Moon Knight received critical acclaim prior to its release, and audiences seem to be unanimous. With only one open episode, the premiere showed how Egyptian mythology will flow into the series. Moon Knight’s powers are known to derive from the god Khonshu, but Ethan Hawke’s villainous Arthur Harrow seems to have an interest in another Egyptian legend.
Harrow has been shown to have a large following in his cult, which worships the Egyptian deity Ammit. The mythological god supposedly believed in judging people for their crimes before they commit them and oversaw their entire lives. Hawke’s antagonist seems to have done this himself when he killed an elderly woman who was apparently condemned as a sinner.
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In explaining the legend of Ammit, Arthur Harrow referred to numerous historical events including Hitler’s regime, the Armenian Genocide and more, one of which led to Moon Knight being bombed online.
Moon Knight Review bombed for historical reference
Moon Knight was bombarded with negative one-star reviews on IMDB as the premiere acknowledges the Armenian Genocide, a historic event the magnitude of which the Turkish government is still denying.
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide involved the murder and deportation of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I from 1915 to 1917. The total death toll is believed to be between 600,000 and 1.5 million, but the Turkish government still demands the deportation of Armenians a legitimate act that cannot be considered genocide.
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The Turkish-Armenian historical event is mentioned by Arthur Harrow of Ethan Hawke when he lists the historical tragedy that the Egyptian deity Ammit could have prevented had she been free:
“Had Ammit been free, she would have prevented Hitler and the destruction he wrought. Nero, the Armenian Genocide, Pol Pot.”
IMDB review bombers shared a multitude of one-star reviews in response to the reference, with one user claiming “There is no genocide against the Armenians” and shares his exhaustion for the “Lies and Ignorance:”
“Stop lying
There is no genocide against the Armenians, you historical ignoramuses. Are you all illiterate or something? Never read a real historical document? We are really, really, really sick of your lies and ignorance. That’s really enough.”
Another passionate reviewer described Moon Knight as “Expensive shitty propaganda garbage” and suggested audiences “Look at something else:”
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“Another expensive shitty propaganda crap
It’s like a Netflix propaganda series, but more expensive and more political. Don’t waste your time with this crap and look at something else. A penguin documentary would be better.”
One review called the series for “Racism and Denigration of a Nation” and referred to a “special efforts in recent years to defame a nation and society:”
“A bad series
There are too many scenes that contain elements of racism and defamation of a nation. In recent years there has been a particular effort to defame a nation and society.”
A quarter of the many reviews criticize US film history “[pumping] incorrect historical information” and what he calls it “fake ‘Armenian Genocide’ b*…t:”
“The pumping of false historical information
Nowadays the US film industry likes to pump false historical information about the fake “Armenian Genocide” b*…t. Apparently the Armenian lobby is hard at work influencing this false information around the world. That title is another part of that lobbying, nothing more. Strong thumbs down!”
How did the review bombardment hit Moon Knight?
Review bombing has become an increasingly common practice in recent years, which is unfortunate as it rarely reflects actual quality or criticism and tends to drive an agenda. The Suicide Squad has been bombarded with negative reviews from Zack Snyder fans, while Eternals has been criticized for including an LGBTQIA+ relationship.
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Actual reviews for Moon Knight seem to have been as positive from audiences as early reviews from critics. Disney+ viewers praise Oscar Issac, the cinematography, the storytelling, the characters and almost every element of the series.
IMDB
IMDB’s current rating chart makes a full rating the most popular choice by far, with 7,448 voters so far sharing their love for the series. Although lower ratings, most of which can be attributed to review bombing, have also surged, some shared a justifiable lack of enjoyment from the episode.
With the reference to the Armenian Genocide likely included in the first episode, Moon Knight could see its rating rise as more episodes pass and more legitimate reviews continue to offset the average.
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The first episode of Moon Knight is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.