Riding high on the wave of success from Spider-man (2002) comes Daredevil, yet
another superhero from the Marvel Comics stable of costumed do-gooders. Ben
Affleck plays the crimson-clad warrior of justice with the usual somber
intensity. When he was a boy, Affleck's character, Matt Murdock, lost his boxer
father at the hands of a mob enforcer. Murdock's old man was killed because he
would not take a dive during a fight. The 12-year-old Matt Murdock, as a way of
seeking justice for his slain father, devotes his life to fighting for those who
cannot defend themselves.
It sounds a lot like the plot from Spider-man, or Batman, doesn't it? But
Daredevil has a neat little twist--Matt Murdock is blind. After suffering an
accident as a boy that robbed him of his sight, Matt Murdock finds that his
other senses, particularly his hearing, have become far more enhanced than
expected for most blind people. Apparently the same chemicals that blinded
Murdock also heightened his remaining senses, giving him near superhuman powers
(I guess he should consider himself lucky that the chemicals he was exposed to
didn't have any other, more nastier, side affects).
Written and directed with great style by Mark Steven Johnson, Daredevil managed
to neatly avoid the clumsy "origin" story that has plagued other superhero films
like Spider-man. Murdock's entire childhood is recounted in a flashback, and
then we're propelled to the present day, where Daredevil is already a force to
be reckoned with on the streets of New York City. Many people think he is merely
an urban legend, like the alligators in the sewers--which is exactly how Murdock
wants it. Working by day as a lawyer for pro bono cases with his law firm
partner (Jon Favereau plays this part with just the right balance of comic
flavor), Murdock haunts the grim streets of the Big Apple at night as Daredevil
--a name and costume inspired by his boxer father, who was known to "fight like
the devil".
And director Johnson makes sure that his hero does indeed fight like the devil
in battle sequences that are both stunning and almost lyrical in their execution.
Daredevil's POV shots, in which we "see" sounds become images in his mind, are
visually striking. Yet the moments when these POV effects really became
magnificent for me were when Murdock asks Elektra (ably played by Jennifer
Garner) to stay with him on a rooftop during a rainstorm. The sounds of the
raindrops falling on Elektra create a beautiful image of the woman's face within
Murdock's mind. This is a scene that comes close to sheer visual poetry and
raises Daredevil a level above most other superhero and action films.
The Kingpin (Michael Clark Duncan) is the film's obligatory arch villain, but
it is Bullseye, portrayed by Irish actor Colin Farrell (no relation to this
writer), who really steals the show. A deadly assassin who can turn the most
mundane, everyday items into lethal weapons, Farrell plays this stone cold
killer with the sort of manic intensity which suggests that this guy may not be
playing with a full deck. It's a great, frantic performance that Farrell gives,
and he's fun to watch. Jennifer Garner, better known to many as the star of TV's
Alias, puts the combat skills she learned on that show to good use here in her
role as Elektra. She's ably serves as the film's heart and soul who illuminates
Murdock's life in more ways than one. Movie and comic book fans will want to
keep an eye out for cameos from Stan Lee, who created Daredevil, and filmmaker
Kevin Smith ("Clerks", "Chasing Amy"), who plays a medical coroner.
Daredevil comes in a two DVD pack set, with plenty of extras. I was heartened to
see that in addition to the usual audio commentary tracks by the director, there
is also a special audio track for the visually impaired, making this a DVD that
truly everyone can enjoy. --SF