'VisionQuest' Review: A Wildly Inventive And Emotionally Compelling Adventure
What began in Marvel’s beloved WandaVision series comes to its emotionally charged conclusion in VisioNQuest. Fortunately, this series not only serves as a satisfying follow-up, but a wildly inventive and emotionally compelling arc for Vision as well.
‘VisionQuest’ catches audiences up with Vision (Paul Bettany) who, after being rebooted and escaping capture is now successfully in hiding from those who seek to find and weaponize him any further. In his solitude, he aims to find meaning in his life, attempting to reconcile the memories he posseses of someone who feels completely foreign to him as the only company he keeps are his AI programs F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady), E.D.I.T.H. (Emily Hampshire), J.A.R.V.I.S. (James D’Arcy) and his former nemesis Ultron (James Spader). However, when a bounty is placed on his head, he is forced to go on the run with his estranged son Thomas Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica) as he not only must protect himself and his son, but search for a soul that seems ever elusive.
There was boundless potential in telling a follow-up story centered on Vision following the events of ‘WandaVision’ and thankfully creator Terry Matalas and his creative team more than follow through on that potential. From the jump, it’s impossible not to become fully immersed in the meticulously detailed world they have created, particularly inside Vision’s programming where he has essentially created a retro futuristic world for himself and his accompanying AI programs. The production design, costumes and the CGI are all wonderfully realized, blending together seamlessly to create a wholly enveloping digital landscape. Whether it’s an old fashioned movie theater where Vision screens memories of his former avenging self or whether it’s inside of his quaint and cozy homestead, no detail is spared and the creative flourishes are aplenty, making the series one of Marvel’s most visually dynamic to date.
Then there are the performances which are outstanding across the board. Bettany, who has played this character for over a decade, manages to find incredible new shades and nuances to the character as Vision attempts to rediscover what it feels like to be human, delivering his best performance as the character to date. This is first and foremost a tale of fathers and sons, whether it be the pairing of Ultron and Vision or the latter and his son Tommy. Both of these stories run perfectly parallel to one another over the course of the series’ eight episodes as they effectively intertwine as the story reaches its fever pitch. Both of these relationships have their complications and the series never shies away from them, rightfully choosing to explore them thoroughly and let them breathe, never shortchanging one for the other. Bettany has terrific chemistry with both Mollica and Spader, the former an emotionally engaging anchor for Vision in the real world while the latter is as deliciously sinister and magnetic as ever, slipping effortlessly back into the mischievous shoes of Ultron.
The writing is also razor sharp here, gliding between quirky comedy and hard-hitting drama deftly, never feeing imbalanced throughout. Matalas and his writing team expertly pace the emotional journey for Vision and the series’ central mystery about who’s hunting him, keeping the show buoyant, breezy and light on its feet even when it tackles darker, more emotionally rich material. This is a series that has a lot on its mind, but it ever feels overstuffed. It also manages to follow through on the story established in ‘WandaVision’ in beautiful ways while carving out its own unique, singular corner of the greater MCU without alienating viewers who are uninitiated. At its core, this a story very akin to that of ‘Pinocchio’, Vision essentially yearning to know what it feels like to be a real boy. Thankfully, instead of making light of that journey or poking fun, the series earnestly leans in as it demonstrates why that tale is such a great foundation for Vision’s arc. Simply put, the writing is some of the sharpest, most emotionally potent the MCU has had in quite a while, not only making great use of these characters, but providing a well-earned emotional payoff especially in its last few episodes.
The series only suffers from some minor flaws that slightly hold it back. The main issue is that some of the supporting characters that are established aren’t given the depth or three-dimensionality that need. Prime examples are the characters of Paladin (Todd Stashwick), a bounty hunter and mercenary hot on the heels of Vision and his son, and Lisa (Lauren Morais), Tommy’s best friend who gets ensnared in the danger that surrounds him. While both Stashwick and Morais give game, lively performances, they’re unfortunately saddled with characters that don’t have much lurking beneath the surface. There are some admirable attempts to make both characters feel more well-rounded, but they’re far too underdeveloped to make much of a lasting impact.
After ‘Avengers: Endgame’, Marvel has suffered from a notable inconsistency in quality and storytelling, an issue that has shaken the faith in a fair amount of their most loyal, passionate fans. However, if ‘VisionQuest’ makes anything clear as day, it’s that when you put these beloved characters in capable and creative hands, truly anything is possible. Not only is this series one of their most satisfying to date, but it’s one Marvel’s finest hours full stop.