Last Updated on December 6, 2024 by
Secret Level is a 2024 Animation, Action, Adventure, and Sci-Fi TV series created by Tim Miller for Amazon Prime Video. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Laura Bailey, Heaven Hart, Keanu Reeves, Gabriel Luna, and Ariana Greenblatt., the series consists of 15 episodes total and will be released on December 10, 2024.
The video games industry is filled with so many different worlds and characters. Compared to film or television, games, and their interactivity enable consumers to become fully engulfed in them like nothing else within the cinematic universe. This year, we got interesting adaptations to read like Arcane, and colored movies like Sonic the Hedgehog 3. However, Prime Video has brought something new: Secret Level.
Some may already be acquainted with the anthology structure in series like The American Horror Story, or the Black Mirror. Unlike those shows that were grounded on novelty, Secret Level contains recognized game brands.
However, showrunners Tim Miller and Dave Wilson – the creative geniuses behind Love, Death & Robots manage to make interesting narratives out of them here.
The nature of the narrative of the show is such that each episode is pretty much contained and therefore it is somewhat difficult to view it holistically. There is something positive in every episode, but they are all stunning visually at least.
What is Secret Level Series All About
Secret Level Season 1 begins with two episodes: “The Queen’s Cradle” (Dungeons & Dragons) and “It Takes A Life” (Sifu).
“The Queen’s Cradle” is a story of adventure in which a party attempts to lift a curse off a boy while simultaneously struggling with their vices and foes. As the stakes rise, people do not want to step back or concede. It has its dramatic scenes, but at the same time, it’s more of an action-packed adventure-suspense type. It attempts to replicate that table-top feeling of excitement and glumness that it almost achieves to the T, except for that speedy conclusion.
On the other hand, “It Takes A Life” is delivered to depict the tenacity of a fighter to bring to justice the people who had killed his father. By this, he continues to rise from the ground every time he is down albeit at a very high cost. Even though it is provokingly eye-catching, the primary component of the artwork refers to “The Queen’s Cradle”.
Yes, that narrative element is spelled out through their curses to bear but at the same time, it also portrays this aspect of getting through in peculiar ways. These episodes also tease the two visual styles that each following episode bears: not the photorealistic approach or completely overemphasized cel-shading look.
However, it is important to note that the creative style depicted in these episodes corresponds with the view of the story in each world. Still, there are some combinations of episodes whose concepts are linked while having unique aesthetic styles.
In the same manner, the crossing recurrence of ideas happens with several other episodes within Secret Level. For instance, the thematic message of “Start” (Mega Man) and “Tally” (Spelunky) is to get ready for the calling one has, and respond to it familiarly. Overall, despite the great difference in the plot of these two episodes, the focus on the main character makes them similar and therefore more entertaining.
Some other scenes are more adult-oriented, like “Good Conflict” based on Crossfire or “And They Shall Know No Fear” based on Warhammer 40,000. Both concern topics that reflect the theme of the show and include the hardships that come hand-in-hand with the battle and the aftermath of it with PTSD. The long shooting times turn out to be advantageous for the movie as it paints a more contemplative perspective through its protagonist.
That being said, while “And They Shall Know No Fear” comes off as more fantastical and thus darker in terms of visuals, it is still able to ratchet up the suspense through the lens of family rather convincingly. On the other hand, while “Good Conflict” does have a clearly defined lead, it conveys multiple sides of war in a manner that prompts an intriguing discussion.
These two sides, specifically in these two episodes, are very staunch with their convictions of their right to self-defense. However, the things they do to one another ultimately make them doubt that fact. Even from here, the cinematography of both episodes drives that feeling home, close-up shots making that impact even more visceral.
Outside of these episodes, there was one that caught my eye: “Circle”, the episode about Pac-Man, a yellow circle who loves to eat dots. While I expected that it would slightly overemphasize certain aspects, I never expected it to be one of those ‘gritty’ adaptations. The notion of having this weakling continue to exist like a beast was somewhat reminiscent of Gorr the God Butcher from the Thor comics.
This show generally has many Darwinistic ideas influenced by the shadiness yet artistic atmosphere, and that is why the story of this episode is so engaging. Furthermore, the element of mystery at the climax is something that like no other other episode in Secret Level can capture.
Of course, there are some episodes that are weaker than others. For instance, “The Company We Keep” for The Outer Worlds or “The Once And Future King” for New World featured comedic tones that were more abrasive to the listener. Moreover, they also succumbed to that classic error of being too satirical, specifically in terms of the pacing and dialogues.
As both of them stem from conventional plots, such as two lovers separated or a hero’s action being replayed, there are only a few ways to elaborate on such a story.
Finally, the only episode whose game was closed; “Tale of the Implacable” (Concord) Orientation gives you the full picture of what it is all about. It is a space misadventure crew that combines Guardian of the Galaxy movies and Borderlands video games. It is not as good as it could have been, especially with that heist-based first act, but the second is fun.
In summary, the Secret Level is a visually stunning series with a wide range of stories, some of which are better executed than others. Even though it is not as popular as Love, Death & Robots, it has the potential for franchise-based storytelling, which can be utilized. Should this be renewed, there are still so many games to play out there (listening to The Sims sounds like could be fun!).
Secret Level begins streaming on Prime Video on Tuesday, December 10. Two new episodes are released weekly.
I’ll be documenting the review here each week, so always check back
Secret Level 2024 Parents Guide & Age Rating
Secret Level is rated TV-MA by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA)
Violence and Action: Intensity: Medium to High: Fights, fighting, battles, and action-packed adventures are glimpsed in several instances. For instance, dramatic episodes such as “It Takes a Life,” based on Sifu, feature one of the series’ main characters’ unwavering crusades for justice with expressed martial arts moves and several fighting scenes. The wars are fierce and realistic and the toll of violence is depicted by instances where the characters are tossed around, and knocked down, but they always get back up.
Battles and Gore: Some episodes, particularly the ones based on game universes such as Warhammer 40,000 “And They Shall Know No Fear”, contain mass battles where the action and the violence is intense and the consequences implied. While these are delivered in a warped, extreme form, they do depict considerable violence that may be unsettling to viewers below the recommended age.
Character Deaths: Death appears in different ways, some of which are gory, and the audience is highly emotionally invested in the deaths of characters. Thus, a significant number of works based on the concept of uplifting the downtrodden contain scenes in which characters die or suffer tremendously.
Language: Mild to Moderate Profanity: While there are no episodes with extensive use of crude language, there are some instances of the use of crude language in one or two episodes. It is particularly true especially when the topic of the episode is rather dark or is targeted at mature audiences, like in “Good Conflict” (*based on Crossfire), especially when the topic being discussed can be rather serious like when they are discussing war.
Occasional Slang/Insults: However, some of the episodes are as serious as the show requires but they may include jokes or slang and characters may use irony or even rude words in answering one another. Instead, they are relatively mild compared to other segments in the show.
Sexual Content: Minimal Nudity: it is almost non-existent in the series and there is a lack of actual sexual scenes or references. However, certain shows can imply something along the lines of a romantic speech, a joke, or even a hint at a relationship between the characters. Such instances are not necessarily prolonged and do not dictate the general unfolding of events.
Drugs and Alcohol: Minimal: It is also interesting to note that there is little emphasis on the problematic use of illicit substances or alcohol in the series. However, in some episodes, characters may be presented in some dramatic or stressful situations where alcohol is hinted to be a problem solver although it is not the major focus.
Overall Suitability: Secret Level (2024) due to implies violence, and occasional sexual scenes, and is only appropriate for teenagers (13+) and adults.
