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Much has been made of the fact that Daredevil is Marvel's second foray into the world of modern filmmaking. After all, we're talking about characters with built-in fan bases and reputations to satisfy and uphold. If that weren't pressure enough for such a flick, it has to follow Spider-Man's opening act, which received overwhelmingly positive reviews and grossed over $400 million domestically.
There's little cause for concern, however. If Spider-Man was Marvel's leadoff home run, Daredevil is a solid double.
The film is undeniably dark for a comic book film. The mood is more of Gotham than Metropolis. One of the movie's more significant flaws, however, lies in trying to blend this gritty realism with over-the-top athleticism. We can accept the idea that Peter Parker can jump wildly from building to building sans webbing because the movie is one big cartoon. Daredevil tries to have it both ways; it wants the dark, disturbed nuances of Bruce Wayne, and yet the over-the-top bubblegum fun of Peter Parker and Clark Kent. The result is entertaining, but mildly schizophrenic.
Ben Affleck stars here in the title role, playing lawyer/superhero Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil. Murdock has been left blind on account of a face-to-face meeting with a barrel of -- you guessed it -- radioactive waste. Luckily, his other senses have been increased so dramatically so as to allow him to "see" things in a radar-like way.
Ironically, Murdock's handicap is the film's saving grace. His weakness is the film's strength, as it opens the door for several jokes and a number of interesting concepts. Several scenes benefit greatly from the ability to see the world through Murdock's eyes (or ears, technically).
The soundtrack, despite being loaded with a number of excellent songs, is used to poor effect here. Daredevil needs a theme, not a song. A tune, and not lyrics. Without any theme, the film takes on a rather disjointed feel, as it cuts quickly from one scene to the next, fading songs in and out quickly in an effort to fit them all in. As a result, the film's best scenes are those which stay in one place long enough for us to settle in.
Still, Daredevil's wickedly cool radar sense, some solid martial arts, and a fairly talented cast make this movie difficult to dislike. The only significant flaw other than it's desire to mix dark, realistic subplots with hyperbolic action sequences, is that of pacing. This ties in somewhat to the aforementioned cuts and misuse of music. The film doesn't give us enough time with its villains to give any weight to the inevitable showdowns they'll be involved in. Consequently, the movie is entertaining, but not thrilling.
There is also a small storyline which emerges late in the film concerning whether or not Daredevil is, in fact, the "good guy." He subjects himself to internal criticsm concerning the morality of his methods, and eventually comes to a rough compromise. This is a compelling concept that deserved more time than it got, though what attention it did get affected the story for the better.
Overall, this film is solid, and has enough "cool" moments to keep your attention so as to avoid missing the next. It ain't Spider-Man, but then again, not many films are. The end result is a flawed, but fun, flick.
The Bottom Line: Batman meets Spider-Man.
There's little cause for concern, however. If Spider-Man was Marvel's leadoff home run, Daredevil is a solid double.
The film is undeniably dark for a comic book film. The mood is more of Gotham than Metropolis. One of the movie's more significant flaws, however, lies in trying to blend this gritty realism with over-the-top athleticism. We can accept the idea that Peter Parker can jump wildly from building to building sans webbing because the movie is one big cartoon. Daredevil tries to have it both ways; it wants the dark, disturbed nuances of Bruce Wayne, and yet the over-the-top bubblegum fun of Peter Parker and Clark Kent. The result is entertaining, but mildly schizophrenic.
Ben Affleck stars here in the title role, playing lawyer/superhero Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil. Murdock has been left blind on account of a face-to-face meeting with a barrel of -- you guessed it -- radioactive waste. Luckily, his other senses have been increased so dramatically so as to allow him to "see" things in a radar-like way.
Ironically, Murdock's handicap is the film's saving grace. His weakness is the film's strength, as it opens the door for several jokes and a number of interesting concepts. Several scenes benefit greatly from the ability to see the world through Murdock's eyes (or ears, technically).
The soundtrack, despite being loaded with a number of excellent songs, is used to poor effect here. Daredevil needs a theme, not a song. A tune, and not lyrics. Without any theme, the film takes on a rather disjointed feel, as it cuts quickly from one scene to the next, fading songs in and out quickly in an effort to fit them all in. As a result, the film's best scenes are those which stay in one place long enough for us to settle in.
Still, Daredevil's wickedly cool radar sense, some solid martial arts, and a fairly talented cast make this movie difficult to dislike. The only significant flaw other than it's desire to mix dark, realistic subplots with hyperbolic action sequences, is that of pacing. This ties in somewhat to the aforementioned cuts and misuse of music. The film doesn't give us enough time with its villains to give any weight to the inevitable showdowns they'll be involved in. Consequently, the movie is entertaining, but not thrilling.
There is also a small storyline which emerges late in the film concerning whether or not Daredevil is, in fact, the "good guy." He subjects himself to internal criticsm concerning the morality of his methods, and eventually comes to a rough compromise. This is a compelling concept that deserved more time than it got, though what attention it did get affected the story for the better.
Overall, this film is solid, and has enough "cool" moments to keep your attention so as to avoid missing the next. It ain't Spider-Man, but then again, not many films are. The end result is a flawed, but fun, flick.
The Bottom Line: Batman meets Spider-Man.