Hawkeye

Happy Holidays! A lightweight, enjoyable snack, nicely following up on and complementing events at Marvel. Renner is excellent and passes the baton on to a thrilled Hailey Steinfeld. Bishop has the balls to be in the Avengers, but it remains to be seen who else Feige will cast in the movies. It’s good to see Yelena and Wilson here and their appearances are meant to be the high points of the series. But it turns out that the real high point is the chase through the streets of New York with the souped-up darts. The series is worth watching for this alone. We're all gonna die. (12/22/2021)

I don’t know what to say, but I didn’t quite connect with Hawkeye. I wasn’t particularly excited about the series, but after reading positive reviews and feedback, I decided to check out this 6-episode Marvel project. Jeremy Renner, as always, doesn’t disappoint; his character might have seemed like just a shell with no real depth in The Avengers, but he convinces you otherwise in every scene. His acting talent shines through the screen throughout the runtime. My issue is with the supporting characters. I loved Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit (she outperformed everyone there), but as Kate Bishop, she didn’t win me over; I often found myself wishing her pompous character would disappear from the spotlight as soon as possible. The action is unremarkable, standard by Marvel’s standards, and the plot is like something for a 5-year-old. The ending with Kingpin was nice, but unfortunately, it came too late. An average viewing experience in every respect. For me, it’s 5.5/10. (12/29/2021)

A treat for winter, or even Christmas, which is irresistible. Whether the main hero is uttering lines like from Die Hard, enjoying perfect friendly chemistry with an unexpected partner, or just sadly staring into the distance, I marvel at the perfect symbiosis of everything and everyone. A cult villain, a dramatic storyline, a dog, and last but not least, a fulfilled dream in the form of Hailee Steinfeld and Florence Pugh as possibly my favorite talents of recent years, who come together for a chat over a heap of pasta. (04/08/2024)

An insightful and, most importantly, lighthearted Christmas superhero story where neither the Earth nor the universe is in danger of extinction and it's "just" about one criminal plot and one man getting home for the holidays. In Joss Whedon's Avengers, Hawkeye was the least interesting character, and I was sorry because Jeremy Renner is a likeable guy. But the Russo brothers afforded him a number of opportunities in subsequent films, which he has taken advantage of, and this series definitely makes him a really great character. The fact that Hailee Steinfeld is as important to his story as he is doesn't bother me at all, because she's simply a hit too. (01/07/2024)

Hawkeye is far, far better than I originally expected, and immediately after the last episode I am cheering with joy. The plot is straightforward yet entertaining, the running time is reasonable yet quite comprehensive, and as a whole it just works perfectly. Jeremy Renner is great as always, he's well assisted by the lovely Hailee Steinfeld and we even get to see Florence Pugh as Yelena, her arrival on the scene is unexpected and hilarious at the same time. There is plenty of action, quips and plot development dispensed throughout the series, we even get a perfect twist, but the biggest kick comes in the final episode, which doesn't pull any punches, it's literally packed with action from start to finish and gives all the characters a chance to shine at their best – from the LARPists (whom the series makes fun of throughout and I was dying laughing) to Jack and his swordsmanship talents, to Yelena and the bad guys. The most euphoric moment for me was when Kingpin came in, who as a Daredevil and The Punisher fan I simply adore, and at his reveal I had the pure urge to jump and scream with joy. At first I was a little worried that this would be just another forced Avenger solo and that the series would be stuffed with trendy cringe, but those fears weren't realized and the further Hawkeye progressed, the more it won me over. A very strong four star. (02/22/2022)