Review: ‘Wonder Man’ On Disney+

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Review by James Lindorf

Wonder Man undoubtedly conjures up thoughts of Wonder Woman, but this is no DC story, and he is no member of the big three. In Marvel Comics history, Wonder Man is a character with immense power fueled by ionic energy, granting him enhanced strength, durability, and the ability to fly. While pound for pound, he is capable of taking on some cosmic-level threats, he is generally considered a “mid-tier” character for Marvel, known mostly for his history with the West Coast Avengers. Wonder Man is “not” a Marvel Cinematic Universe project, not only because it is the second show to receive the Spotlight designation after 2024’s “Echo.” But because I believe it is better classified as a 616 story. Earth-616 is the central location of events in Marvel Comics and the MCU, and “Wonder Man” is about one man’s experience with how Hollywood, the American government, and, to some degree, the world have responded to recent events. All episodes of “Wonder Man” premiere on Disney+ on January 27th.

Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) has a passion for film ingrained in him at a young age by his late father. Now Simon is a struggling actor, fighting for roles, and doing his best not to get in his own way once he lands a job. Recently fired and dumped, Simon is really struggling, but his dreams are closer than ever when a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) brings news that legendary director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić) is remaking the superhero film “Wonder Man.” These two actors, at opposite ends of their careers, bond over their love of cinema, their mistakes, and their secrets as they doggedly pursue the life-changing roles. Simon is also supported by his agent, Janelle (X Mayo), and his mother, Martha (Shola Adewusi), but his older brother, Eric (Demetrius Grosse), wants Simon to grow up and join him at his insurance company. While Eric is tough on him, the real danger for Simon is Department of Damage Control (DODC) Agent P. Cleary (Arian Moayed), who knows Simon has hidden abilities and considers Simon an “extraordinary threat.”

It doesn’t feel like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a household name yet. Still, he is an outstanding actor with a lot of range from his appearances in “The Greatest Showman”, the Candyman remake, and the two Aquaman movies. He is again great here as Simon, embodying the film geek who is filled with hope, anxiety, and fear. He has fantastic potential with his power, but if anyone finds out, he will be banned from Hollywood thanks to the DeMarr “Doorman” Davis incident. Being banned would be bad enough, but the series takes a political turn because Simon would also be on his way to one of the new supermax prisons designed to hold powered individuals indefinitely. Cleary and the DODC are desperate to avoid budget cuts and become the 616 version of ICE. They are an angry and scared agency that has been given more authority than they deserve and has the belief that a minority group of people have not just enhanced abilities but also an enhanced capacity and penchant for violence. At its core, “Wonder Man” is a buddy movie; it has drama, action, and comedy, and it is heavily centered on the relationship between Simon and Trevor. It is no surprise that Sir Ben Kingsley keeps up with Abdul-Mateen II, and it is a lot of fun learning what drove him to become the Mandarin. Watching them work together to fight for the parts while avoiding scammers and jail could have gone on for another eight episodes, in my opinion.

While the acting is fantastic, not everything lives up to it. There is not much in the way of special effects, and that is a good thing because while presented in an interesting fashion, not a single CGI shot is convincing. Then there is the curious case of the Doorman incident, which is explored in episode four. This episode is bound to be controversial. It has little to do with the plot of the other seven episodes and is presented in a completely different style. It seems destined to be loved, loathed, or quickly skipped over by viewers. It is an interesting decision to take so much time away from our main story when there is so much more we could learn about Simon and Trevor, or just more of the over-the-top callback requests with Von Kovak.
I say it all the time, but expectations are the killer of enjoyment. If you expect the world and only get a fraction of it, it’s hard to focus on the positive. I am frequently a believer in watching as little preview content as possible for a property you have any interest in, but that is not the case for “Wonder Man.” If you go in blind, expecting standard superhero action fare, then you will be incredibly disappointed. However, if you watch a trailer and like the style and tone, then rush to your couch on the 27th. The performances of Ben Kingsley and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and their chemistry, are the reasons this is the best Disney+ show since “WandaVision,” earning a score of 4.5 out of 5.