It all unfolds amidst an enigmatic veil. On the fateful October 1st, 1989, a baffling synchronicity occurred as 43 women across the globe inexplicably gave birth simultaneously, devoid of any prior signs of pregnancy. The newborns, enigmatic and unparalleled, held secrets even more profound—secrets that would reveal them to be harbingers of extraordinary abilities.
Enter Netflix's 'The Umbrella Academy,' a cinematic adaptation that feels like a playful reverie on 'X-Men,' pondering, "But who, this oddball, would devote a lifetime to nurturing a legion of super-powered misfits?" Its inaugural episode deftly navigates a perilous tightrope, blending the superheroic quirkiness of 'X-Men' with the haunting, generational traumas reminiscent of 'The Haunting of Hill House.'
'The Umbrella Academy' embarks on an ambitious journey within its maiden hour, and I commend its swift yet elegant unraveling of the classic origin tale. Within the fleeting first three minutes, seven of these miraculously conceived infants are discovered and embraced by the eccentric billionaire, Reginald Hargreeves. By the fourth minute, we've been catapulted three decades forward, where these adopted souls have blossomed into a dysfunctional family of adults, each bearing the scars and triumphs of their unconventional upbringing.
Hold your breath, for the thrill doesn't end here! A mesmerizing, seamlessly edited montage unfolds, accompanied by a violin symphony weaving through melodies from none other than The Phantom of the Opera, ushering us into the extraordinary world of the Hargreeves siblings with a flourish. Let's delve into their extraordinary personas, mirroring the series' efficiency in unraveling their stories:
"Number One:"Luther, an astronaut whose superhuman strength soars through the cosmos.
"Number Two:"Diego, a deft knife master and a vigilante, striking fear into the hearts of criminals.
"Number Three:"Allison, a celebrity with a voice that commands, bending wills to her every desire.
"Number Four:"Klaus, a flamboyant soul adrift in addiction, yet gifted with the ability to speak to the silent whispers of the dead.
"Number Five:"Five, a time traveler lost in time, trapped in the form of a teenage boy, his years far exceeding his youthful appearance.
"Number Six:"Ben, a summoner of interdimensional horrors, now forever etched in memory, for he has passed on.
"Number Seven:"Vanya, an unassuming violin virtuoso, devoid of superpowers yet possessing a talent that rivals any supernatural feat.
And amidst this remarkable ensemble, there's a charismatic chatterbox—a talking chimpanzee named Pogo, stealing hearts and stealing scenes alike, proving to be the cherry on top of this eccentric family tree.
Let's be crystal clear: 'The Umbrella Academy' is a whirlwind of a show, brimming with complexity, but once you've navigated its intricate tapestry of characters and its heightened emotional terrain, it glides seamlessly into your consciousness. What binds these eccentric personalities together is a pivotal event: the demise of Dr. Reginald Hargreeves, a man whose passing elicits little sorrow from his offspring. Hargreeves was a stern, often harsh patriarch, uninterested in the role of a nurturing father. His unconventional parenting tactics are best exemplified in a haunting flashback, where he forces his adolescent children to confront a violent bank robbery, unleashing a storm of brutality.
Now, with Hargreeves' absence, his children are left grappling with his legacy, a legacy fraught with lingering tensions and unresolved conflicts. Luther and Diego clash incessantly, while Allison oscillates between irritation and amusement towards Klaus. Vanya, who penned a revealing memoir about their unusual upbringing, estranging herself from Papa Hargreeves, remains a source of unease for all.
However, the Hargreeves family's internal strife is swiftly overshadowed by external challenges that demand their immediate attention. A succession of revelations rocks their world: Hargreeves' death may have been a murder, the two "lost" siblings resurface in unexpected forms, and a dire prophecy looms—the world stands on the brink of destruction, with only eight days left to save it.
Digging deeper into Hargreeves' untimely end, the veil of mystery lingers. Was it murder? Luther recounts a bizarre conversation where Hargreeves seemed foreboding and cautioned him to be cautious, but that alone is far from conclusive. Who would have the motive to eliminate such a complex, enigmatic billionaire? All, save for Pogo, the chimpanzee butler, and possibly Luther, seem to harbor some form of discontent towards him. (Whether this absolves Pogo and Luther or is merely a red herring is a question left to the viewer's discernment.) Luther, at the very least, almost overtly seeks answers from his siblings, imploring one of them to confess if they were the perpetrator.
Yet, before the enigma of Hargreeves' death can be unraveled, the void left by his absence is filled by the return of the absent Hargreeves siblings. Five, the elusive fifth sibling who traverses time and vanished so early that he never acquired a conventional name, reappears in the present, casting a ripple of surprise. And towards the episode's climax, a haunting revelation: Ben, the deceased sixth sibling, continues to communicate with his brother Klaus from beyond the veil of death, adding yet another layer of complexity to this already intricate narrative.
As Ben's ominous presence likely loomed over Klaus's life for years, Five returned from the future's fray, driven solely by the urgency to quell an imminent crisis. In a dimly lit, worn-down diner, Five found himself face to face with a ruthless posse of gunslingers, relentlessly pursuing him, only to have him emerge victorious, leaving none of them standing. (Though I admire The Umbrella Academy's penchant for bold stylistic flourishes, juxtaposing a major action sequence against the tune of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" seems a bit excessive. Isn't the trope of "extreme brutality against an ironically cheerful soundtrack" becoming a tad overdone?)
The aftermath of this violent encounter swiftly ushered in problem number three. Five hastened to Vanya's sanctuary, divulging the chilling truth of his future vision—a desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape where he stood as the lone survivor. The end of days was approaching, and he was at a loss for its catalyst. All he carried was the weight of knowing—it would arrive in eight days' time.
It is noteworthy that amidst his siblings, Five chose Vanya as his confidante. Throughout the episode, Vanya remained a quiet, unassuming presence; devoid of superhuman abilities, she navigated the tension between her disdainful brother and compassionate sister with awkward grace. Five, in turn, revealed his trust in Vanya's ordinariness, believing it made her a willing ear.
Yet, in her own unique way, Vanya perhaps possessed a superpower of sorts: an unwavering inner fortitude that defied explanation. Imagine being told, with undeniable conviction, that the world would cease to exist in mere eight days. How would one react? Words would falter, emotions would spin out of control, actions would be paralyzed by fear. But Vanya? She processed Five's dire revelation, took a steadying breath, and calmly declared, "I'll make some coffee." Perhaps, the world stands on firmer ground than we think.
