‘Secret Invasion’ doesn’t suffer from Marvel’s VFX curse, and that’s the problem

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is struggling with its VFX at the moment. From floating heads in Thor: Love and Thunder to cartoonish characters in Eternals (ahem, Pip) to pretty much all of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — the laundry list of VFX offenders continues to increase with every passing movie and TV show. The pressure for Disney Plus’ Secret Invasion to not succumb to the same pitfalls of its predecessors has been at an all-time high, but the espionage thriller has largely (and surprisingly) sidestepped the issue. 

The same absurdities that were found in the unrealistic extravagance of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Miss Marvel are entirely absent in this MCU installment. As a matter of fact, Secret Invasion shares a striking resemblance to the quality of footage found in WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier. 

Obviously, Secret Invasion is a very different show from WandaVision and hovers slightly above the ground-level view of Falcon, and that, I think, is the sweet spot it is currently operating in. 

Why Secret Invasion isn’t suffering the same fate as other MCU shows on Disney Plus

By the nature of its premise, WandaVision required a good deal of VFX work. Not a ton, but just enough. Nevertheless, the show felt grounded in reality. Yes, an all-powerful witch was doling out magic and mayhem but still, we felt like we were simply living life in Westview alongside this family of four. When employed, Wanda’s magic felt quietly powerful. Not noisy, but loud enough to make an impact. 

Oppositely, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier operated on a grand scale. We flew high in the sky with Sam as he battled enemies in helicopters or dodged exploding bombs in government facilities. The show needed less CGI and as a result also felt grounded and real in the same way Captain America: Civil War felt. 

Secret Invasion feels that way too. The show involves shape-shifting aliens morphing between their green skin and human bodies but it also employs character-driven plot points, clever dialogue, and a storyline teeming with possibilities. As someone who enjoys the big magical moments and superpower battles as much as the next person (I am a huge X-Men fan, after all), I can wholeheartedly say it’s refreshing to see the MCU tone down the extravagance for a bit. 

What MCU movies can learn from Secret Invasion

There’s a time and a place for everything. When you withhold something from an audience long enough, they’ll crave it more and relish it when it finally arrives. I think the MCU should consider employing this concept with its CGI in future projects. 

Obviously, that’s hard to do when you’re in the middle of a Multiverse Saga storyline. The Fantastic Four are on their way, as are the X-Men. Avengers: Kang Dynasty and Secrets Wars will require a ton of CGI, to be sure, but that’s a larger conversation about whether the MCU has gotten too big for its own good. For the time being Marvel, take a page out of these aforementioned Disney Plus success stories: Whenever possible, tell the stories of a (wo)man, not (wo)men. 

In this case, it would behoove the MCU to quit relying on CGI as heavily as it’s been criticized for doing in recent years. Ditch the green screen when doable, lose the motion capture if possible, create authentic costumes instead of CGI outfits. Put actors in front of each other for a change. Then, when necessary, employ the VFX work. At that point, go ahead and also take a page out of James Gunn’s book and come prepared. Maybe then we’ll get another Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 VFX success story instead of what we got for virtually all of Phase Four.

Secret Invasion is currently streaming on Disney Plus.