Our reaction to the Inhumans footage screened in IMAX at Comic Con 2017

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

While Marvel Studios made their big presentation of their feature films last week at D23, this week at Comic Con is time to shine for the small screen superheroes that make up Netflix and ABC's entries into the MCU. Today belonged to the long in development adaptation of Inhumans starring Anson Mount, Serinda Swan and Iwan Rheon. While there was footage that debuted during the panel presentation today, I got the chance to experience it in IMAX at the first of it's kind pop-up theater designed to showcase the large format. The IMAX and Thrill event featured the cast of the series stopping by to rub elbows with Marvel fans and gave us a chance to let you know what we think of the new show and whether it will be worth your time to check it out.

First off, here is a brief run down of what Inhumans is all about.

"Marvel's Inhumans" explores the never-before-told epic adventure of the royal family including Black Bolt, the enigmatic, commanding King of the Inhumans, with a voice so powerful that the slightest whisper can destroy a city. After the Royal Family of Inhumans is splintered by a military coup, they barely escape to Hawaii where they are greeted with surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them. Now they must find a way to reunite with each other and return to their home before their way of life is destroyed forever.

The footage screened comprised about twelve total minutes from the first two episodes of Inhumans. ABC and IMAX are partnering to premiere the pilot hours almost as a feature film and are making it very well known that these episodes were filmed using actual IMAX cameras. In the scenes we watched, it was very hard to actually determine the difference between what was IMAX or conventional format. In one scene, there were at least a half dozen shots in slow motion which lingered on raindrops and splashing mud or a bullet leaving a gun. These shots were incredibly clear but didn't do anything but wave a big flag to try and validate the use of IMAX. If anything, the trademark look of your standard ABC television series looks cheaper when shot on the deluxe IMAX film .

Inhumans also lacks the scale of other big screen superhero offerings from Marvel. The footage was primarily set within the royal estate within the Inhuman city of Attilan, which is actually hidden on the Moon. Through the scenes shown, it became very distracting to see the overall cheapness of the production values. Serinda Swan had some cool moments as Medusa where her hair was used to full effect, but in every other scene the fake wig she wore became difficult to overlook. There were also some great moments showing Ken Leung as Karnak who uses his abilities to determine the best odds for success over multiple potential outcomes. What the footage shown did not make a good case for was Anson Mount as Black Bolt or the instant marketability of Lockjaw the giant dog.

The new trailer is an improvement over the previous teaser but the show still has a long way to convince fans that it is worth their time. Fans of Agents of SHIELD will likely tune in to Inhumans but the show already seems to lack the improvements that show has made over the last couple of seasons. There seems to be a lot of time spent with these characters in scenes that rely heavily on clunky dialogue and interiors that do not require extensive special effects. It is difficult to weigh in on the quality of a show based on a quarter hour worth of footage, all of which is taken out of context, but first impressions go a long way. My first impression of Inhumans is that it may be the biggest misfire from Marvel Studios to date.

INHUMANS will screen it's first two episodes on IMAX screens beginning September 1st. The series will then air Fridays on ABC starting September 29th.