Moon Knight: The Complete First Season Collector's Edition SteelBook - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

It's no surprise or shock to anyone that the once-great MCU is in a tailspin of epic proportions after Avengers: Endgame. The studio tripled down on anything and everything they could in the Marvel catalog, they created a swath of less-than-average superhero movies and TV shows that the mainstream audience never heard of. It's happened in comic books and merchandising in years past, but as of right now, the MCU can't seem to get their act together and deliver something truly great. So these side or otherwise background characters are now getting their time to shine in the spotlight, where Moon Knight takes center stage.

But are these side characters or background fictional heroes deserving of an entire series dedicated to themselves? If these numerous shows and movies are more evenly spaced out and not delivered every other month that can cause an overflow of entertainment, then audiences may be more excited. But the case of superhero fatigue is real and releasing these series that don't feature the main five Avengers is just a quick cash grab for ratings and to keep investors somewhat happy. But where the creatives at Marvel are trying to thrive is in its creative process by fronting these superheroes with "out of the box" filmmakers and tones which more often than not, don't stick their landing.

With Moon Knight and its Egyptian roots, the narrative and characters are there. Still, the execution of the story is simple-minded and rote as it plays out over six boorish episodes when compared to those first twenty-one movies in the MCU. But who is Moon Knight? He's certainly not related to Wayne Knight. He is a hero in the MCU who is the avatar of an Egyptian moon god named Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham) and is played by the excellent actor Oscar Isaac, who tackles the character as a Batman-like vigilante known as Moon Knight. While this all sounds more or less cliche and follows the usual patterns of these tiresome superhero plots, this particular show survives by only one element - Oscar Isaac, who plays two different characters and sheds some light on DID (dissociative identity disorder).

Isaac plays Marc Spector, who is a mercenary with dissociative identity disorder and is forced into a who-done-it mystery that involves the ancient Egyptian Gods, thus his Moon Knight persona. But his other personality is Steven Grant, who is a British museum gift shop employee whose superhero alter ego is Mr.Knight. It can all be very confusing as other characters have other identities, but the main focus is Oscar Isaac's performance. Is Isaac too good for this series? Yes, he is. When one person's performance outshines the entirety of a production, especially in the MCU, something is wrong. But what is amazingly right, is Oscar's performance who can stand next to McAvoy's roles in Split.

There are only a couple of decent action sequences in Moon Knight, but it's nothing compared to any of the MCU films. And this is where the producers over at Marvel are trying to do something different, but are failing left and right. The tone and pacing are just not hitting their mark with any of their series, including this one. Even if some excellent quirky characters sound off for laughs or odd beats, the fact is that the narrative just doesn't entertain like a Marvel TV show should. Ethan Hawke as the villain Arthur couldn't save this show either. But one thing is for sure, Isaac's nuanced and detailed performance is something to marvel at.

The way he plays each character in different languages, dialects, and body movements is something special and should be reserved for a better project and not a side character in the MCU. But as Moon Knight doesn't end conclusively, there isn't any desire to see more of this character at the forefront in a long drawn-out TV series. But maybe, as a cameo in an upcoming film might do the trick. But let it be known, that this character Moon Knight was supposed to debut as a cameo in a Blade series, which would have been better than what everyone got here, sans Isaac's performance and some fun-loving animal Gods.

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Moon Knight shines its way to 4K via Disney and Marvel inside a Steelbook set. The gold color discs are housed inside a Steelbook with three lobby art cards. There is no booklet or insert for a digital code, which again, is a shame. And when are studios going to realize that nobody wants lobby art cards? Stick with great illustrated booklets with information on the film itself. 

The artwork consists of a great color palette of white, black, and gold that has the titular character front and center with a smaller version of one of the alter egos in front. The Egyptian writing on the sides adds a lot. The reverse side features another character from the back. 

Moon Knight delivers a 2160p UHD 4K image with HDR10 and is a great upgrade from the Disney+ streaming option. As always, physical copies are going to look better than anything from the streaming format, which if anyone is on Disney+ could say that the viewing experience has hiccups on their app. 

The color palette is bold and striking, covering a wide array of colors in each episode. Earthy colors stand out in exterior shots while warmer colors look amazing indoors. Greys, greens, and blues are never hazy, and the fiery browns and oranges pup with vigor. The grey and white colors in costumes and interior walls are fantastic and contrast perfectly with the primary rainbow of color that exudes from wardrobe choices. Black levels are inky and rich while the skin tones are natural. There are no anomalies of murky shadows either. 

The detail is very sharp and vivid in each episode giving way to amazing closeups that reveal individual hairs, stubble, makeup applications, textures in clothing, beads of sweat, and animalistic features of the Gods. Wider shots look detailed and never soft. This is an amazing-looking video presentation that utilizes HDR10 to enhance the color palette and discards the streaming version of any problems. 

This release comes with a Dolby Atmos audio track that sounds incredible. Sound effects are boisterous and robust and travel smoothly through each surround speaker. Major action sequences employ the low ends with a terrific rumble that never crosses into rocky territory. Otherworldly sounds, chases, fight scenes, and other destructive noises all come with a powerful punch that rocks the soundstage. It's surprisingly immersive for an MCU series and one that gives the viewer's sound system a good workout. The score always adds to the suspense and strange tone of the shows while the dialogue is clean, clear, and easy to follow. The height speakers bring noises from above that add to the entire design of the universe the show is creating. There are no audio issues here and is yet another fantastic Dolby Atmos track. 

There are about 77 minutes of bonus materials included in this Steelbook set, including an hour-long documentary on the making of the show which is just outstanding. Unfortunately, there is no audio commentary track from Isaac. 

• Assembled (UHD, 65 Mins.) - This is how every behind-the-scenes documentary should be, specifically with the MCU and Disney. This has more than an hour of in-depth interviews with the cast and crew, along with explanations and detailed accounts of the production of the show. Casting, stunts, the story, themes, and bringing the comic book character to life are all explored. This is wonderful and should be the standard and not the extra.
• Egyptology (UHD, 6 Mins.) - The cast and crew discuss the Egyptian themes and gods that are introduced into the show.
• Gag Reel (UHD, 2 Mins.) - A super-fun montage of the cast missing cues, flubbing lines, laughing, and dancing. 
• Deleted Scenes (UHD, 4 Mins.) - There are only two sequences that are included, none of which offer any more insight into the show. 

Moon Knight is officially part of the MCU now, but it never quite sticks its landing other than the stunning performance from Oscar Isaac and its odd-beat tone. The 4K with HDR10 video presentation is a definitive uptick from its streaming service and the Dolby Atmos track is wonderful. The documentary and other extras that are included are a must-watch. But the lack of a booklet or a digital code is aggravating. Still, this weird little miniseries looks and sounds better in physical form and is Recommended!

Order Your Copy of Moon Knight on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook