Show: The Umbrella Academy
Starring: Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justine H. Min, Mary J. Blige, Cameron Brittion, Adam Godley, Colm Feore, John Magaro, Jordan Claire Robbins
Creator: Jeremy Slater
Review: Dion Hall
Rating: 3.5 X’s out of 5
Netflix seems to have struck gold when it comes to producing content from Dark Horse Comics. The Umbrella Academy, Netflix’s new series is the latest Dark Horse Comic to get the live action treatment. The Umbrella Academy tells the story of 7 extraordinary adopted siblings Vanya (Ellen Page), Luther (Tom Hopper), Diego (David Castaneda), Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Klaus (Robert Sheehan), Number Five (Aidan Gallagher), and Ben (Justine H. Min) all with their own enhanced superpowers. In 1989, 43 women without explanation became pregnant and gave birth on the same day. Billionaire Reginald Hargreeves seen this as a sign of greatness and went out to adopt as many of these children as he could; he ended up with 7. Reginald Hargreeves raised the children developing their powers and skills to become heroes. For most of the show we see the adopted kids as adults but throughout the show there are flashbacks to their childhood showing their individual interactions with their adoptive father as well as training exercises and missions. The Umbrella Academy has a familiar feel and may remind you of The League of of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Heroes, The Gifted, as well as the X-men.
The Umbrella Academy has a ton of elements that should keep your interest throughout the series. There is the dysfunctional relationships between the siblings and their father. There is an element of time travel. Then there are the multiple elements which aren’t quite explained such as what caused the mysterious pregnancy and the motivations for Reginald Hargreeves to adopt and train 7 kids with extraordinary abilities. This series also had great plot and character development with each character battling their own inner demons such as Klaus battling addiction, Luther and Diego finding purpose, Allison righting her wrongs, and Vanya discovering her true self. As for the plot it will keep you guessing and on your feet pretty much the whole way through which is refreshing because most plots are generally very predictable. Unfortunately with all these plot and character elements the flow of the show can feel a bit unfocused at times. Don’t let that deter you, The Umbrella Academy is worth watching through those moments. One of the shows biggest highlights is the character Klaus who acts as the comedic relief while also being arguably the most complex character in the series. It’s safe to say Klaus makes the show. The Umbrella academy has a little something for everyone there’s plenty of action, mystery, complex characters, and compelling story lines. We at Critix give The Umbrella Academy 3.5 out of 5 X’s.