Wonder Man: Marvel Series Has a Slow Not-So-Superhero Sidekick Style
By John Kirk
Rating: B-
For fans, the comic is the original point of reference. The super-powered Simon Williams – a.k.a. Wonder Man – in the comic was brash, invulnerable and made a decent living as a stuntman and actor.
The TV adaptation of Wonder Man? Not so much.
From the start, Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is a sorrowful character to meet. An aspiring actor who overthinks his roles, Williams is struggling to not only make ends meet but also make sense of his personal life.
Sir Ben Kingsley and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in Wonder Man
He meets Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley), who is also the character Kingsley played in Iron Man III, a washed-up actor who, in turn, had been hired by bad guys to play a terrorist known as The Mandarin. In Slattery, he gets a mentor who helps him make sense of his life and career goals. However, Slattery is not all who seems to be.
Slattery and Williams become friends and the growing relationship between the two is the meat of the series. Both are auditioning for roles in the remake of an imaginary ‘80s film, Wonder Man, directed by the legendary Von Kovak (Zlatko Buric). It’s a film that means personal success to both, vindication for Slattery and, for Williams, a greater connection to his father.
There’s a lot of backstory to be unpacked in order to understand this relationship. That’s a bit of a drawback in that it defies the conventional expectation one has in seeing a show that’s titled after a superhero. Simon Williams, though named after the superhero, isn’t one.
However, Williams has a secret and it’s one that has the Department of Damage Control interested in him.
Not to say Slattery is without his own secrets, the draw is the friendship between the two actors and how they delicately manage their relationship despite the confidences they are keeping from each other. This is the show’s major strength. The performances skillfully squeeze sympathy from the viewer. The friendship is genuine in its portrayal and Kinglsey and Abdul-Mateen are on their respective games.
But, the pacing in this series is its own worst enemy. While the pathos is there, and the audience is given hints about both Slattery and Williams’ motivations, it takes forever to get to a meaningful resolution.
What manages to ease the slowness are the surprise cameos of some of Hollywood’s elite. While it would be a bit of a spoiler to list who shows up, their roles as themselves make for some worthwhile chuckles, particularly with the story of why Hollywood frowns on super powers used in films.
Slattery functions like some sort of a sidekick to Williams. It’s a not-so-subtle nod to Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy, and the ersatz co-dependent friendship displayed in that film. While it may labour slowly and ponderously, it’s still somehow charming in its own way.
But to see the actor-character who played the Mandarin try to do some good and to learn more about his story is also a draw for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans. It’s a good thread to pick up again. Slattery, being something of a hero to Williams, allows for forgiveness and understanding in learning why he took the role in the first place.
Essentially, this is a non-superhero/superhero television series that may either endear its audience with its simple theme of friendship or drive them away with its low-level vibe. It’s not until the final episode where some sort of dramatic action on the super-power front actually occurs and eight episodes is a bit of a wait.
Still, in the comics, Simon Williams – a.k.a. Wonder Man - was an Avenger. Regardless of this Williams’ career goals, it’s disappointing that it will be an unrealized aspiration.
He’s got a heck of a supportive sidekick though.
Wonder Man. Directors: Destin Daniel Cretton, James Ponsoldt, Tiffany Johnson, Stella Meghie. Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sir Ben Kingsley, Demetrius Grosse, Zlatko Buric, Lauren Glazier, X Mayo, Arian Moayed, Byron Bowers, Olivia Thirlby.
Wonder Man is now streaming on Disney+.