What If? (2021) Review

Title: What if?
Year: 2021
Country: US
Language: English 

What if? was originally a comic book anthology that originally ran from 1977-1984. The purpose was to show readers an alternate Universe where key moments in Marvel & World history had not occurred as they normally did. Such comics included What if Iron Man was a Traitor? and What if Spiderman joined the Fantastic Four? Disney adapted the series into a television show that streamed on Disney+ in 2021. 

What If? tells the story of the Marvel Multiverse wherein are a seemingly infinite amount of alternate timelines that often have small and/or large key differences compared to the  official MCU films.

The most striking feature of What If? is the cel-shaded animation style that gives the onscreen images a unique pop. As a result, the 3D CGI looks very much like 2D animation. The technique is usually reserved for video games, but for this show it gives a comic book aesthetic. As a result MCU's character's transitions from live action to animation doesn't feel too jarring. The characters still feel like living breathing people. 

The episodes in this series, of which there are 8 of, are very hit and miss for me. I loved What If Dr. Strange Lost his Heart? as it was filled with emotion and depth. I disliked What if Thor was an Only Child? because it was pretty boring and felt like meaningless filler.  While some of the show is popcorn entertainment, I do love that they are not afraid to get extremely depressing. The What if Ultron Won? episode is especially brutal. 

While What If? is (subjectively) hit and miss with its stories, I can't deny that it is extremely well made and will appeal to a wide variety of audiences. I would enjoy more seasons of this bizarre, campy, funny romp  that has the ability to show a tremendous amount of heart.