Earth's Mightiest Heroes are back and this time they must protect the world from toe beans and horrible live streams in LEGO Marvel Avengers Strange Tails.
LEGO Marvel Avengers Strange Tails Review
Unlike the recent LEGO Star Wars Rebuild The Galaxy, where the show does its own version of the MCU multiverse, the LEGO Marvel adventures stick mostly to the script of who these characters are and how they interact with the world around them. All in that classic LEGO way full of snark and zaniness. Strange Tails is no different, although it might be the most bizarre story yet (compliment). It all is based around who is probably the least popular on the team – Hawkeye. Clint Barton is a character that people like but he's not as cool as Captain America or Thor. Just look around at Halloween costumes, I bet you won't see one Hawkeye unless maybe you're at Avengers Campus. No shade to Clint, it's just the facts. And that is also exactly why centering this tale on him is such a genius move. LEGO is acknowledging the fact everyone is meh about Clint while also delivering an entertaining story that wouldn't have the same effect if it was about Iron Man.
Earth's Mightiest Heroes team up to take on *checks notes* an influencer and her cat army. The 2-part series is funny, entertaining, and a little bit chaotic in that perfect LEGO way. We get the classic Avengers we know as well as some other familiar faces as Hawkeye scrambles to assemble the team. LEGO packs in the cameos, easter eggs, and plenty of other surprises for the heroes and us fans as well. There are big action pieces, zany powers and team ups, plus cats and who doesn't love cats? Okay Hawkeye might not be the biggest fan. It's a fun watch for all ages that ends with what might be a teaser for a new special in the future.
What happens when you don't want to be in a live stream or take a picture? Well things could get a little hairy. Hawkeye (Troy Baker) manages to upset wannabe influencer Meryet (Alia Shawkat) who is just trying to get likes on her cat videos. Shenanigans ensue and Meryet goes viral which causes her to go a little crazy in an attempt to keep the likes and views up. Soon she has an army of cats that are set to battle the Avengers for the ultimate viral video. Hawkeye enlists the help of fellow main squad Avengers like Iron Man (Mick Wingret) and Steve Rogers (Roger Craig Smith) along with some cat-tastic heroes like Tigra, Black Panther (James Mathis III), and the White Tiger. Together they have to stop Meryet and her kitty cats.
LEGO animation is known for its humor and the fact nothing is sacred, which is why I've always enjoyed watching these specials. Writers Eugene Son and Henry Gilroy did a great job here with the snark. As mentioned, they poke at the fact Hawkeye is the least “cool” Avenger. I laughed when Iron Man realized wearing a suit made of metal to battle Magneto is a horrible idea. Thor (Travis Wilingham) gets to show off his humor this time in a way that is perfect for this very occasion. Maybe because I work in this space and constantly see influencers all over the place, the jokes aimed at how ridiculous a lot of them are were some of my favorites.
The animation here is what we've come to expect from LEGO. Detailed environments, rich color palette, and expressive characters. These brick versions of our heroes (and villains) are wonderfully designed and naturally play into the humor of what is happening on screen. Hawkeye's arrows get time in the spotlight, with a few I'm sure we might like to see in the MCU just because! High-energy action, creative battles (they are fighting cats after all), and physical gags all come together for an exciting 44 minutes.
Verdict
LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails is a quick, entertaining, and funny adventure that spotlights Hawkeye, the one Avenger who has been mostly overlooked for years. I would actually like to see more stories like this one, where lesser known or popular heroes get their time in the spotlight. After all, they are important too and if you go back and watch the Marvel movies, Hawkeye is a key player even if he doesn't have the flashiest costume or best signature lines. Strange Tails has that signature LEGO humor, design, action, and stellar voice work, making it a great watch for fans of all ages.
LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails is now on Disney+.
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