Invincible Season 4 Premiere Review

The following is a review of the first 3 episodes of Invincible Season 4, now available on Prime Video (for our spoiler-free review of Season 3, click here)

Now pumping out seasons in a relatively short manner, Invincible is back for season 4. This animated superhero character study promises more drama as it relates to Mark Grayson (a.k.a. the titular superhero), and his journey understanding what it means to truly be a hero. Evolving over the course of the first 3+ seasons, trying to step out of the shadow of his father, reality has slowly led him to turn back when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect his family and the people he loves, opening up to the possibility of killing others if necessary. Presenting one battle after another, featuring a wide range of threats, both domestic and intergalactic, for Invincible and all the other heroes to contend with.

If anything, the series does not relent and is never boring to watch as the level of brutality keeps increasing with each new season, and this one is no different. With Oliver joining the fray, this has allowed Mark and Debbie some added perspective, giving each the opportunity to reflect on their journeys thus far and reflect on their experiences. Meanwhile, growing up at a much faster rate, that sped up clock presented its own set of challenges. On the other hand, for several seasons, the series has hinted at some sort of Viltrumite invasion, but a twist revealed that it may not be on the scope what we thought it would. Still, very much a threat, the start of season starts to plant the seeds for what that invasion and space war could look like.

Starting where last season left off, the fractured superhero landscape left behind was put to the test by waves of threats trying to take advantage of what was a vulnerable time. Nevertheless, Mark, Eve, Oliver, and co. continued to fight back but even then, those battles were taking a toll on them. Cecil, seeing the writing on the wall, preached a message of unity for the world. However, whether or not he could be trusted remained an issue so that hurdle would take some time to overcome. That being said, the fractured Guardians of the Globe went along with his plan of working together, while giving themselves the means to back out should something not smell right. While they may not smell anything, viewers could always count on Cecil to have plenty of tricks up his sleeve. As morally dubious as he may be, he still cared for Mark and his turn did not go unnoticed. Lamenting about the things that would not have happened had he not killed several of his foes that have only come back to wreak more havoc, Cecil offered to shoulder the brunt of those types of decisions as he has done for much of his life. Very familiar with the effect those decisions can have on someone, he was concerned with managing Mark’s fragile emotional state.

On the home front, as Debbie and Paul’s relationship progressed, he found himself becoming a bigger part of the Greyson family though despite this, Mark and Oliver were comfortable with it and him. However, he had big plans for he and Debbie’s future moving forward. Similarly, Mark and Eve’s relationship was as strong, but some friction started to develop. Reeling from her recent brush with death, her wellbeing made for a lingering concern as things were getting serious between them. Speaking of Eve’s recent brush with death, something with her powers was amiss, seemingly suggesting that both incidents are related. Giving her a subplot of her own, getting to the bottom of the issues surrounding her malfunctioning powers was another thing to contend with on top of everything else.

The intergalactic aspect of the story is one that can’t be ignored, especially with Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man still biding his time in space along with Allen, gathering forces for the Coalition of Planets in preparation of a war against the Viltrumites. Their dynamic, one that many would associate with buddy cops, has made their many adventures a blast to watch, here gathering weapons that could assist the coalition and their fight against the Viltrumites. Playing the contrast between these vastly different characters for comedic effect, Allen brought levity and positivity up against the uber-serious Nolan, indebted to one another for saving the other’s life from the Viltrumite prison. An outlier amongst the Viltrumites, he strayed from his assigned mission on Earth but there were still certain teachings that he could not quite give up just yet. Helping the coalition for Allen, he was unwilling to assist in their war efforts. Either way, whether he liked it or not, Mark was going to be a part of what will come next, Nolan had to embrace that which meant going back to Earth, a place he vowed to never return.

On the technical side, the level of animation remains unparalleled. Maintaining a vibrancy and a crispness that is compelling to watch, the new characters, abilities, and environments this time around offer up a decent variety. One area where the series has always excelled is the action, delivering in that department through the first 3 episodes, it is especially brutal here with loads of blood and gore to boot. Only a taste of what is presumably to come, it only looks to get crazier from here. However, the action took a backseat to character development over this opening stretch, letting moments of introspection lead the way while the characters adjusted to the aftermath of last season. Setting them on a promising path moving forward, it will certainly be interesting to see where they go from here. Though the series has always had to manage a lot of moving pieces season after season, strong writing, and stronger performances from a talented cast, carry it through thick and thin. Besides Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons, Gillian Jacobs, Seth Rogen, and Walton Goggins, new cast members Lee Pace, Danai Gurira, Matthew Rhys, and Winston Duke among others make a mark.

Season 4 of Invincible is off to a great start, setting the tone on a character level before laying the groundwork for what is to come.

still courtesy of Prime Video

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.