2015 is turning out to be a big year for Marvel properties. With an Avengers movie, Ant-Man, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter and two new series via Netflix, A.K.A. Jessica Jones and Daredevil. You can't find a place to avoid superheroes these days. I am actually getting a little burnt out on the genre and formula. Why does everything have to culminate in a "Save the World" level climax? Luckily, Daredevil is a little bit different on that account.
Daredevil is a 13-episode series from Netflix, Marvel and series creator, Drew Goddard, is based on the comic of the same name starring a blind lawyer with exceptional senses who fights crime in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood in New York City. Matt Murdoch, Daredevil, is played by Charlie Cox (Stardust) and is joined by his law partner, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson (Elden Henson). Together they work to be scrupulous lawyers in a town fraught with criminals. They are helped by their assistant, Karen Page, who is played by Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood). Karen also gets help during the series from a reporter, Ben Urich, who is played by Vondie Curtis-Hall. Okay, enough introductions.
At a young age, Matt Murdoch saves a man from being hit by a car but is hurt himself in the accident, which leaves him blind due to a chemical spill. Murdoch's father is a bruiser of a boxer who does his best for his family while having to deal with the corruption around his sport. This is all seen in flashbacks in the first two episodes. When we first really meet Murdoch, he is preparing to defend his and Foggy's first client, Karen Page, who is accused of murdering a co-worker.
From there the story twists and turns through 13 episodes where we find that the city is being overrun by criminal elements all associated with one Wilson Fisk played by Vincent D'Onofrio. Fisk has pulled together a coalition of heroin producing Chinese, drug dealing Russians, Yakuza and a money-laundering business man. Together they are working to re-make Hell's Kitchen into a better future. What isn't clear is who's better future that will be. Maybe the drugs and crime are just a means to an end.
Over the course of the season, we get to see Murdoch become a vigilante hero who uses his martial arts training and heightened senses to do some truly amazing things. They even provide an explanation of sorts as to how it happens. We also get to see the motivations of the criminal element, who are just as deep and flawed as some of our heroes. The entire season is essentially one big story told in 13 parts. There are ups and downs in how well the story is told, but it comes to a satisfactory (if a little rushed) ending.
One of the challenges of the show is that it is very dark and gritty. Probably best watched in a dark room where some of the black edges of each frame will be a little more visible. Watching on my iPad mini in a bright room wasn't always the best choice. Daredevil also has more than its fair share of violence, but it seems to fit the grounded, not over-the-top powers of the main hero. On the plus side, D'Onofrio is fantastic as Fisk and truly scary at times. One of the other standouts is Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, a nurse who saves Murdoch a time or two. Toby Leonard Moore as James Wesley, Fisk's right hand man, is fantastic and cultured and stable while his boss seems complete unstable at times. Another great thing, which is funny to say, is the opening credit sequence (seen in the photos here) where parts of the city are drawn with flowing blood. Amazing stuff right on par with Game of Thrones' intro.
When I started watching the show, my wife asked me "Why do you like these superhero shows?" I really don't have an answer. Maybe it is the escapism or the idea that a flawed person can overcome those issues to make a difference. In the case of Daredevil, I liked that it wasn't solely about destroying everything (though there is a lot that goes boom). Hard to say what it is I like, but I did enjoy it and will be back for more.
If you are looking for realism, you will need to suspend disbelief a few times as Daredevil chases cars by running over rooftops or heals quickly after taking beatings. What you do get is a more grounded story than most superhero shows/movies and while there is an ultimate battle for Hell's Kitchen, the whole world isn't at stake. In the next season, I hope we get even more of Nelson and Murdoch as lawyers and broaden the story to encompass more than one main villain. At the end of the day, this is a very good show. It won't be for everyone, but it has a lot going for it and Cox is convincing as the blind lawyer and ultimately, hero. I am hopeful for the other Netflix/Marvel shows coming in the next year or two. Daredevil gets 4.5 Mick Happies.
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