I Watch Films: Daredevil
Looks like I’m reviewing the duology of this and Elektra, fifteen years on. Two loosely linked, moderately well done superhero films. Matt Murdock is a blind lawyer for the needy during the day, the vigilante with radar sense and no fear at night. He gets caught up in the Kingpin’s plans, twice over, firstly because he’s closing down various criminal schemes, secondly because he falls for Elektra the ninja-trained daughter of a billionaire who has been laundering Kingpin’s money.
Into a gritty and dark world of sordid crime and Catholic guilt Kingpin brings in the flamboyant Bullseye, an assassin who never misses. Daredevil, able to sense things coming, causes him to miss. Bullseye still manages to frame him for the murder of Elektra’s father, setting up the three-sided finale.
There’s some good fight scenes and also some less good ones. Bullet-time was still new, and is still good, but not always used to best advantage. Daredevil randomly jumping off high buildings is still startling (and unlike the spider-mens he doesn’t have web to pull himself up to the top, so has to climb all the steps.) The Elektra/Matt flirt-fight is fine I guess. The boldest and most interesting move was casting Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin; both he and Murdock have fought their way up from the tough, gritty parts of New York.
Less interesting is the origin story, and the reveal that Kingpin was involved. I mean he’s already behind all the crime in Hell’s Kitchen, that should be motivation enough. Does he have to have killed everyone Daredevil ever loved?
Watch This: Because it’s still a cool action film and it had the potential to make an interesting series
Don’t Watch This: If you prefer smoothly clever modern superhero films.
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