Loki Reviews: What are the Critics' First Reactions?

The first reactions to Lokir are in, and critics are sharing their thoughts on the MCU Disney+ show's first two episodes.

By Pierre Chanliau Updated:
Tom Hiddleston Loki Series

Fans cannot wait, as it is only a handful of days away from Loki, the MCU's latest streaming adventure coming to Disney+.

Loki follows the 2012 version of everyone's favorite God of Chaos who was last seen escaping with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. The show will run six episodes, with the first premiering June 9; however, some lucky fans have gotten to see Loki's debut early. 

LOKI EXPANDS THE MCU IN EXCITING WAYS

The social media embargo for Loki has been lifted, with critics and fans given the opportunity to view the first episode and freely share their first impressions of the third Disney+ offering from Marvel Studios.

Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com said that Tom Hiddleston is "just too good in the role" and that it comes with "awesome details for MCU fans:"

Erik Davis of Fandango loved the first two episodes, proclaiming they are "laying the groundwork for the MCU multiverse:"

Steven Weintraub, editor-in-chief of Collider, said that Tom Hiddleston is "still perfect" and that he loved how the MCU is "expanding" in a new direction:

Movie pundit, Giovanni Campea, described the first two episodes of Loki as "unlike anything [Marvel Studios have] done before:"

Collider senior reporter, Christina Radish, loved the "snarky bromance between Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson:"

Film critic, Paul McGuire Grimes, said that Marvel fans should be pleased by "the playful banter between Hiddleston and Wilson:"

POC Culture compares Loki to Manhunter and Men in Black, but also said that "The first episode is solid but the second is REALLY good:"

Youtuber Jared Buckendahl described the tone of Loki as "an almost Twilight Zone sci-vibe mixed with a buddy cop time mystery:"

Awards editor for Discussing Film, Diego Andaluz, praised the show for its charismatic performances, writing, visuals, and direction, calling it Marvel Studios' "most ambitious project yet:"

Ariel, another editor at Discussing Film, had a more critical reaction, saying that the first episode was "a rough start," which was "poorly paced" and showcased an "awkward" performance from Hiddleston. However, he stipulated that the second episode is a "set up" and hopes that the show continues to improve:

Nora Dominick, TV editor for BuzzFeed, said that the show explores the depths of Loki's character and that she's "so excited to see where this show goes:"

Perri Nemiroff from Collider commented that the show's TVA has "Beetlejuice vibes" and loves the established timeline rules and how Loki will be confronted with his past (and future) actions:

 

ENJOYABLE DYNAMIC BETWEEN TOM AND OWEN

The most consistent praise that the first two episodes of Loki have gotten from critics and fans is the dynamic between Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson being fantastic. Not to mention the feeling of freshness from this series compared to everything else that has come before from Marvel Studios.

Loki was compared to other franchises like Twilight Zone, Men in Black, and even the suspenseful Manhunter. The latter of which may imply much more about the mystery aspect of the series, with the God of Mischief and Mobius hunting a time-traveling killer.

Loki is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 9.

- In This Article: Loki Season 2
Release Date
October 05, 2023
Platform
- About The Author: Pierre Chanliau
Pierre Chanliau began as a news & feature writer for The Direct at the site's launch in 2020. As a longtime reader of superhero comic books, Pierre's knowledge of Marvel and DC is extensive, informing his reporting and editorial pieces regarding the MCU and DCU.