Jessica Jones has been another stellar knockout for Netflix's Marvel offerings, both in terms of its commercial and critical reception. Its writing, acting and cinematography have all contributed to a tale suitably dark and unsettling, aided by an atmosphere unparalleled in its genre. Mind control may not seem like a sinister power on the surface - its an ability that's been used in the most cartoonish of costumed misadventures - but The Purple Man (a character only introduced 15 years ago) has taken this ability and exposed it for all its inherent darkness and depravity. The power to persuade, to manipulate, is one far from childish, and David Tennant's portrayal of Killgrave shows its horrific nature at its worst. The show's semi-linear structure introduces us to a Jessica who's been disturbed and abused by this power, and the encroaching fear and anxiety of Killgrave's return is hinted at through subtle tricks of the camera and brief flashback. It's utterly terrifying to note the increase of purple tones as Killgrave moves closer and closer towards Jessica and her friends, and these subtle changes in the environment manage to instil the same sense of dread in the viewer that dominates the narrative through to its end. With this sort of creative talent at the helm, I sincerely hope that Marvel will continue to be a mainstay on Netflix and more importantly, remain a key force in pushing genre boundaries forward whilst it does. Do you think Netflix blows Marvel's films out of the water? Or are you happy with the current quality of the company's cinematic output? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below!
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
