Hawkeye's gritty approach to street-level action lands perfectly and surpasses the standard for combat sequences set by other MCU shows on Disney+.
Warning: SPOILERS for Hawkeye episode 3, "Echoes."
The MCU's newest TV show Hawkeye beats every other Marvel live-action predecessor on Disney+ in one particular way: its expertly crafted action. Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop's (Hailee Steinfeld) showdowns with Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) and the Tracksuit Mafia through three episodes are marked by thrilling combat that offers a refreshing approach to the MCU's action scenes. Hawkeye appropriately lands its street-level combat, producing thrills on a level Marvel hasn't attained in its past streaming endeavors.
Disney+ shows have served as one of the most promising assets of MCU Phase 4. From WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, all of the MCU's 2021 TV series have earned high praise for not only their storytelling contributions to the MCU on a larger scale but also their focus on and development of characters that garnered less attention or were completely absent from the movies. Marvel and Disney don't plan on halting their streaming releases anytime soon, as 2022 will see the premieres of Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, She-Hulk, and Ms. Marvel.
Hawkeye episode 3 "Echoes" features one of the MCU's best action scenes when Kate and Clint find themselves in a car chase with the Tracksuit Mafia. Exemplary of the show's gritty, street-level action sequences, the car chase is brilliantly shot, with a panoramic view from the backseat of the car that's a one-shot (or seems to be). Hand-to-hand combat also shines in Hawkeye, evidenced by a combat sequence between Clint and Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo, as the former Avenger and Kate retaliate against the Tracksuit Mafia after being held hostage. Hawkeye's action scenes are exactly what the MCU needs to change the pace from its habitual CGI-ridden battles seen in its previous Disney+ shows.
While the showdown between Scarlet Witch and Agatha Harkness in WandaVision, or Loki and Sylvie's battles with multiverse foes in Loki, are thoroughly enjoyable in their own right, there is something so satisfying about the classic street fight and car chase showcased in Hawkeye. Action scenes in Falcon and the Winter Soldier skew toward the grittier side, though they still implicate combatants with superhuman abilities. In Hawkeye, Both Clint and Kate's status as humans means they rely entirely on their own archery and fighting skills to defeat enemies rather than leaning on otherworldly powers. Episode 3's car chase sequence is the most shining example, as Kate's rapid firing of various types of arrows while Clint wildly swerves the vehicle delivers the necessary thrills akin to a top-notch action flick.
With three more episodes of Hawkeye remaining, the series promises more exhilarating action scenes. If Black Widow was an indication of what's to come, the long-awaited entrance of Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova in Hawkeye should make for some thrilling battles in the coming weeks. With an already stellar groundwork developed in its first half, Hawkeye's return to Clint Barton and the initiation of Kate Bishop was a brilliant opportunity for the MCU to generate excitement through action.
Hawkeye releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.
