15 episodes, 15 standalone short stories. Secret Level, created by Tim Miller, is an anthology series set in the world of video games and, according to the poster, it's "revolutionary." I don't know what's "revolutionary" about half-baked, incomplete stories. With a runtime of 10-20 minutes, each episode merely resembles something similar to a story. The first episode (14 minutes long) ended so abruptly that I thought we would follow the characters again in the next or some future episode. Well, I was wrong. We cut to the end credits as soon as the characters prepare themselves for the boss battle. Maybe the "revolutionary" part must be the omission of the predictable final fight sequence, but the pixelated figures on the screen are thin and unidimensional, so we don't care about them. This compliment can be extended to every character we see in Secret Level. Someone wants revenge, someone wants to connect with a family member, someone wants to meet their crush, someone wants to deliver a "package," and so on. Every episode sends a person on a single-minded path, and instead of being invested in their journey, we simply admire the animation.
The graphics, too, fail to captivate viewers after a certain point. The press notes claim that Secret Level "is a celebration of games and gamers," which I think means that Miller, through this show, is bringing your attention towards the advancement in video game graphics that have become almost realistic and is raising a toast for gamers who share his passion. But in a year that gave us the second season of Arcane, such a celebration through a show like Secret Level registers as an unfunny joke. Arcane has a complex story and characters, and it uses the freedom that comes with the animation medium to craft eye-popping, memorable visuals and action sequences. Secret Level, in comparison, looks incredibly dull. It doesn't have an interesting story to tell. It also doesn't know how to be creative with its images. A series like this is actually "review proof" because there is nothing much to discuss. One has to bang his head against the wall to come up with something to write about this show.
It's pointless to talk about the episodes in detail, as there is nothing beyond one-line descriptions. A man sees a tattoo and remembers how a member of a gang who had the same tattoo murdered his parents. A king dies again and again and finally learns kindness. Machines rebel against humans. A boy offers himself up for experiments just to meet an old friend. A little girl dies multiple times so that we can learn that trite lesson: "Try try until you succeed - never give up." One of the episodes seems inspired by Interstellar, but since it's 15 minutes or so long, it's Interstellar.rar. The emotions of longing and love disappear before they can affect us on any level. Another comes with the Guardians of the Galaxy hangover, though it lacks the humor and the sense of camaraderie that gives James Gunn's action adventure its power. When some soldiers perform a mission in the middle of a hurricane, you expect fireworks. The episode, however, goes out with a whimper. It's a visual blur. If Miller really wanted to celebrate games and gamers, he should have made a video game, not an anthology show. Things could have been better if we had been controlling the characters because, frankly, there is absolutely no fun in just watching Secret Level.
Final Score- [2/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times
Note: All 15 episodes are screened for this review.
Premiere Date: December 10, 2024, on Prime Video