Commentary: ‘Secret Level’ Brings Surprises With A Secret Star
by Frank Martin
There are some actors who just exist in a different stratosphere of stardom. Their voice, their face, their body, and their name are such recognizable forces that it’s strange to see them pop up in unlikely places. Usually, star power is front and center in the entertainment industry. Big names need to be placed on a marquee to draw in crowds and buzz. So it’s always a pleasant surprise to find one of these people attached to a project unlike anything they’ve done before. This is exactly what happens with episode three of Secret Level.
The program itself is an animated anthology show akin to Love Death Robots. However, all the episodes are mostly centered around established video games. The third episode, which focuses on the Amazon MMO New World, tells the story of a king named Aelstrom. Falling in battle, he washes up on a magical island where everyone is granted immortality. Having been given everything his entire life, the king fails to understand why he can’t conquer the islands and become its new ruler. In every attempt to do so, he is always beaten, which leads to the realization that all of his prior subjects let him win. This leads Aelstrom on a journey of self-discovery and humbling that allows him to become a more fulfilled individual.
The most shocking part of the episode: Arnold Schwarzenegger voices Aelstrom. The character itself is very Arnold-like. He has the build of Conan the Barbarian and the bravado of a larger-than-life figure. But he’s also kind of a doofus. His arrogance leads him to death over and over again. This isn’t a good look for the character and stands contrary to Schwarzenegger’s typical on-screen persona. This character is a bit of an emasculated tough guy, so it’s almost like Arnold himself is being humbled through the role. But the actor obviously isn’t known for his voice-over work. His entire career was built around his physique. So hearing him voice a character, even one that resembles him in stature, was an extremely pleasant surprise that boosted the episode’s presence and message.
Secret Level is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
