Movie Corner

Daredevil is not the terrible piece of schlock filmaking I expected, but it isn't exactly a terrificly good movie either. On the whole in the genre of superhero films I rate it above Blade but below Blade II, above The Punisher but below Spiderman. I think one of the major problems I had with the film was in how it attempted at many times to be like Spiderman.

The wire-fu used in the film was nowhere near as bad as I expected, but it was still overused somewhat, and I think a more stripped down fighting style from 'ol hornhead would have worked better. Batman's fight scenes worked so well because there was nothing unreal about what Michael Keaton was doing. I believe Michael Keaton can punch and kick, but I do not believe Ben Affleck can flip and dive off buildings in such a way, even if I see it on screen.

From the acting department all of the leads were fine and didn't do anything horribly out of character, except for the little extra non-word exclamations they would give after an important line such as after Elektra gives her name or any time that Bulleseye would talk. They kept reminding me of when Spawn says "Damn" after being hit hard or anytime Shack would speak in Steel. It's not as if they had terrific dialogue to work with anyway. Most of the lines in the film are bland and forgettable. Only Favreau's Foggy Nelson (Who is never referred to by name in the film as far as I could tell) has any memorable dialogue.

Which reminds me of another way the film was apeing Spiderman...The unnecessary narrative dialogue from the titular character. Let the film tell the story. Bladerunner is better without it, and this film would be to. If action on the screen can't tell the story clearly without having to explain it, then the action on the screen should be worked on. This is not a noir film. There is no nead for the hero to tell us what is going on.

The direction was adequate in the film, I don't have any major gripes with the pacing or the camera placements, only that some of the effects work was underdone and could have been better. I am tired of seeing night scenes that were obviously filmed in the daytime and have had a nightime sky added in. Film it at night if it is supposed to be at night.

Now for the bitchy stuff.

What is up with the terrible score in this film? Why do we need lukewarm, generic rock songs to flesh out the soundtrack? One or two terrible songs is fine, but this movie over does it.

In the court case what is Matt Murdock doing on the prosecutorial side? He is a defense attorney. The staging of the trial makes no sense if you think of it that way. Is is a civil case? Then why does it seem to be a rape trial? I don't expect perfect law representation, but a little better authenticity would be in order. If he was taking part in a divorce case maybe, or if he was defending the woman for assaulting the man after a rape, also maybe, but the case doesn't make any sense.

A leather suit? Wouldn't that make alot of noise and be hard to move in? What about all that rain, wouldn't it stink?

In the end though I did like this movie. I think if they would have approached it from the angle of an action film instead of a superhero film it would have been better though.

I think Daredevil would make a good television show. Do it similarly to Smallville where the emphasis isn't on the super-powers, but on the characters and work most of the show around Matt Murdock attorney at law in Hell's Kitchen. Only bust out the costume once and awhile. Similarly to how Bendis writes the comic, make it about Matt's quest to work inside the law and the dilemmas when he is forced to work outside of it.