Given the sheer number of characters populating both a galaxy far, far away and all those parallel Earths, it’s no surprise thatStar Warsand the MCU share multiple actors.Ben Mendelsohn’s track record ofelectrifying performances had already made an impressionwithin indie film and television circles before his snarling turn as the villainous Orson Krennic in 2016’sRogue One: A Star Wars Story, so it’s also no surprise Marvel snatched him up for 2019’sCaptain Marveland kept him on their roster. Despite theSpider-Man: Far From Homeend credits scene teasing the significant impact Mendelsohn’s Talos, a Skrull general, might have on the franchise’s future, and despite the tantalizing yet tragic threat presented by a Skrull splinter group inSecret Invasion, Phase Five’s kick-off series fumbles its pre-existing set-ups and its own inventions. And by choosing the least compelling options,the series wastes Mendelsohn, one of our generation’s slyest and most compellingly eclectic performers, which should be an egregious offense. In an ironic twist of fate,Andor’s second season does the opposite — offering a masterclass on properly utilizing both character and actor that the MCU would be remiss not to follow.
Ben Mendelsohn’s MCU Journey Starts Strong but Ends With a Whimper in ‘Secret Invasion’
Now comfortably ensconsed within the ranks ofHollywood’s go-to bad guys,Captain Marvelflips the script by making Mendelsohn’s Talos not the villain we assume, but a war-scarred survivor separated from his family and striving to protect what remains of his persecuted people. DirectorsAnna BodenandRyan Fleckset the actor free to do what he does best:steal every scene through a sliding scale of menace, biting wit, and startlingly authentic vulnerability, which culminates in anendearing and unique performance.
Tony Gilroy Is Somewhat Right About Marvel’s Reliance on MacGuffins — Here’s What We Mean
Marvel needs to stop making Infinity Stones.
Secret Invasionpicks upCaptain Marvel’s strands, and they’re rife with possibilities. Decades after Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) vowed to help the surviving Skrulls find a safe home, their coordinated efforts haven’t succeeded. Forced to hide in plain sight on Earth, this displacement — compounded by Talos' willingness to trust human compassion —inadvertently backfires intothe Skrull Resistance, a rogue group planning to conquer the planet for themselves.
With all its cloak-and-dagger, double agent, can’t-trust-anyone sensibilities,Secret Invasionaspires to be a Cold War espionage thriller and never crosses the finish line. Filling in two decades' worth of unseen story while also adapting writerBrian Michael Bendis’Secret Invasioncomic book runis biting off more than six episodes can chew, and the series sacrifices tension, nuance, and coherence as itraces through a scattered, convoluted plot. We’re routinely told things, not shown, becausethere isn’t enough time to develop thorny relationships and complex moral dilemmas. Without emotional depth and thematic gravity, thedramatic shortcuts collapse in on themselves.
‘Secret Invasion’ Squanders Talos’ Potential
These problems aren’texclusive to Talos, but since astory surrounding the Skrullsshould be his time to shine, his fate proves especially disappointing. Talos and Fury’s enemies-to-buddy-comedy friendship does ground the first four episodes, but there’s no time to sit with the years of loyalty,fractured trust, and reciprocal resentments between these two aging, exhausted soldiers. The same goes for Talos' dynamic withhis estranged daughter G’iah(Emilia Clarke). His most promising new relationship should be a deeply personal idealistic conflict rooted in guilt, frustration, and their shared grief over the murder of Talos' wife — which also isn’t explored with the weight it deserves. Instead,Secret Invasionwaters down philosophical metaphors about immigration and refugees into wince-inducing simplicity.
Nothing dynamic nor lasting emerges fromSpider-Man: Far From Home’s “gotcha!” moment, even thoughimpersonating Nick Furyis neither a small responsibility nor a small authority to wield. If Talos' arc was always meant to end withSecret Invasion, then his death should mark a major turning point. Without consequential stakes reflective of his character or his memory,his murder —a predictable not-twist— boils down to striking the same blow the premiere had attempted, andlikewise fumbled, with Maria Hill(Cobie Smulders). Mendelsohn never misses a step, shifting between tenderness and weariness, but he’s saddled with first-draft dialogue and a thankless ending sidestepping what he could otherwise deliver, and mishandles one of the franchise’s more interesting supporting characters.
‘Andor’s Character-Driven Work Makes the Most of Ben Mendelsohn’s Range
AndorandSecret Invasioneach model themselves as the grounded, less flashy corner of their respective universes. OnlyAndorhas the dexterous craft required to achieve that goal, courtesy of experienced screenwriterTony Gilroyas creator and showrunner.Andornever states what it could otherwise show or swings for character fences it can’t organically earn, even when its five-season plan became a 12-episode second season staggered out across four years.
Likewise, although Krennic’s appearances are limited, that moderation stems from necessity as much as wise storytelling. His presence always amplifies existing stakes, extracts new colors from the surrounding characters, orelevates the diva himselffromRogue One’s one-shot villain into a force of nature: pompous, clever, and skin-crawlingly cruel. Whether he’s relishing his authority,extolling smug bravado, or one second away from furiously murdering a subordinate, Krennic never spins his wheels by appearing without ample narrative cause. Thatcaliber of writing can’t be disregarded as meaningless fan service, and Mendelsohn returns the favor by shredding the screento pieces. Equally capable of enjoyable scenery-chewing or chilling restraint, he knows when to pivot between having fun with Krennic’s obnoxious displays of power,winning quieter argumentswith a mocking smile, and callously turning our veins to ice.
The MCU has infinite resources for resurrecting dead characters, so there’s no reason they can’t walk back their mistake by re-weaving Talos and all his possible ripple effects into their canvas. Even a Variant forAvengers: Doomsdaywould do the trick —as long as they follow theAndormethod this time, and give Mendelsohn material with meat on its bones. An actor asroutinely surprising and superbly chameleon-esquedeserves nothing less.
Prequel series to Star Wars’ ‘Rogue One’. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero.
