Daredevil

After a chemical spill sends him blind at twelve years old, Matt Murdock (Affleck) discovers that his other senses have become almost superhuman in quality. His hearing now works more like a radar sense allowing him to see sounds, making him react quicker to any situation. He grows up to be a lawyer, defending the defenceless but when justice fails them he punishes them in his own way. You see Matt Murdock has a darker side. He is a man without fear, taking the law into his own hands. He is Daredevil.

Marvel comic book adaptations are on a roll. After the successes of Blade, X-Men and Spider-Man, we now have Daredevil and the tread continues.

Fans of the comic will rejoice as their hero comes to life, fighting for justice in the dark streets of New York's Hell's Kitchen. The blind superhero might not be as well known as the friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler but this big budget, all-star cast adaptation will make the Man without Fear a household name.

Ben Affleck brings his own charm and emotion to the character, easily changing between the committed, upstanding lawyer Matt Murdock and the dark and brutal seeker of justice, Daredevil. This is the likable, good actor Ben Affleck that we usually see in his smaller budget, more character driven pieces such as Good Will Hunting or Chasing Amy, not big budget, face for hire Affleck which was all too evident in Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. The all-star supporting cast adds to the quality of the production. I couldn't have thought of anyone better to play Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin than Michael Clarke Duncan. His sheer size and power would strike fear into any businessman or common thief making them instantly swear allegiance to his empire. As any fan of the TV show "Alias" will testify, Jennifer Garner is as good an actress as she is beautiful. The deadly mix of beauty and material arts make Elektra one of the big screen's hardest heroines and Garner makes the role her own. Colin Farrell's Irish assassin Bullseye who never misses, was, for me, the best character in the movie and I would have really liked to have seen a lot more of him. The character is overly violent and vicious but he provides most of the comic relief, as you find yourself laughing when you probably shouldn't be (Oh and watch the end credits to find out what happens to Bullseye after his fight with Daredevil). John Favreau as Matt Murdock's lawyer partner Foggy Nelson and Joe Pantoliano as reporter Ben Urich as also good in their smaller supporting roles.

Straight from the extremely inventive opening credit sequence, the overall look of the movie is fantastic. Dark and brooding, the streets of New York have never looked so threatening and the characters that inhabit them are more realistic and grounded in reality than anything the similar themed Batman movies could ever create. A lot of credit has to go to Marvel Pictures supremo Avi Arad, who hires people with a passion for the material and the characters. In director Mark Steven Johnson and Ben Affleck he has found true fans of the comics, making for a picture that will go along way in satisfying the die-hard devotees but also producing a film that is instantly accessible to people who have never heard of the character.

Daredevil is however, more in the mould of Blade than Spider-Man or X-Men. This is a darker, more adult orientated comic book adaptation. It is a tale of revenge and blind justice that is certainly not for kids and it never panders to them (hence the 15 UK certificate). This is an adult story in an adult world, where people die and characters get injured. Whether the older demographic will take a man in a mask seriously could be the picture's Achilles heel but the film never sets out to paint a fantastical world of over-the-top characters that most people associate with comic book movies, preferring a more serious and grownup approach.

Daredevil captures the true essence of its comic book roots in both its look and character development. I hope this becomes a franchise, as I can't wait to see a sequel (pardon the pun).

Disc 1
Uncut version of the Movie
Audio commentary from Director Mark Steven Johnson and Producer Gary Foster
Pop up Text commentary
Enhanced viewing mode featuring branched scenes and 8 multi-angle 'Behind the Scenes' segments

Disc 2
'The Men Without Fear: The Art of Daredevil' (59 mins)
'Beyond Hell's Kitchen: Making Of Daredevil' (58 mins)
HBO First Look Special (24 mins)
'Moving Through Space: A Day With Tom Sullivan' featurette (8 mins)
Jennifer Garner - Elektra Multi angle scenes (9 mins)
Music videos: Evanescence - Bring Me To Life, The Calling - For You, Fuel - Won't Back Down
Easter Egg gag reel (5 mins)
Behind the scenes (20 mins)
Multi angle behind the scenes segments (22 mins)

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2003