As a boy mom who also happens to write about trending kid products, shows and beyond, it’s safe to say, I’ve become well-versed in the realm of superheroes. It’s superheroes 24/7 up in here.
A live action superhero show featuring our favorite characters piqued our interest when we first heard about it earlier this year; we’ve been anticipating Marvel Universe Live ever since.
Feld Entertainment’s Marvel Universe Live, currently in East Rutherford, NJ’s Izod Center, commanded an arena of superhero-adoring children and equally bright-eyed parents. The hour and a half live show featured choreographed stunts, motocross and non-stop action on a high-tech set, complemented by various aerial props and stunts. Amidst an audience waving twinkling swords and slurping Spiderman Snocones, the actors/stunt people fulfilled heroic endeavors as they traveled across the globe.
Feld Entertainment has a penchant for live shows and engaging their audiences with original story lines, and Marvel Universe Live was no exception. This show brought 25 iconic Marvel characters together in one performance as they banded together (and against) for the quest of the Cosmic Cube. Because of the Cosmic Cube’s inherent power, it is a coveted treasure that was shattered by Thor to prevent it getting into the wrong hands. Since all the pieces were scattered around the globe, Thor’s evil brother, Loki, cooked up a plan to clone its powers that would destroy our planet and crush the Universe. Naturally, it was up to the superheroes to save the Universe.
With the magic of 3-D projection and the incredible set design, the storyline was fluid as it hopped around the globe. Geographically, we watched superheroes scale snow-covered mountains, battle on top of the Statue of Liberty and conquer evil all on one stage. The transitions from scene to scene were seamless and unobtrusive. The pyrotechnics, light effects and musical score complemented the set design, and of course the talent of the stars.
Our superhero-loving family was engaged from start to finish—we didn’t want it to end! We loved seeing all of the superheroes together defeating the evil forces, live and in person. Some of the superheroes featured included: Iron Man, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor and Wolverine who faced evil forces such as Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Red Skull, Madame Hydra, Aldrich Killian, Electro and more. I was sort of expecting to see Stan Lee show up somewhere on the set! The excitement of watching a movie in a theater is always thrilling, but to experience a live show with so much detail and fanfare is extraordinary.
This was not a Broadway production, but instead, a stellar live feature geared to its most enamored audience—kids who love and appreciate superheroes.
As guests of The Moms, we were treated to a lovely VIP reception and pre-show activities. My kids got to sharpen their archery skills, perfect their jabs and uppercuts and earn their own superhero badge at the end. A big thank you to The Moms for organizing such a fun experience.
Now for the fine print: this show is NOT for everyone. If you have kids who can’t sit and focus for an hour and half show, I’d absolutely avoid this, and any show until they could sit still. In my opinion, it’s hard for not only the parent and kid who can’t sit still, but also for those around them. My two year old could not and would not sit still. He likes superheroes, but he doesn’t understand the concept of sitting still. After letting him run around for a few minutes in the food area, one of the seating attendants let our family sit in a vacant row. If you’re on the fence about your little one who may not sit for the show or be scared by the noise/lights, my recommendation would be to wait until they’re old enough to truly appreciate the show than to force them to sit through something they might hate.
This is a show where it’s dark almost the entire time and lights were constantly being projected. Sometimes, light effects were strobing, sometimes they flashed more intermittently. Laser-like lights were evident throughout, as well. Coupled with loud music and pyrotechnics, I would not recommend the show for sensory sensitive audience members.
Overall, Marvel Universe Live truly did not disappoint with its non-stop action, original story and mesmerizing set design. This is a concept show that utilizes well-loved characters, harnesses technology and talent to tell an original story before a live audience and a fickle fan base! This was one of those shows that we can’t stop talking about and will tell anyone who will listen all about it—it was that good!
Marvel Universe Live will be at Izod Center in NJ until August 10th and will then be at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn from August 13-17 and then LI later in August. Not in the tri-state area? Check to see if Marvel Universe Live will be in your town.
Full disclosure: We received complimentary tickets and a parking pass to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.
