JESSICA JONES REVIEW
*Quick Preface: I am a white male. My comments on how well this show approaches women's experiences is completely from the point of view of a man assessing a story-telling technique and conversations with female friends. Any "*" is to note this
QUICK SYNAPSIS
For those of us that aren't a lonely robot on Mars, you've noticed Marvel has been creating a giant universe of superheroes in film and TV. These heroes are made to be in crossovers until Marvel either earns enough money to become a sovereign nation or the interest in superhero movies peters out.
Jessica Jones was released on Netflix as a dark, gritty series that addresses topics that her movie counterparts can't, or won't, whichever. Netflix's medium has allowed Jessica Jones more freedom than to explore more hard-hitting realism like Orange is the New Black, etc. Most importantly Netflix has allowed the show to be confrontational about social issues in an time when movies are glib remakes with no conscious to advance social issues.
Overall I give Jessica Jones a 4.5 out of 5.
OVERALL: NO SPOILERS
The show is solid, invigorating, nail biting and had very well-rounded characters while doing a good job balancing story lines. It starts out slow and sometimes flat. The first few episodes' side quests don't have much payoff but I advise you to stick it out until... well I'll just say after episode 5 b/c I don't want to spoil anything. I thought of this as Girl with the Dragon Tattoo watered down for a PG-13 audience, but after (unnamed episode) I absolutely couldn't stop watching and it paid off in big ways.
Jessica Jones remains the hardest and most earnest attempt at a grounded, realistic hero that Marvel has come out with. She doesn't wear a cape, not even a mask, she wears her street clothes. Her power is her incredible strength, but really it's how she uses her wit and tenacity to use that strength effectively.
*The show discusses several issues women have to deal with in a mans' world while representing the women responsibly. Issues like crazy ex-boyfriends, violent assault, mixed feelings in relationships, etc. I say responsibly because I never got the sense the creator/writers were approaching any scenario with the intent evoke sympathy with our female protagonists. Rather the creators show the womens' internal struggle and their ability to find strength when they choose to act.
OVERALL 2: SPOILERS EDITION
Those issues I discuss in the last paragraph of crazy ex as Killgrave stalking her, idealizing her, and harassing her, making it hard for her every day. *But of course he's not just a crazy ex, he's her rapist, and his invasive photographing of her seems like the voyeurism women deal with walking down the street from passing men. The repercussions of Killgrave's forced relationship on her I think speaks to the experience of rape. It makes it difficult to have future relationships, as Killgrave's actions directly interfere with her relationship with Luke Cage. As well as other analogies I saw in the show, but as I said, I'm not really in a position to postulate. I will say for the sake of discussion that I think Simpson was a character made to represent abusive relationships. He forces his way into her home after worming his way into her favor so many times. It seems fitting for the theme, as Jessica fights against her rapist, so Trish learns to fight against her abuser.
So that unnamed episode that hooked mewas episode eight. From there I was hooked, really hooked. The scenes were intensely suspenseful. Many scenes, especially the bar scene with Hope made me feel very real terror. The way they go about executing characters kept me on my toes throughout the show. I was so scared any time the junkie was in a scene that Killgrave was going to round a corner and kill him. And was so relieved he never did.
Episode eight is pretty far down the line though, I was pretty nonplus with much of the series until she got Killgrave to save those people and taste the idea of being a hero. But fifteen minutes later she poisons and imprisons him. While it was satisfying to see her finally get the upper hand, I really wish they had filled some of those first seven episodes with more stories of them being a heroic duo. I'd have liked longer time to try and sympathize with that monster, maybe even see him start to change for a bit, earn some redemption. Do that for like 3 episodes then boom she kidnaps him out of the blue. This could have brought a new arc and personality to him, filled up duller episodes and really been rewarding and surprising when JJ kidnaps him.
ACTING
I'm about to make the BEST/WORST list but one thing that I really wanted to address that was well done, but just on the cusp of making the show a 5 star was the acting. Both of the actors do a good job, but it isn't great. They excel in their characters' attributes, but both Krysten and David failed to really follow through and be visceral and vulnerable.
Krysten Ritter does a good job, she's quick, sassy, steadfast but conflicted. I fully believed her intelligence, her skills, her ire. That said, one thing that irked me though is she didn't seem to allow much vulnerability, any true emotions well up. She cries sometimes, she punches windows, but Krysten always aired on the side of cool. This is fine, like Blade Runner but even in Blade Runner you see Harrison Ford get truly scared, etc. Krysten's portrayal of JJ comes off as more having a chip on her shoulder than the poisoned, visceral person she could have been.
It's the same with David Tennant. Tennant portrays the wonderful copulation of a charismatic villain is also very frightening. But it seems neither actors felt like really delving into being someone vulnerably disturbed, one of the main tenants of a great actor/actress is vulnerability, but it seems they both play their roles too safely to be truly relatable, reviling, scared or brave.
- One of the best things is the show's intensity. The build up pays off and certain scenes are gripping in a very physical way.
- The Characters: This show really takes care to make great characters and you're never lacking when one or the other is on screen, even the most minor characters like the junkie or the crazy neighbor. Tertiary characters swing your opinions of them and influence the plot in huge ways while never placing judgement to if someone is truly good or truly evil. You even get a glimpse at sympathising with Killgrave, though short-lived.
- The absolute greatest thing about the show is its subject matter and the way that it approaches social issues. The approach to this subject is so incredibly relevant and yet widely ignored that to see such clear metaphors about different aspects is encouraging. And for her to call him out as a rapist on TV I feel is a huge step in the progress for a public dialogue as so many women choose to keep their experiences secret.
Even Sergent Simpson seems to be a metaphor for women who endure domestic abuse. Simpson attacks Trish twice and she still accepts him back.
- The inclusion of gay characters without calling attention to it.
- Rosario Dawson tie in, nuf said
GRIPES
- Biggest one is the action. They have so many powerful characters from Jones to Cage to Simpson, yet none of the fight scenes feel powerful, yes people fly far and break walls but it doesn't feel powerful. The choreography seems lazy and the execution by the actors/stuntmen is flat, it looks closer to Shatner in Star Trek than to Dare Devil in a very bad way.
- In hand with the action are the visual effects, they just seem lazy, the same kind of blurry jumps and cuts we saw 10 years ago in Heroes. Any time Jones jumped high or Cage threw someone the effects were so bad it just took me right out of the reality of the show.
- The soundtrack. It's like there wasn't one. There was no theme music for Jessica or Killgrave or anything really. It was like they just bought a generic soundtrack somewhere and placed it around the show. And one of my problems with the action was how disconnected from the soundtrack it was. There were fight scenes with no soundtrack whatsoever, which works in film/tv when you earn it or fill the gap with visuals and soundeffects in an effective way, but this show did not do that.
- I actually believed the younger Jessica Jones than Krysten Ritters. Am I the only one?
CONCLUSION
I'd rather watch a TV show with gripping narrative, characters and relevant subject matter than any movie with great action while lacking in any of the aforementioned. The respectful way they portrayed the characters and subject matter is really what brought this from a 4 star to 4.5 when I was reflecting. It is definitely a must-see.
