ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Hayley Atwell

What If…?: Hitting the Reset Button

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I try to stay away from spoilers, but just in case, SPOILERS ARE POSSIBLE for the first three episodes.

I have to admit it, but sometimes the MCU exhausts me. Now don?t get me wrong. I love it, especially over the past few years as I?ve gotten more involved in the screening and reviewing and podcasting side of things.?

But the analysis? As the young kids say, ?sheeeeeesh.? Trying to keep up with all the hidden meanings, easter eggs, comic references, and above all, trying to predict everything that is and was and ever will happen is absolutely a full time job. And sometimes, I really just want to watch something new that I don?t have to try and analyze.

Enter What If??, the newest Marvel series airing on Disney+. I went into the first three episodes feeling absolutely free because I figured ?hey, who knows where this will go.? And personally, I was totally right. It did everything I hoped it would. It connected me with the characters I loved, it stayed true to the heart of the storylines while simultaneously flipping the script on old expectations. The animation kept it youthful and energetic and before I knew it, and it?s absolutely a great tie in to all the impact that Loki has made on all the timelines everywhere in the multiverse.

Episode one takes us back to the original Avenger – Captain America – and marks the moment of Peggy Carter?s (Hayley Atwell) choice to stay in the room. From there, the entire trajectory of both her and Steve Rogers?s stories changes. Forced to make a split-second decision to save the Super Soldier mission, Carter takes Steve?s place and receives the serum. Fighting the same battle but with a new role, Agent Carter faces an even greater uphill battle as she rebrands herself ?Captain Carter.? Not only facing the typical gender stereotype of being a woman in a ‘man?s role’, she also finds herself facing a monster we have yet to truly see – and the result will reverberate across other timelines.

Episode two takes two of my favorite stories: Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther and gives us a galaxy in which the enigmatic T?Challa is able to persuade even the most deadly of villains (ahem, Thanos) to work towards a more peaceful universe. Oh how wonderful it was to see Chadwick Boseman?s iconic work as Black Panther on screen once more. He 100% embodies T?Challa, and there will never be another one like him. That compelling portrayal gives life throughout this episode as T?Challa wrestles with what it means to serve both his people and the universe.?

Episode three really pulls no punches when showing us what could happen if the Avengers were never the Avengers. Instead of joining together, they are targeted one by one, and Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is left facing a vengeful Loki (Tom Hiddleston really is in his element these days) threatening to destroy the world. But he?s not out for domination? at least, not initially. Instead, they must work together to catch a far more elusive foe, but as we all know about Loki, he?s always got something up his sleeve.?

See? No analysis. No guessing games. No frantic fan theories. At least not from me. What If?? is the kind of series that is free to reset expectations and do something out of the box. In a word, it?s fun. Pure, good, fun. And I?m here for it. 

Catch it now on Disney+, and enjoy! We can all analyze later 🙂

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway – Tell Me Who I Am

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Growing up can be difficult enough without people telling you who they think you are.

Written and directed by Will Gluck (Easy A),?Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway?is an enjoyable romp through the English countryside and city that never loses its heart. Balancing the outlandishly silly and simple charm, Gluck has created a sequel worthy of the original film that should entertain both children and their parents alike. Adding to the film?s effectiveness are the voice cast who are so star-studded that one will likely be shocked by some of the names attached during the end credits. (Admittedly though, other than Corden himself, one would have a difficult time identifying the other actors throughout the film strictly by their performances.)

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway?takes us back to McGregor?s garden for the wedding of Bea and Thomas (Rose Byrne and Dohmnall Gleeson). Though they have no kids of their own, Bea and Thomas have developed a makeshift family with the rabbits and other animals and all seems well in their abode. Even so, despite the fact that he wants to be a good rabbit, Peter (James Corden) can?t seem to break free from his reputation of causing trouble. Then, when Bea gets a call from a publishing company about her book, the family hops into the truck and travels to the city. Suddenly out of the garden, Peter finds himself in a world where being a rascal is celebrated. After he meets Barnabas (Lenny James), an old friend of his father, Peter is invited into the criminal underworld (well, for bunnies that is) and must decide what type of rabbit he wants to be.

In some ways, The Runaway is an odd take on the franchise. On the one hand, it doesn?t always feel like the books that were read to me as a child. With my young ears, those simple tales about animals learning lessons about growing up at the farm felt almost thought-provoking with their innocence. However, the film adaptation feels like a different animal entirely. Like the first film, Runaway is filled with energy and life with an eye on pop culture and modern sensibilities. On the surface, that style of vigorous storytelling style feels like it should be incongruous with the original. 

However, on the other hand, somehow Gluck blends the two styles very well together and creates something both fun and honest. Even with its urban environment and life, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway still manages to charm and delight. Instead of losing its innocence at the hands of the big, bad city, Runaway manages to bring the rural purity along for the ride. There?s an intentional desire on behalf of Gluck and his team to allow the heart of the Potter characters to remain true to the characters, despite their change in setting.

In fact, that?s very much the point of the story itself.

As Bea?s stories about Peter become a local success, she catches the eye of major publisher, Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo). Nigel loves her stories yet he also believes they can make the property even more accessible to the masses by steering the characters into increasingly wild scenarios. For Nigel, success is the standard and that can be achieved if Bea is willing to make a few compromises to her material along the way. (After all, who wouldn?t want to see rabbits in space?)

However, are these changes true to Bea?s characters ? Although fame is knocking on their garden door, Bea and Thomas begin to ask themselves whether it?s worth the cost of their integrity. To them, losing the soul of their characters would demonstrate a lack of authenticity to the stories that they had created. (This is also referenced with a hilarious wink at the camera when the rabbits suggest that these types of stories are often adapted poorly, ?usually by some cocky American?.)

At the same time, Peter is undergoing somewhat of an identity crisis as well. Having been labelled as the ?bad seed? of the group, Peter is left despondent. While he?s always known that he?s a little mischievous, he has never thought of himself to be a villain. However, his new label leaves him feeling lost. If others see him as the bad guy, maybe he?s wrong about himself. Then, after meeting Barnabas, Peter is led to explore his own ?dark side? to see if he?s really as bad as other?s say. 

Held up against one another, both stories offer slightly different takes on what it means to find out who you are. In The Runaway, Bea and Peter must both ask themselves tough questions about the quality of their character. In this way, the film becomes somewhat of a coming-of-age story as the two wrestle with whether or not the allure of a carefree life of success outweighs the concessions that they must make to get there.

Hopping along with youthful exuberance, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is a delightful film with humour and heart. Though this seems like an unlikely take on the material at first, Runaway is a delightful addition to the franchise that expands the world yet maintains its soul. Even if Peter may say that ?[he] didn?t think they?d get this far?, I would welcome the chance to return to McGregor?s garden one more time should the opportunity arise.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is available on demand on Friday, July 2nd, 2021.