"Bogged Down by Slow Exposition"
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What You Need To Know:
“Promises,” the second episode of SECRET INVASION, is not as good as the first episode. The pacing is too slow, and the episode is bogged down by slow exposition. However, the episode does flesh out the backstory for the villains. Also, Agent Fury pays tribute to his fallen friend, remains loyal to his wife and disobeys the government’s order to end his operation against the Skrull terrorists. However, SECRET INVASION: Promises has politically correct references to Affirmative Action, foul language, moral relativism, and bloody violence. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.
Content:
More Detail:
In the second episode of Marvel’s SECRET INVASION program on Disney+, American agent Nick Fury is framed for committing the terrorist bombings in Moscow and is fired by his friend General Rhodes, but he refuses to end his campaign to stop the shapeshifting alien terrorists, who have infiltrated national and international government bodies. “Promises,” the second episode of SECRET INVASION, is bogged down by some slow pacing, but it has a strong moral worldview where the main hero is leading a fight against the alien terrorists who want to destroy all humans and take over Earth, marred by some politically correct elements in one scene, foul language, bloody violence, and moral relativism.
“Promises” begins with a flashback to 1997 England. Agent Fury and his new Skrull friend, Talos, shepherd a group of lost Skrulls. These are the same aliens that Fury rescued in CAPTAIN MARVEL. The alien shapeshifters went to war with a species called the Kree and have been wandering the depths of space ever since. Fury meets Gravik, a stoic Skrull boy who recently lost his parents. Fury strikes a deal with the aliens. He and Captain Marvel will find a new home for the intergalactic refugees. In exchange, the Skrulls will stay on Earth, blend in with the humans, and provide intel for Fury’s SHIELD agents. Fury promises to keep his end of the bargain.
The episode cuts back to modern day Moscow. A grown up Gravik unleashes a trap. He has just dropped three terrorist bombs killing 2,000 civilians and shot Agent Maria Hill down in cold blood. He eludes the crime scene. Talos, disguised as a police officer, rescues Fury before the local authorities arrest him.
The next day, Talos and Agent Fury hide on a train to London. The international media has named Fury as the terrorist bomber. Moreover, Russia blames the American government for the attack.
During the train ride, Talos and Fury argue over the current Skrull situation. Talos berates Agent Fury for failing to live up to his promise 30 years prior. Fury accuses Talos for failing to communicate with him, but Talos retorts with a bombshell. More than a million shapeshifting Skrulls now live incognito on Earth, and some have infiltrated the highest positions in many countries, the United Nations and groups like NATO.
In London, Agent Fury witnesses a funeral procession for his friend Agent Maria Hill. Fury tries to apologize to Hill’s mother, but she warns Fury to make sure Maria did not die in vain. Meanwhile, Gravik and his young female protégé, G’iah, who is the daughter of Talos, attend a secret Skrull Council meeting. The board room contains Skrulls impersonating the Secretary General of the United Nations and the chairman of NATO. The spies are skeptical of Gravik’s less than subtle trap. However, Gravik convinces them his plan for human extinction will succeed. The Skrull Council appoints Gravik to be the General of all the Skrull forces fighting humans.
Meanwhile, James “Rhodey” Rhodes (War Machine from IRON MAN), a colonel of the US government, visits a UN board council and denies Agent Fury’s connection to the Moscow bombing. Rhodey fails to ease the tension between Russia and America, however. Later, Agent Fury calls for a secret meeting with Rhodey. Rhodey formally orders Fury to step down as an agent, or risk igniting a war between Russia and America. Both men argue about “mediocre men who don’t look like us [wrestled the power away from people who do look like us.]” After this painful exchange alluding to Affirmative Action, Fury refuses Rhodey’s demands and continues his campaign to stop the Skrull terrorists.
Later that night, British agent Sonya Falsworth and her men torture a Skrull informant. Falsworth chops the Skrull’s finger off and demands he reveal Gravik’s safe house. Gravik and G’iah discover Falsworth’s location and start to storm the butcher’s store. Falsworth receives the intel from the informant and escapes via a secret hatch, after which Gravik and his team rescue the informant but decide to execute him for spilling the beans.
Meanwhile, Agent Fury returns to his England home and reconnects with his wife, Priscilla, a Skrull pretending to be an African American woman. The episode ends with him putting his wedding ring back on and kissing his wife.
“Promises,” the second episode of SECRET INVASION, is not as good as the first episode. The pacing is too slow and is bogged down by slow exposition dumps. However, the episode does flesh out the backstory for the Skrulls, including the Skrull villains and Nick Fury’s friend, Talos,
and his daughter. Agent Fury pays tribute to his fallen friend, remains loyal to his wife and refuses the government’s order to end his Skrull mission. However, SECRET INVASION: Promises has politically correct references to Affirmative Action, some foul language, moral relativism, and bloody violence. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.