‘Hawkeye’ – ‘Hide and Seek’ – Review
Marvel Studios Hawkeye got off to a compelling start with Episode One, ‘Never Meet Your Heroes’. And since long time MCU fans were treated to a double bit of fun with two episodes doubting on Disney+ at once, things are now moving very quickly with Hawkeye.
After a fiery end to Episode One, Barton and Bishop are on the run, and both of their lives have taken a very big left turn. With bad guys closing in on them, Barton wants to do everything to tidy things up, while Bishop is a little bit too eager to lend a hand. Soon things take a turn for this archery double-team and the tension is high.
Episode Two, ‘Hide and Seek’, of Hawkeye moves at a quick pace. And it’s very clear that Clint Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) past as the ruthless vigilante Ronin has come back to haunt him. Mixed up in all of this is the over-eager Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) who can’t believe her luck that she’s finally getting to hang out with her hero. And she’s also completely oblivious to the fact that he kind of doesn’t want anything to do with her. What this results in is a great back and forth bit of banter between Barton and Bishop. And it’s very funny to watch. While Kate certainly has stars in her eyes, Clint quickly dashes them and it soon becomes clear that they’re facing a big deal of trouble.
This episode allows us further into the personalities of these two radically different characters, who have now been forced together. And it’s very interesting to watch. Clint Barton has always been the quiet professional, a closed-off soldier type who is just content to get the job done, while Kate Bishop is the ‘eager to have a go’, fangirl who is desperate to jump into the vigilante life. And it soon becomes clear that each of them is more complex than either is letting on. This is merely the start of their shared relationship together, but I have a feeling that both Barton and Bishop will open up a lot more as this series moves forward.
‘Hide and Seek’ is also of major importance as we delve deeper into the relationship that is shared between Kate and her mother Eleanor. It’s fair to say that Eleanor is far too busy with the socialite life and far too infatuated with the charming Jack Duquesne (Tony Dalton) to pay any attention to her daughter. Things also come to a head between Kate and Jack, and this results in a dramatic fencing showdown. Jack shows a playful side here, but when he tires of Kate’s adolescent antics he quickly shows off his dangerous capability as a swordsman and it’s clear that this is a man with some seriously dark secrets and menacing abilities.
Another cool factor in ‘Hide and Seek’ is we get to see Hawkeye himself, Clint Barton, interacting with the very fandom that has sprouted up around him. And it’s hilarious to watch. Taking a step into the LARPing community, Barton has to come face to face with the nerd side of pop culture and it’s pretty funny to see him not really know what to make of all of it. As a viewer, it’s very interesting to see director Rhys Thomas use this in the series and to see an Avenger having to deal with the idea of celebrity. Especially one so closed off like Clint Barton.
Fans wanting to see more of Barton’s particular set of skills will also be very happy as they get to see him in action. He adopts a style that one would equate to fitting in with the espionage thriller, as he sleuths around New York City looking to clean up the mess that Kate has gotten him into. And you really see his professional side on display here. Kate also jumps into the action, but her attempt at playing the vigilante doesn’t go as planned and leads to the show’s ending and the reveal of a dangerous and deadly new character who is making her first appearance in the MCU.
Things are at a cliffhanger now in Hawkeye and it’s about to get very interesting for Barton and Bishop as we move forward.
Hawkeye streams on Disney+ every Wednesday.
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
