongst its ranks shed some light on it. Madame Gao played a major role, as we've also seen her in Daredevil. There were tons of references to the other heroes as well, as 'The Defenders' is next in line this coming summer.
I don't have too many gripes, but there were a few times where Harold and Ward Meachum were a bit over the top. I felt like their characters came off borderline incestuous in relation to Joy Meachum with the constant physical contact they had with her and I'm glad it never got past that point. Some of the graphics weren't all that great at times, chiefly whenever Danny was having his flashbacks. I would have loved more scenes set in K'un Lun, I think more scenes would have helped the casual fan to better understand all the mystical aspects of the story better. Lastly, I would've liked to have seen more usage of the Iron Fist powers, but I can give that a pass as Danny doesn't have a firm grasp of the power in terms of training.
Overall, I really enjoyed this first season and how it helped to further connect the overall universe as we look forward to 'The Defenders'. It's very apparent that Claire Temple will be the one to bring all 4 heroes together, as she's the common thread between them all. If you're a fan of these Marvel series and/or kung fu movies, you'll definitely enjoy 'Iron Fist'.
My rating: 8 out of 10
