Series Review: 'The Defenders' is all-star but still missing something

Ever since Netflix first teamed up with Marvel Comics two years ago, we've been building towards this moment: a crossover series in which superheroes Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones) all share the frame.

Marvel did the same on the big screen, with films such as Iron Man, Captain America and Thor effectively trailers for the main Avengers movies. But whereas the Avengers franchise is bright and brash, The Defenders prefers to lurk in the shadows, characterised by murky cinematography and long night-time fight sequences.

After 65 episodes spread across four Marvel shows, this new eight-part series weaves together their respective arcs into one satisfactory whole. As private detective Jessica Jones, Ritter remains the most appealing presence, dispensing acidic bon mots with relish. Impressive, too, is Cox, all tortured Catholic guilt and nimble feet as Matt Murdock - aka Daredevil - a pro bono prosecutor with super hearing and spatial awareness.

Where The Defenders flounders is with billionaire karate kid Danny Rand/Iron Fist. As played by Jones, who chews on self-parodic lines such as ''I am the Immortal Iron Fist", this is a hero for whom it's impossible to feel empathy. Indeed, you cheer when Cage, a bulletproof ex-con from Harlem, delivers him a caustic lecture on being born into privilege.

So why do the four of them unite? Naturally, to combat the threat of a powerful ninja organisation led by a mysterious New York City magnate named Alexandra. So far, so familiar. Except this criminal mastermind is played with icy aplomb by Sigourney Weaver, whose malevolence creeps up on you, chills your bones, and distracts you from the thudding predictability of Alexandra's evil plans.

Fans of the solo shows will also feel a frisson of excitement when the quartet first become acquainted with one another - Luke Cage and Iron Fist literally collide - and there's plenty of meta-humour folded into Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez's script.

''I tried being a one-man army and I failed," says Iron Fist, nodding perhaps to his stand-alone series being slammed by critics. Ultimately, though, the plot lacks the oomph of Daredevil and the wry savvy of Jessica Jones - and those without a prior knowledge of the characters may find it all slightly opaque. It wasn't quite worth the wait. - The Daily Telegraph

WATCH the trailer for The Defenders

• This article was originally published in The Times.