Comics fans everywhere are in luck. On the heels of the successful releases of Spiderman and X-Men a new wave of films are on the way based on the adventures of more superheroes than you can shake a cape at. This summer will see the release of a big screen version of The Incredible Hulk and the sequel to X-Men. In addition, plans are in the works for new Superman and Batman films, and there are plans for a possible Iron Man film too.

While we wait, fans have Daredevil to tide us over. Based on one of Marvel Comics’ lesser-known characters, Daredevil is a fast-paced action thriller that packs much of the comic storyline into a two-hour film. You don’t have to be a comic’s fan to enjoy the film, though. It stands on its own as a fun escapist flick well suited to whiling away a Saturday afternoon with.

Young Matt Murdock (Scott Terra) is just your average kid trying to be the best he can be to please his single-parent dad, boxer Battling Jack Murdock (David Keith). Jack is tough on his son, and forbids him to fight; he wants a better life for Matt than the one filled with seedy characters and violence he must endure to make a living.

Matt does just that, immersing himself in his studies until one day he stumbles upon his dad roughing up a deadbeat for a loan shark. Matt, in disbelief, runs from the scene and is struck by a forklift that pierces a container of bio-hazardous material. Matt is sprayed by the chemicals and rendered blind.

Miraculously, the same accident that has stolen Matt’s sight has amplified his remaining senses to super-human levels. In addition, the boy receives augmented strength, a perfect sense of balance and a keen radar-sense that allows him to navigate better than before he lost his vision.

When Matt’s father is murdered for refusing to throw a fight, Matt vows to use his newfound powers to avenge his father’s murder and stand as a champion for the oppressed everywhere. And thus Daredevil is born.

Fast-forward a decade or so. Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck) has become a successful lawyer by day and a fearless crime-fighter by night. Prowling the streets of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen section as the mysterious Daredevil, Matt must become as ruthless and fearless at times as those he hunts down.

Matt’s life undergoes a drastic change, however, when he meets Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner). He immediately falls for her, and after a stormy courtship the two fall in love. When the evil Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan) orders Bullseye (Colin Farrell) to take out Elektra’s father for daring to want out of his operations, the love affair becomes complicated when Elektra mistakenly believes that Daredevil is the killer.

Inevitably, a final confrontation between Daredevil and Bullseye looms that will draw Matt into conflict with the Kingpin and a final resolution of just who was behind his father’s murder.

In many respects, Daredevil is predictable although there are a few subtle twists and nuances that viewers will appreciate. The plot is fairly simple with the exception of Daredevil’s background. For the most part, it remains true to its comics origins, a big plus since most comics-based movies usually fail when the origins and characters are tweaked a bit too much by the filmmakers.

Simple plot aside, the story and action move along nicely and there’s never really a moment when the audience isn’t captivated by the goings on. A refreshing dose of levity is peppered throughout the film in the form of Matt’s law partner Foggy Nelson (Jon Favreau), whose sight gags and one-liners are frequently amusing.

Despite its comic book origins, Daredevil is not a movie for young children. There is much too much violence in the film, especially when Bullseye in on a rampage. At times the violence is overdone and excessively brutal, ultimately detracting from the film. In one particularly awkward scene, Bullseye is on a plane and seated next to an old woman who won’t stop talking. At first this is funny and got quite a few laughs from the audience at my screening. When a frustrated Bullseye uses his perfect sense of aim to propel a peanut into her mouth that lodges in her windpipe and asphyxiates her, however, the audience fell dead silent, adults and children alike.

To be sure, Daredevil’s actors won’t be nominated for any Academy Awards. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any decent performances here. Affleck is a believable Murdock and Daredevil. He does a good job of bringing the character to life, and he’s fun to watch on the screen. Garner is adequate too as Elektra, and the two have certain chemistry between them that moves the film along.

The honors for best performance, however, go to Farrell. He’s delightful as Bullseye, and gives the character an air of insanity and evil. With a convincingly demented look in his eyes he’s almost too convincing at times. We love to hate him. Duncan, however, is uninspiring as the Kingpin. He’s boring and uninteresting, and delivers his lines with a blasé demeanor as lackluster as Farrell’s is convincing.

A longtime reader of the Daredevil comic book myself; I enjoyed the film a lot. I was happy for the most part with the film, and I’m sure most fans of the comic will enjoy it. Little bonuses like a cameo by Marvel legend Stan Lee (he’s the gentleman young Matt stops from walking in front of a car) only add to the fun.

It’s a given that there will be comparisons between Daredevil and Spiderman. That’s one battle that Daredevil just can’t win. But the characters are so fundamentally different that in many ways the comparison just isn’t fair. Daredevil is a much more dark and mysterious character than Spiderman. He’s Marvel’s answer to DC’s Batman. Like the character, Daredevil the film is also dark in tone.

Ultimately, though, Daredevil is fun. It’s not meant to make us stop and think to any great degree; it’s meant to provide a few hours of escapist entertainment. At that it succeeds. It’s worth checking out.


Recommended: Yes