Review series WandaVision: When love and family are the most important thing in the world

WandaVision (2021) is the opening film for phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the movie Avenger: Endgame. With the Limited series genre, Wanda Vision has shown audiences a new definition of superhero movies, that Marvel does not just make movies about fighting, but hidden in it is the story and psychological depth of each character. So what does this 9-episode drama have that attracts so many viewers and has an average score of 8.1 on imdb? Let's find out with me right now.

*Articles with spoilers

The careful calculation of the Disney

First, let's learn how to release this Disney Studios series. Unlike current movie streaming platforms like Netflix, Iflix or Viki when these movie platforms release the whole series at the same time, Disney chooses to release each episode every Friday on Disney+. This is a smart move because after each episode, the number of participants commenting and predicting the plot in later episodes is increasing. With this clever move, WandaVision has become one of the most popular series in the world today.

Hidden secret behind superhero

WandaVision is set after Tony Stark's funeral and before Spiderman: Far from home. The film follows Wanda and her trauma following the death of her lover Vision (a robot). It is because of her grief that she creates the Hex reality, where she hides from the truth and creates her own Vision so that both of them can live happily without worrying about the uncertainties going on in the world. From there, strange things begin to happen, forcing viewers to focus in each frame to discover the secret that the series is hiding. One of the scoring elements of the series is that there is a breakthrough storyline, the film does not focus too much on action scenes but instead, WandaVision focuses on exploiting the psychological elements of the characters and what they have to go through.

*The Hex Reality is actually the town of Westview in New Jersey covered by an energy field and completely isolated from the outside world. There, Wanda can do everything she wants, including changing spaces, controlling people's minds, creating Vision and her twin sons Billy and Tommy,... What's inside the Hex is fake and under Wanda's control.

A film made by a conscientious and visionary production team

A special feature of WandaVision is that the crew has built the series in the direction of a sitcom, with each episode having a different sound and style of previous decades. From the elegant black and white of the 50s and 60s, to the nostalgic splendor of the 70s and 80s, we return to the modern of the 2000s. TAll of which represents a novel and attractive WandaVision. It can be said that in addition to the beginning of Phase 4 of the MCU, WandaVision has started a new era of drama. So where did the inspiration come from for filmmakers to come up with such a bold idea? The answer is in works like The Dick Van Show, The Brady Bunch or Full House and Modern Family,.. With such a way of crafting films, filmmakers not only delight today's audiences, but they also pay tribute to films of previous generations. The appeal of WandaVision does not stop there, in addition to the carefully polished image, the film's effects are also invested to the maximum. With a budget of up to $ 25 million for an episode, the filmmakers have worked hard to bring The Hex to the audience in the most authentic way. Surely the film will satisfy the viewer's eyes in terms of effects, especially towards the end of the film, the more epic the effects become.

The story of Wanda Maximoff

WandaVision is Wanda's journey in ideological struggle and acceptance of the fact that Vision is no more. As for Wanda, she always shows viewers that she is a strong person with the power to defeat Thanos but in the end, she is also just a fragile woman with hidden hurts. It can be said that Wanda is the most unfortunate character in the MCU universe when her relatives are constantly gone. Perhaps the Hex is a mirror of what Wanda wants, she wants to be in a place where she and Vision can comfortably live together like any other normal family. Throughout the 9 episodes, the audience will go through 5 states of grief with Wanda: from denial, anger to clinging, despair and finally acceptance. At the same time, the film explores more about Wanda's powers, who she really is.

Precious lesson about love and family

So if removing all the visuals and effects, what is left of WandaVision? Besides the funny segments, the film also leaves lessons not only for parents but also for those who are in their teens. We can see Wanda's tears of anguish as she senses that Vision is now just a bunch of metal. It was Vision who stayed by Wanda's side when she was at her weakest. I am still impressed by Vision's line used to comfort Wanda "But what is grief when love is forever", or when Wanda tells him "You are sadness and hope, but most of all you are my love". Family affection is also tapped by Marvel through Wanda and her 2 sons. Through scenes where Wanda takes care of her children or when she tells 2 children, "Thank you, for choosing me, to be a mother". When the Hex is abused, the four fight together to protect their family's home, "Vision, this is our home" – Wanda, "Then let's fight for it" – Vision. By the time the battle in the final episode ended, Wanda ran over to hug her two children and gave her a big smile. That moment was enough for me to understand that although everything inside reality is fake, Wanda's feelings for her family are real.

However, in the end, if Wanda does not end the Hex, the one who suffers will be her and the people she locks in. Sometimes, we have to learn to let go, to let go for ourselves, for those who have left and those who remain. In the final minutes of the film, Wanda ends the reality of her own making, erasing the house with her young family. However, "Family is forever. We can never really leave each other even if we try to." — Wanda

Indeed, conjugal affection, the love of family members for each other is eternal. No matter how complicated and exhausting the world out there may be, remember that your family is always waiting for you to return. Feel grateful and cherish every moment with your family because not everyone is so lucky.

Supporting characters with in-depth aspects

Accompanying Wanda this time there are a few old and new characters:

• Jimmy Choo, the cop who appeared in Ant man and the Wasp 2, is now back to investigate the Hex. Through his conversations with Darcy, Jimmy showed that he is a witty, cute person. And like everyone else, Jimmy also wants to one day get married and have a small family of his own.

• Dr. Darcy Lewis, after a period of silence, has returned. With her intellect, Darcy demonstrated to everyone the ability to use computers in a superhuman way.

• Agnes' neighbor is actually Agatha Harkness, a witch who has lived since Salem's time. She pretends to be a kind neighbor in order to approach Wanda and seize her powers. However, we still don't know if Agatha is a bad person. We must wait for the next films to find out her true plans.

• Little girl Monica Rambeau in Captain Marvel is now an adult, in WandaVision, I feel like she has grown up and is more responsible. Unlike those who consider Wanda a terrorist, Monica always tries to convince Wanda so that she can accept the truth and end the reality of the Hex. With what she has shown in the series, it is certain that Monica is ready to inherit and develop the legacy left by her mother - the Sword organization.

The screenwriter has really succeeded in portraying the characters, each of whom contributes to Wanda's journey in reality, although the screen time is not much, they also leave an impression on the viewer. And don't be surprised by the appearance of actor Evan Peters.

The details are meticulously installed

Besides the main content, the film also sends us a lot of valuable details:

• The series has also delved deeper to show us the past of 2 brothers Wanda and Pietro when they were children, gathering with their families to watch movies. The trauma caused by the war is also included in the film. A minute ago, the room where Wanda's family lived was peaceful, warm. Yet after just one explosion, it all became a ruin. The image of Wanda and Pietro lying under the bed waiting for the bomb to explode was heartbreaking.

• The trailers throughout the episodes also remind us of the Infinity stones, the souls of all 3 previous Phases. Besides, other details such as wine bottles, watches, milk cartons or microwaves all have their own meaning.

The film also gives Stan Lee, the creator of the hit Marvel series, a tribute even after his death. It's the license plate that appears in episode 6, which is also his birthday.

*Stan Lee was born in December, 28, 1922

• It would be remiss not to mention the soundtrack. Comparing Wanda Vision as a dish, the soundtrack is an indispensable spice. Each soundtrack left an impression on the audience. The proof is that the song Agatha All Along topped views and downloads on Spotify when this song was released. I'm sure that after the movie ends, you'll find Agatha All Along again to listen to it.

Minus points for WandaVision

Besides the above attractions, Wanda Vision is also not immune to flaws. Because there was so much content to convey, the series only had 9 episodes, which led to the final battle taking place quickly and causing many viewers to be disappointed. In addition, the film also has open questions that have not been clearly explained. I just wish that the series would last longer or at least episode 9 has a duration of 1 to 2 hours so that I can be satisfied with the fighting scenes of Wanda and Agatha.

Minus points for WandaVision

Besides the above attractions, Wanda Vision is also not immune to flaws. Because there was so much content to convey, the series only had 9 episodes, which led to the final battle taking place quickly and causing many viewers to be disappointed. In addition, the film also has open questions that have not been clearly explained. I just wish that the series would last longer or at least episode 9 has a duration of 1 to 2 hours so that I can be satisfied with the fighting scenes of Wanda and Agatha

Last conclusion

Overall, WandaVision is a suitable series to open Phase 4 of the MCU, the film is like a new breeze to bring audiences new and different things compared to previous Marvel films. Especially in recent years, Marvel is considered a color in its filmmaking. With the ending of WandaVision, you can fully look forward to the future of Marvel when a series of other movies such as Falcon and the Winter soldier or Loki are also about to be released. So what about you guys? How do you guys feel about this series? Please let me know.

(Photo credit: collectibles)