More than two decades ago, Elle Woods decided to break down all the prejudices of this world of men by shaking up the legal profession. Being a blonde of normative beauty, how could she have the brains to graduate from Harvard law school? From the concept of ‘stupid blonde’, Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith, adapting a novel by Amanda Brown; They managed to get gold. 21 years later, the film withstands the test of purple glasses and stands still with a feminist approach that does not lose the reinterpretation. What “Legally Blonde” achieved is unrepeatable, but that hasn’t deterred Jessica Gao.
“She-Hulk: Lawyer Hulka” aims to follow in Elle Woods footsteps by using very similar condiments. Elle wasn’t taken seriously for being blonde, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) responds by pointing out that it wasn’t because she was blonde: she was because she was a woman; and that whether you are blonde or green, the workplace is still fraught with toxic dynamics for the female population. The reflections of Gao, co-creator and screenwriter who hails from other series such as “Rick and Morty” or “Silicon Valley”, are correct, but her subtlety is not for her. It doesn’t get rough like “Captain Marvel”, whose “manual” feminism was as forced as it was unbearable, but it ends up “naturally” capturing what it means.. Of course, “She-Hulk” must take a comprehensive look at how that half of the population lives who continue to struggle to access certain positions of responsibility that seem unattainable, and it must be built around a reality of today’s women that many have not yet opened their eyes to; but this essential ingredient doesn’t quite gush out like from Elle’s hand: it’s in a spot so badly drawn that she even creaks.
This approach is the backbone and at the same time breaks within this series that in the end he manages to achieve his goal: to entertain. Conceived as a sitcom of lawyers set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “She-Hulk” It has a pretty effective comic point and resources that it uses more or less intelligently. Two aces stand out: the way it exploits the superhuman everyday life and the cameos. Of course, most of the wonderful propositions make humor with the friction that occurs when a superhero or alien walks among humans, but from that “The Avengers” post-credits where Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk , Hawkeye and Black Widow ate breakfast as if they came from an after party, none had had such a powerful impact in this regard. “She-Hulk” explores hilarious conflicts arising from coexistence between species and imagines what life is like as a superhero when not on duty. ‘The Avengers’, do they have health insurance included in their contract? are they paid?
To reinforce the humor of the series and give it that wonderful sense that seems to fall short of the plot, Gao, Kevin Feige and company have decided to have more than one and two cameos. Of course cousin Bruce aka Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) has his moments of glory, but other familiar faces join in the effort to connect She-Hulk’s legal adventures with everything else. Just as the introduction of a completely new character brought the freshness and dynamism that the veteran Hawkeye needed for his series; relying on old acquaintances to pack a new family member works in the case of this television drama. “She-Hulk” wins by introducing Jenn to a dating world that’s run as if it’s just another thing to do, and laughing sarcastically at millennials’ less-than-healthy habits; but it really holds up because it has Tatiana Maslany.
This actress, who continues in the interpretive Olympus of many for having embodied countless clones in ‘Orphan Black’; she points out that in addition to being talented, she is charismatic. Is Chris Evans the ideal Captain America for a good actor? Far from it, but no one would think of another to bring that character to life. Something similar happens with Maslany, the same thing happens with Penélope Cruz’s Raimunda in ‘Volver’: sometimes the very essence of the actor is mixed with his skills and the heart of the character. There is nothing better. Again it was necessary to find that something so specific so that breaking the fourth wall would be nice.
In the purest ‘Fleabag’ style, both for the artistic choice and for the sarcastic tone, Jenn addresses the viewer from time to time and does so as the culmination of a tremendous goal and referential role. Details like Jenn living the criticism that the most toxic male fandom hasn’t stopped lashing out at “She-Hulk”; it is they who push their protagonist to end up speaking to the viewer. The admiration of this series for the one signed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge is such that this resource is brought to the point of reproducing one of the most iconic moments of that series that she reveres. In the same line of more than direct homage, “Ally McBeal” goes on TV in the bar that Jenn frequented, proclaiming from the rooftops that she is a reference.
far from the best
It’s not about his approach, or his tone. It’s not because of her feminine gaze or because she is framed more clearly in the field of comedy: “She-Hulk: Lawyer Hulka” is far from the best because his good ideas eventually come together a little meh. For many, the aforementioned ‘Hawkeye’ is among the weakest series in the UCM precisely because it is not taken too seriously and because it seeks lighter entertainment away from more ‘brain’ predecessors such as’ Scarlet Witch and Vision ‘or’ Loki. ‘; but it succeeds in its purpose. The Christmas mission led by Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld it tied the viewer much more by playing with elements that were also very humble. Wow, looking for something not that “intense” can hit the mark. In the case of “She-Hulk” the germ is there but his way of narrating seems to shout from the rooftops that it is one of those series that end up advising you to the sound of ‘really when it takes off is in the second season’It wouldn’t hurt if he had the opportunity.
Note: 6
The best: Tatiana Maslany, the scenes after the credits and how it takes part in the daily life of the UCM.
Worse: the first episode. It does not exploit its potential. References to series / films are sensed which, within a similar tone, are far superior.
Source: E Cartelera
