Let The Devil Out
When the concept of a new "Daredevil" TV show was first announced for Netflix, I was skeptical to say the least. I still haven't forgotten about the overly criticized but still bad movie from 2003 starring Ben Affleck. Daredevil is a genuinely interesting character in the comic books and there was nothing more that the super fans wanted than to get a dark and gritty adaption of the character like in the books. This is what showrunners Steven DeKnight and Drew Goddard set out to do. Did they succeed though? Well, I'm happy to report that, for the most part, the first season of Daredevil is a highly entertaining show that finally does some justice to this character.
Marvel have been consistently spot on with their casting in their movies. Could you imagine anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron Man at this point? The same for Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Well, it seems that Marvel have continued their lucky streak as they have cast the perfect Matt Murdock (AKA Daredevil) in Charlie Cox. Cox is completely believable as the blind lawyer, with the actor bringing true emotion to Matt's inner struggle throughout the series of how far he should be able to go as the vigilante. However, a hero is nothing without a good villain, and the Marvel universe is not well known for those, with only Hiddleston's Loki really standing out. It was beginning to seem unlikely that Marvel would ever beat what they achieved with Loki but Vincent D'Onofrio certainly gives him a run for his money as Wilson Fisk, the comic book Kingpin of Crime. What makes this villain the most successful though, is that he avoids all of the usual crime boss tropes. Although certainly coming across as an extremely violent character at different points, Fisk's story is first and foremost....a love story. That may seem confusing but the audience is able to better relate to this villain as his first full episode mainly revolves around his struggle to talk to people and possibly start a relationship with art dealer Vanessa, played by Ayelet Zurer. D'Onofrio makes it clear in his character that it is his love for Vanessa that is the driving force behind him trying to tear down this particular section of New York, Hell's Kitchen, in order to make it a better place. Ultimately, the hero and villain both want the same thing, but are simply going about it in different ways. The supporting cast also deliver entertaining performances. These include Elden Henson's Foggy Nelson, who brings a new dynamic to the hero/sidekick relationship, openly opposing Matt's nightly activities, and Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page, who has an interesting sideplot of her own through the series which ties into the main story of the conflict between Daredevil and Fisk.
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| The costume above was inspired by the classic Daredevil story "Man Without Fear." Don't worry though, the well-known red costume still makes an appearance. |
Naturally, one cannot properly talk about and review this series without talking about the fight sequences. These scenes are arguably the most important thing that any action series or movie has to get right and I cannot emphasise enough how well "Daredevil" executes these scenes. These scenes are extremely well shot and choreographed, with the stand-out scene appearing in the second episode "Cut Man" in a single claustrophobic hallway. Rather than instantly becoming invincible as soon as he puts on the mask as seems to be the case in a lot of other superhero movies and TV shows, Matt is shown to be an inexperienced fighter, with one particular episode literally revolving around him getting better while also exploring the relationship between him and his best friend. By doing this, DeKnight and Goddard have succeeded in taking the Marvel Universe to a darker and slightly more realistic place, showing what would actually happen to superheroes without a metal suit, magic hammer, or super-soldier serum. I say "slightly" because, despite clearly trying to be more grounded than other Marvel properties, "Daredevil" can still be pretty silly. Although his powers are not treated as such with no sonar vision being shown or anything like that, I still struggle to accept some of Daredevil's abilities. Like being able to smell one man's cologne through 3 floors of a building with the only explanation given being that he "really loved it."
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| Charlie Cox plays Matt Murdock while Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page makes up just one member of the excellent supporting cast. |
I don't have many problems with "Daredevil" besides the often ridiculous nature of his powers. There is one that particularly stands out, though, in my opinion and that is, due to the dark tone and violence of the series, it simply does not feel like it belongs in the same universe as the fairly light-hearted Iron Man or Thor. Don't be fooled by the Marvel logo. There are no witty quips or barging into a pet shop asking for a horse here. The studio has tried to appeal to an older audience here, with the injuries and bruises Matt experiences in the field not being hidden. There lies my main issue with "Daredevil." The character is certainly not going to be confined to Netflix forever and it will not be too long before he makes an appearance in one of the movies, most likely in "Captain America: Civil War" in April next year. When that happens, I fear that it will not feel like the same character in the show here, as Marvel will be forced to hold back on the violent nature of the show so as to appeal to the widest demographic possible, and thus make the most money. Daredevil cannot appear in these family friendly movies the way he is portrayed here and unfortunately that may mean changing the majority of the show's aspects that make it unique in the superhero genre. However, maybe you're only looking for something good to watch and not to watch this as part of the Marvel Universe. Due to that, I will put two ratings at the end of my review: one for the series as a crime show and entertainment, and one for the series as part of the existing Marvel Universe.
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| Vincent D'Onofrio plays the shy but menacing Wilson Fisk, rivaling Marvel's best villain, Loki. |
Overall, "Daredevil" is an excellent start to Marvel's new relationship with Netflix. With a stellar cast and incredible action, despite the often odd powers possessed by Daredevil himself, Marvel have succeeded in doing justice to a severely underrated character and making me excited to see the Man Without Fear in even more Marvel properties as the franchise continues to expand.
Pros
- Performances, especially Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio
- A vulnerable hero
- Well choreographed fight sequences (especially the hallway scene in episode 2)
- Powers not treated like powers....
Cons
- ....but some of them still feel stupid (like being able to smell cologne through concrete)
- Does not feel like it will fit in with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe smoothly
Rating (on its own): 9/10
Rating (as part of the Marvel Universe): 8/10
Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Rosario Dawson, Toby Leonard Moore, Vondie Curtis Hall, Ayelet Zurer
Original Air Date: April 10th, 2015
