If you were to ask most people who their favourite Avenger was, chances are not many would choose the bow and arrow wielding Hawkeye. His new Disney+ show aims to change all that; a Christmas-set thrill ride that focuses on the archer outside of his Avenging duties, beaten up and bruised as he takes on the training of a new recruit. Like a lot of these Disney+ shows it doesn’t quite stick the landing, but with everything else it gets right – charming chemistry between the leads, Christmas atmosphere and incredibly fun action scenes – Hawkeye doesn’t miss, one of the finest things Marvel has produced in recent memory.
In New York for a pre-Christmas bonding trip with his recently returned from the Blip kids, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) relearns that he is never truly off the clock when his Ronin suit – a costume from his earlier days as a cold-blooded mercenary – is unveiled at a local black market auction. Fearful that his identity will be uncovered by associates of the criminals he put a stop to and his family put in danger, Clint sets out to locate the suit, which just so happens to have been taken by Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) – a young archer who idolises Hawkeye and has unknowingly made herself a target for all those who hold a grudge against the Ronin. The pair must team up in order to clear both their names, in the process tangling with tracksuit garbed mafia goons, Kate’s sword-wielding soon-to-be stepfather Jack (Tony Dalton) and Maya (Alaqua Cox), a young deaf woman with a particularly personal score to settle with the Ronin.
Setting Hawkeye as Marvel’s big Christmas show proves to be a stroke of genius; the Christmas carol filled soundtrack and snow-covered New York City creating such an overwhelming energy of fun that is impossible not to be swept up in. Christmas also acts as a powerful motivator for Clint, giving the show a constant undercurrent of tension as we fret over whether he will make it back in time for his first family Christmas in 5 years. The stakes are admittedly low in terms of the MCU of it all; the world won’t end if he doesn’t make it home for Christmas but to Clint, not disappointing his family is everything, and after all he has been through you can’t help but root for him, creating some genuine audience investment in a character who had largely been written of as the joke Avenger.
Those personal stakes also make the action feel that much more intense and meaningful, the desperate struggles of a hurt man just looking to survive each bout if it means he is one step closer to his family. The hand-to-hand combat is choreographed impressively well, impactful and brutal in ways that make you fear for Clint, whilst also managing to be surprisingly funny, with the series taking full advantage of Clint’s tired and frustrated “seen it all before” attitude. Where the audience starts to adopt that same attitude is in the finale; a typically massive, explosion filled affair that, while gripping thanks to our investment in the characters, can’t help but feel a little over-the-top and nonsensical. The entire show has been this somewhat grounded look at these two characters who have been put through the ringer, reeling from every scrape and bruise and suddenly they are taking hundreds of hits and shrugging them off. A visually epic series of scenes sure, but one that doesn’t quite gel with the tone previously established.
Where the show truly shines is in the chemistry between Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld, an endlessly endearing relationship that plays off the grizzled mentor/overly-excited student trope to terrific effect. If Hawkeye is a superhero coming to the end of a long, hard career of crime-fighting then Kate Bishop is one at the very cusp of her own, all wide-eyed, chattering excitement at learning the tricks of the trade. Kate feels like such a desperately needed shot of energy that it is hard to imagine how the MCU ever survived without her, Steinfeld constantly firing on all cylinders with an endless supply of smart-ass jokes and an obsession with trick arrows that makes for some truly wonderful pay-offs. Steinfeld’s character isn’t only one of unbridled optimism and she is deeply affecting in those quieter moments when Kate’s entire world is turned upside down, her perception of what her life has been and what it will be going forward completely shifting and forcing her to adapt.
Alaqua Cox’s Maya is a step in the right direction towards on-screen representation but there’s a sense that there is more to her and the show is holding back, saving vital character development for her future spin-off show. While that show might be great, Maya’s appearance here can’t help but feel slightly undercooked, an unnecessary detour from Kate and Clint’s main investigation that adds some depth to his exploits as the Ronin and makes for some great action moments but ultimately peters off with a whimper, her finale appearance feeling obligated to push the character’s profile rather than necessary to the plot. Other character appearances, which we’ll leave unspoiled, add a lot to the show by way of emotional depth and sheer fun factor, and one in particular will have long-time fans cheering from their living rooms; a Christmas present that hopefully will only continue to grow from here.
It’s safe to say that not many people were clamouring for a deep-dive into what Clint Barton does on his off-days from Avenging, but Hawkeye earns its Christmas status as one of the biggest treats of the year; a heartwarming and electric adventure through New York City that gives Jeremy Renner the material he truly deserves and introduces audiences to what will no doubt be a fan-favourite character going forward in Kate Bishop. The small scale and focus on the burgeoning mentor/student relationship make for a refreshingly personal take on the MCU, one that moves beyond its formulaic ending to become one of, if not the best Marvel show so far. He might just be a guy with a bow and arrow, but Hawkeye certainly doesn’t miss here.
Hawkeye stars Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Vera Farmiga, Alaqua Cox, Tony Dalton, Fra Fee & Linda Cardellini – Streaming on Disney+ now.