"You can do anything if you're not afraid."
Darevil fans were lucky that the movie SPIDER-MAN was such a great success. The producers were going to
drastically alter much of this character and especially the costume, going with one of those silly, noisy black
leather outfits. Fortunately the webslinger's theatrical success changed their mind so that they stayed as close
as possible to the original comi book character. It always seemed strange that movie makers over the years
constantly tried to re-invent the comic characters they optioned for the screen. They bought them because they
were popular and then they would prompty change everything that made the characters popular in the first place.
SPIDER-MAN and now DAREDEVIL on the big screen prove that with very light tampering the character
could bee successful as they were originally written. The release of X-MEN 2 and THE HULK that are
to be released this summer will hopefully continue this trend. THE HULK according to many early reports will
probably disappoint many of the Green Goliath's big screen re-invention.
"No one cared much about the death of a washed up prize fighter."
We have to thank new film techniques and cgi graphics for giving film producers the ability to bring comic book
characters to the screen as they were meant to be shown. Characters like The Hulk, the Fantastic FOur, Thor,
Wonder Woman and Superman could and should look great in the future. Hollywood has once again discovered there is
gold in them thar pulp pages so hopefully we will finally see some of the great comic book heroes of the past and
present come to the big screen.
"What I saw I'll never forget because it was it was the last thing I'd ever see."
The film, DAREDEVIL should become and deserves to be a successful feature. It will not garner as great a
boxoffice take as did SPIDER-MAN simply because it's darker mood and more violent nature will have parents
staying away with the younger children. Still the teen and adult audience will be pleasantly surprised by the well
written origin and plot line to the story. DAREDEVIL origin on screen was fairly true to the original comic
story with some necessary needed to update teh story. Still all the elements are intact. Matt's love for his
prizefighter's father is still the crucial element in the story. His father's failure to throw a fight rather than
disappoint his son still leads to his death. The promoter Fallon is still used. Matt still is accidently hit with
radioactive waste that causes him
to go blind and receive his powers. He still becomes a top, successful lawyer partnered with 'Foggy' and has all
the special super senses from the comics. He has a slightly altered red, horned costume but stays darn close to
original, billy club and all. The famous swinging throughout the cityscape scenes have greatly benefited by the
techniques used in SPIDER-MAN. These scenes are really amazing. One scene in particular stands out in my
mind. In this scene we see Daredevil run and bounce back and forth between two walls as he ascends them top the
rooftop. What makes it so memoriable is the fact that it looks so effortless and real; it seemed plauseable.
The only real deviation of note is that Fisk, pre-Kingpin, is Jack 'Daredvil' Murdock's hired killer.
"What do you want?"
"Justice."
The crucial scenes that involve Daredevil's radar sense are perfect and a vast improvement over the comic book
sound wave version. Writer-director Mark Steven Johnson and visual effects supervisor Rich Thorne
had to eliminate the use of light driven cameras to create the shadow world of Daredevil's radar sense. The
effects people used what is called a LIDAR laser scanner to digitally map given sets where Daredevil uses his
radar sense to 'see' where he is. The results were easy and quick to produce with real eye opening results. Like
Daredevil the LIDAR laser works in the dark. From the Lidar data the computer artists were able to generate 3-D
digital models which were bombarded with computer generated particles to repesent sound waves. These particles
collided with thee objects and people in the scenes, illuminating their edges. The audience sees the particles
that bounce off the objects as opposed to seeing the objects themselves. This effect is at it's best when Matt
tells Electra to stand in the rain; that way he can see her features by listening to the drops bouncing off her
skin. We see Electra as he sees her. She is glowing as she looks like she is bathed in diamonds. The director
and effects people have something to be proud of in this specific effect.
"A man without fear is a man without hope."
Another improvement to the comic is the need for Matt to sleep in a sensory deprivation tank at night. If
your a fan of his comic stories and you think about it, you will realize that this is an important point. If
Daredevil's hearing is so sensitive can you imagine how bad it would be for him when he tries to sleep. The quiet
would cause him to hear every little noise from vehicles to the scampering of multi-legged centipedes. How would
he ever get any sleep. The sensory deprivation tank would allow the noise of the world to be shut out so he could
get some much needed rest. In fact the only time he has a peaceful and restful night's sleep outside of the tank
is after he has made love to Electra and fall's into such a peaceful sleep he does not even hear her leaving the
bed in the morning. Ah, you know how some good sex can give you a good nights sleep.
"They say your whole life flashes before your eyes."
The movie begins with Frank Miller like scenes of New York City, rats scurrying in the rain and a wounded
Daredevil (Ben Afflick) hugging a cross on a church steeple. He can't hold on and goes crashing into the
Church and his found by Father Everett (that's right named after the first Daredevil artist). The voice over from
Daredevil begins here and takes us back in time to a more innocent time where a young Matt hangs
with his boxer father, Jack murdock played by Davi Keith, a man who would do anything for his son. He
fights to save money to make sure his son becomes a lawyer or doctor. He is a proud man and fights hard and is as
honest as he can be. One day Matt sees his son shaking down a man for a loan shark. Hurt and disappointed he runs
into the path of a fork lift that is carrying radioactive waste containers. A quick stop causes the barrels to
fall and rupture liquuid right into young Murdock's eyes. Later in the hospital he wakes to a terrible din of
noise that near drives him insane and worst of all he is blind. In time and with father's help he adjusts to his
disability and as time goes on he realizes that he has some incredible abilities. His life falls apart when he
hears his father being killed after refusing to throw a fight to Jazzy John Romita (that's correct, he's
named after another Daredevil artist).
"I want revenge."
"Revenge won't make the pain go way. Trust me I know.
Writer Mark Steven Johnson goes out of his way to give the comic fans out there a bit of homage to Marvel
creators and artists. Besides the priest being named after the first DD artist and Romita being listed as a
fighter he also names streets and buildings after other creators. A morgue attendent played by writer-director
Kevin Smith is named Jack Kirby. A thug in an alley is named after famed artist Gil Kane.
Stan Lee even has a cameo. Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor in chief's name is used as Daredevil's first
on screen quarry. He is a man that escapes a rape charge and is tracked down by Daredevil into a subway where he
dies on the tracks. These little references are made for the benefit to the true comics fans out there who can
appreciate them.
"You're good baby, I'll give you that, but me I'm magic."
Time moves forward and Matt Murdock is now an adult lawyer working in his Hell's Kitchen law firm defending those
he believes are innocent of crimes. His partner in law is Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson (). Matt has taken on
his father's
nickname Daredevil to fight for justice and against crime as a costumed hero. He is a tough streeet fighter who is
betteer for his blindness. he can sense m ore an that makes him a formidable fighter. His lack of sight helps him
ignore such trivial things as great heights. He drives and swings off tall building without fear. His keen sense
of balance allows him to stand on the thinnest of spires. Those who witness the devil are amazed at his lack of
fear.
"Man without fear? Looks like I found something that you're afraid of. Let's bring on the noise."
In town is Nikolas Natchios () with his gorgeous, statuesque daughter Electra played with great skill by
(Jennifer Garner) from the television series Alias. Garner was the perfect choice for the part of
Electra as she already works as a spy and maritial artist. Her father is in New York to sell his stake in the
Fisk empire, something that annoys Kingpin who makes veiled threats against his daughter, Electra. Electra on the
other hand is out wandering the city and ends up meeting Matt Murdock who quickly forms a liking to her. We get to
see an excellent playful scene where the two try to impress each other with their acrobatic skills that for some
reason does not seem to surprise her that this blind dude can perform so flawlessly. They eventually see more of
each other and begin falling in love. Matt still keeps his secret life and apartment away from Electra to protect
from danger. unfortunately this is not be.
"Stay out of Hell's Kitchen."
"This isn't your kitchen no more. It belongs to the Kingpin now.
Wilson Fisk hires a master assassin to eliminate Nickolas. This assassin a master of throwing skills and weapons.
Bullseye is played with scene stealing skill by Colin Ferrell. Bullseye has the ability to turn anything
into a weapon, even paper clips and pencils. What makes him more dangerous is his throwing skill. He goes after
Nickolas and after a fight and destined failure Daredevil is not able to save Nikolas, Instead Bullseye uses
Daredevil's own billy club to kill Electra's father. Unfortunately, Electra thinks Daredevil has killed her father
which eventually leads to a rooftop battle between the three foes. At his point I will not tell you what happens,
so I do not spoil it for you.
"I missed! I never miss!"
Possible the best sequence is when the story comes full circle back the Church where a still tired and wounded
Daredevil has his most dangerous battle with Bullseye. This fight sequence is awesome and difficult to decribe as
they battle all over the Church and atop a massive pipe organ. This sequence alone is worth the price of
admission.
"I don't believe it...the blind lawyer from Hell's Kitchen."
Of course Daredvil has to still discover the true identity of his father's killer and when he does the director
gives us the most annoying thing I hate in super hero movies. The inevitable unmasking of the hero in front of
the villian. It happened in the Batman movies, Spawn, Spider-Man and now it happens in DAREDEVIL. There
must be some unwritten rule in Hollywood that says the hero has to get unmasked at the climax of the film. The
only saving grace is how the situation is resolved.
"I set out to save the city but with Electra's help I saved myself instead."
Ben Affleck does an excellent acting job as as the blind Matt Murdock, who is cheerful and outgoing and
dedicated to his profession. As Daredevil he plays the role dark, moody, and displays an obsessive dedication to
justice. Affleck looks good as Murdock and fits the Daredevil costume rather nicely. Interestingly enough
Affleck's Murdock has a eirie resemblence to Wally Wood's art version from the first few issues of the
Daredevil comic.
Jennifer Garner plays the Electra Natchios part very well. Since she already works in a maritial
environment on her television show. She has a natural elegance and looks good in all the fight scenes, especially
those she performs with Bullseye.
Colin Farrell chews up the scenery as the lethal sharpshooter Bullseye. Farrell appears to have fun and
certainly seems to relish the role of the master criminal. He puts just the right amount of maniacal glee into
his portrayal that makes all his scenes stand right out over the others.
..Duncan fits King to a T
Oh, I forgot to mention the nice subdued performance of Joe Pantoliano as Ben Urich. Urich is a reporter
for the Daily Bugle who suspects and eventually learns that Daredevil and Murdock are the same person. This
happened in the comic as well as in the movie. A fine performance from this versatile actor who most people will
from THE MATRIX.
"I was born in the Bronx son, this is something you wouldn't understand."
If you are a comic book fan you will definitely be more than happy with this first excursion of Daredevil to the
big screen. I say big screen because most people are not aware that Daredvil appeared on a made for television
movie abot Marvel's MIGHTY THOR. He appeared as lawyer Matt Murdock representing Thor and then came to his
aid as Daredevil, a character who wore a blindfold. Those who had the
misfortune of seeing that production will be able to tell you that it was plain bad. Okay let's get off that
tangent and return to this excellent big screen version of DAREDEVIL. The story is fairly true to the
comic and well written. Not only does it have lots of action, it also has a good tight script with few noticeable
plot holes. The only time I saw something that was disappointing was in one Electra scene. Here I am being
extremely picky so that I can point out at least one fault. In one scene we see Electra jump from one rooftop
down to another and as she touches down on the ground she lands like she was Peter Pan. The touchdown is so light
that you could really tell she was attached to a harness setup. Okay so was that picky enough? That was it, I did
not notice anything else. Not bad right? Now since it is opening on Valentine's Day, and it does have a tragic
love story subplot, you will be perfectly justified in taking your female date to see DAREDEVIL on opening
day. Go see it more than once and don't forget that hot buttered popcorn. oops butter is not good for you. Well
okay it is better for you than that artificial stuff. See now you got me started...leave now or I'll really get
on a tirade.
"Go get them, Matt."
Very important note that I almost forgot. When the end credits come on...DO NOT LEAVE...make sure you
seated for about a minute or two as the film will come back on for an important scene. It will change the story,
so if you leave you will miss an important scene. Don't say you weren't warned.
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