Review: Marvel's "Hawkeye" Episodes 1-3

Marvel’s Hawkeye is the newest MCU series to hit Disney+, and after the whirlwind success of the first three entries, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, the show had a lot to live up to. And with the burden of expectation weighing heavy on the project, the initial episodes proved to be something of a success, even if they did so in a slightly uncharacteristic way.

Many expected the series would be a balls-to-the-wall action spectacle, along the line of the Iron Man trilogy or the recently released Black Widow film, but the creative team for Hawkeye went a different route. While there is certainly a fair bit of action, including several well-choreographed fight scenes, particularly in the third episode, the focus of the show is far more subtle. The bow-wielding Avenger Clint Barton, rather than being an over-the-top good guy dispatching enemies with righteous justice, is a world-weary fighter who can’t let go of the demons in his past.

And Jeremy Renner is perfect as a hero who doesn’t want to be a hero anymore, but knows that if he doesn’t step in, no one will. The series, especially in the first two episodes, is hitting a lot of the same notes as James Mangold’s epic Logan. One of the big issues with the character of Hawkeye, throughout his time in the MCU, is that he hasn’t gotten the spotlight very often. Certainly, he’s had his moments, like when it was revealed that he was a secret farmer with an even secreter family, or his fight with Black Widow over who would sacrifice themselves to retrieve the Soule Stone in Avengers: Endgame. But these were mere glimpses at who the character was, and because of the nature of the ensemble films, they were never really expanded on.

And the first three episodes of Hawkeye work so well because the character of Clint Barton is finally the focus. The story works best when he is being a dad, talking with his kids about Christmas and promising that his adventures won’t keep him away again. There is a particularly heart wrenching scene where Kate Bishop is writing out phone messages for Clint, who’s hearing aid was destroyed. The messages are from his son who doesn’t believe his dad will make it home. The agony on Renner’s face is so true to the moment and it humanizes the character so deeply. It’s clear that Barton wants nothing more than to go watch silly Christmas movies with his family, but the responsibility of cleaning up the whole Ronin mess is his and he can’t stop, even if it’s what he so desperately wants.

And then there is the scene where Clint sees the “Thanos was right” message written in a bathroom, and without saying a word he conveys such deep sadness and frustration, that audiences can’t help but sympathize with the guy, who’s fought so hard, but lost so much of himself in the process. It’s a far more subtle approach to character growth in the MCU. Normally, the characters just jump into the next epic with little thought to what came before. Now, that’s not necessarily bad, as it is the nature of comic books to let go of the past and look forward, but it’s nice to see Marvel slow things down a little and showcase how much the struggles of the MCU have affected a specific character.

What’s more is the relationship between Barton and the high-strung Kate Bishop, as played by Hailee Steinfeld, who is introduced smartly into the MCU as someone who lost a parent during Loki’s invasion in the first Avengers movie, but took inspiration from Clint, as she watched him dive off a rooftop and use a bow to save himself. She is naïve, impetuous, foolhardy, and so much like her hero (even if that’s not necessarily a good thing, as pointed out by the hero himself) that Clint can’t help but want to save her. Again, their relationship harkens back to that of Logan/Wolverine and Laura/X-23, with the elder hero not believing he’s worthy of being anyone’s hero, but the protégé staunchly standing by his side.

And once again, Barton’s paternal instincts kick in and morphs their relationship into something immediately deeper and more interesting. While it’s clear he doesn’t think training her is the best idea, at least not yet, he’s opening up to Bishop in way that’s similar to his interaction with his best friend, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and expressing more with her than he likely would with anyone else.

This isn’t to say there aren’t issues with the series, as there is something of a pacing issue, with the action bouncing around a little hectically. There is also the traditional villain problem that Marvel seems to perpetually fall into, though the introduction of Echo in the third season provided a nice origin for the adversarial character that audiences can empathize with. It’s just that it took so long for a proper villain to pop up, and the whole tracksuit mafia schtick is a little played out, even if the show is using the criminal group with a wink and a nod. There is also the speculation that Vincent D’Onofrio will return to the MCU as Wilson Fisk a.k.a. Kingpin, arguably Marvel’s most fleshed out and well-executed villain, including Loki. If true, the Daredevil baddie will more than fill in as the real deal villain that the show is currently missing.

These flaws, though, prove to be minor, and the quality storytelling and excellent action of the first three episodes far outweigh a few small gripes. Marvel’s Hawkeye might not have some of the wow factor that it’s sister shows debuted with, but it oozes heart with every scene and the shift of focus to character rather than spectacle is a welcome change. All thing considered, if the show keeps up this trend, it may end up as the most interesting series in the MCU to date.