The Umbrella Academy was a small revelation in the catalog of Netflix: the miniseries in 10 episodes inspired by the comic of the same name by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá amazed and amused us, catapulting us into the absurd dynamics of one of the most dysfunctional super families that we have ever seen on TV. Considering that the first season reinterpreted for the small screen what was told in the first volume of the comic, The suite of the Apocalypse, it was logical to expect that Steve Blackman, Jeremy Slater and company would have rode its success to also adapt the second narrative arc, Dallas, while heavily reworking it for the small screen, taking very important distances from printed paper. The live action version of The Umbrella Academy 2 has basically become a creature in its own right, but this second season has consolidated the winning characteristics that won us over last year.
A look at the plot
Needless to say, if you have not yet watched the first season of The Umbrella Academy, it would be appropriate to immediately skip this paragraph and maybe the next one as well, since we are about to recap what happened in the last bars of last year, premising - as in the usual - that no, The Umbrella Academy has nothing to do with Resident Evil. Being a video game portal, it seemed fair to point this out. You never know. The Umbrella Academy is indeed an institution where the eccentric Reginald Hargreaves raised seven children with extraordinary powers after adopting them. The idea was to make them become real superheroes, but the anything but paternal attitude of the head of the family, combined with various tragedies, ended up separating the family members. Last season, the brothers inevitably got together to thwart the end of the world, however without succeeding: at the last second, Five has transported everyone to another era, leaving us for over a year with so many unanswered questions.
In the very first minutes of the second season, we discover that Cinque's risky leap has scattered the brothers between 1961 and 1963. But when even the "little" time traveler arrives a few days after the murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, finds himself in a reality that is anything but familiar. The Soviet Union is attacking the United States and the guys from Umbrella Academy are fighting on the front lines, showing off their powers in one last, desperate attempt to prevent nuclear catastrophe. Without succeeding even this time. The intervention of an old acquaintance saves at least Cinque, who finds himself a week before the new apocalypse with a goal that is anything but easy: to find brothers and sisters, reunite them, save the world and return to the future. The problem is that in the two years that the Hargreaves have spent in the past, more or less, a lot of bizarre things have happened.
Luther went into clandestine fights; Allison got married and joined a movement for the rights of people of color; Klaus he founded a sect and continues to live with the ghost of an increasingly stunned Ben; Diego ended up in an asylum after trying to assassinate Lee Harvey Oswald to save JFK; Vanya she lost her memory but found a job as a nanny for an autistic child on a Texas farm. In short, a really messed up situation, in which other problems fit together: Handler, who we thought dead, has returned to office and is plotting to take over the Commission; as if that weren't enough, on the trail of Cinque and the Hargreaves are Swedish triplets even more lethal than Hazel and Cha-cha. What if we told you that in this second season the Hargreaves will also have to deal with the father who still does not remotely imagine his Umbrella Academy?
A second very rich vintage
As you may have guessed by reading the above lines, this second tranche of episodes is overflowing with characters, situations and subplots. Precisely for this reason, for once we can say that the ten episodes that make up the season did not seem too many - as, for example, almost always happened in the series. The Marvel movies - and the script, while slowing down in various episodes, maintains an interesting pace that manages to dedicate enough space to almost all the characters, motivating their behaviors and new family dynamics. The tests passed at the end of last season have consolidated the bonds that unite the seven Hargreaves who, beyond a few hitches, face united almost all the time. It is therefore a pleasure to see them often argue together, also because the dialogues effectively restore the feeling of being in the midst of a genuine family like so many, in which the affection, which transcends blood ties, sooner or later overcomes any conflict.
It's not all perfect, of course, and it would have been important to consolidate some relationships better, especially the one between Ben and the rest of the family, as it plays a central role in the last few episodes. The writers preferred to focus on some characters at the expense of others: Allison's husband and the new entry Purple they win over everyone, even over the three Swedish hit men who, despite their danger, tend to open and close short comic or action brackets. In this sense, the second season of The Umbrella Academy, while being enormously introspective especially in the central episodes, does not deny its deeply superhero spirit with some action scenes shot very well, dynamic, effective, establishing a practically perfect balance right from the start. . Production employs special effects without exaggerating - also because they are often not very convincing - relying on a funny, inspired and witty direction that chooses the splendid soundtrack with obsessive attention.
From this point of view, it seemed clear to us that the writers have decided to focus on the winning characters of last season, the ones that the public appreciated the most, riding on some themes very dear to the Netflix digital distribution platform. We will not add anything else so as not to spoil the surprise, but we can tell you that in this tour we have found some subtle evidence, especially that of Ellen Page, usually an excellent actress who in this case appeared much more tired and listless than in the past. Excellent Robert Sheehan in the role of an increasingly absurd and irreverent Klaus, magnificent Kate walsh in the role of the villain that it is impossible to really detest, and also convincing Ritu Arya who plays Lila, a character who will surely reserve us many surprises. The real winner of this season, however, is Aidan Gallagher who with his Cinque literally leads the orchestra from start to finish ... which is not the end: expect another sensational cliffhanger and a probable third season.
Comment
Resources4Gaming.com
8.0
The second season of The Umbrella Academy is an unmissable event for those who have enjoyed the first television adaptation of the comic of the same name. Between time travel, shootings, intrigues and feelings, the Hargreaves family hits the mark again and remains one of the points of reference in the Netflix catalog for those who love superheroes with super problems.
PRO
- The direction always inspired, hilarious and engaging
- Many interesting subplots that enrich the various protagonists
- Some junctions in storylines work less well than others
- Some supporting actors would have deserved more time
