I stayed up an extra 13 hours without sleep just to watch all of Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix and tell you how cool it is.
I was out for dinner with work then got back home about 10:30pm on the night Marvel’s Daredevil was released. I knew spoilers had hit the internet about Daredevil’s costume and I even made a threat:
If I see ‘s costume on my feed before I watch the series I SWEAR TO GOD I will seek blood.
— Kenny Williams (@Ohheykenny)
Daredevil doesn’t sit back and watch these injustices happen, allowing himself to be victimised. No no. That’s why I decided to take action and proceeded to binge-watch all 13 hours of the series to bring you this spoiler-free review.
(also, look out for my next review which will have all the spoilery easter eggs in it)
Synopsis:
Marvel’s Daredevil is an origin story that follows Matthew Murdock, a young lawyer, who with his best friend Franklin “Foggy” Nelson have started their own law practice in the struggling neighbourhood of Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
Blinded as a boy in an accident that gave him extraordinary senses that compensate for his sight in the most incredible ways, Murdock fights for justice in the courtroom by day and stalks the rooftops and alleyways by night as a masked vigilante soon to be known as Daredevil.
Short Review:
Imagine True Detective and The Wire meets Batman and The Punisher. That’s pretty much what you get with Marvel’s Daredevil (and for those who say it’s like Arrow, let’s be really honest: Arrow is a poor man’s substitute for Batman). It’s an intense crime drama with fantastic action that’s very ferocious, enough to make you cringe for the guy getting his ass handed to him.
What I love about this show is that it takes place in the same world as every other Marvel Cinematic Universe project like The Avengers and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and yet, the tone of Marvel’s Daredevil sets itself so far a part from them: much like how Marvel Comics had it’s mainstream run with its standard issues, it also had ‘Marvel Knights’ which was much more adult and darker in content.
The show is definitely meaty and there is a lot to chew on. It feels like you’re watching a very textured crime drama with some brutally uncomfortable scenes that instantly kick you out of Marvel’s Disney zone and put you into a bold and grim reality. Although not for shock, the level of violence and blood doesn’t feel like it’s for “bloody violence’s” sake to get more viewers, it’s used where appropriate and in context for the show.
Even the music (score composed by John Paesano) seems to be layered, beautifully enhancing every scene emotionally with a deep sense of foreboding, like something sinister is at play. The opening credits theme song carries hastened violins and and a thick, heavy beating heart pulsing through, which is appropriate for someone who can track you by tuning his hearing into the sound of your heartbeat.
The scenes are textured with a lot of detail to take in, some would argue maybe a bit too much detail, with some conversational scenes feeling like they’re drawn out longer than they should be (one could also argue that’s because you have a short attention span).
However, these scenes leave good reason to explore character depth, which is a liberty not always afforded by traditional television shows and networks, where time pressure to tell the story quickly is a lot greater.
Special mention to the show intro which is RAD. If you’re looking for a show that’s unique and unlike anything you’ve seen before, I highly recommend Marvel’s Daredevil for addictive viewing.
Full Review:
Marvel’s Daredevil is a strong departure away from the Daredevil movie you may remember (and may wish to forget) that starred Ben Affleck. In this darker reboot, it takes place in the same Marvel Cinematic Universe you’re familiar with (The Avengers), except this is unlike anything you’ve seen by Marvel so far. Comic book fans will agree that this adaption created by Steven S. DeKnight and Drew Goddard is the most loyal to the Marvel source material yet.
While Marvel’s expanded franchise is very polished, Marvel’s Daredevil is blood-stained and filthy.
Marvel’s Daredevil takes place in Hell’s Kitchen, New York that has a seedy underbelly where gangs and mobsters operate freely, dirty cops can’t save you, drugs and pedophiles run rampant, the jury is bribed and criminals are set free and there are media paid off to keep it all quiet. It’s a world where money talks as loud as bullets do. People go missing for knowing too much about this world, and others keep their lives by keeping their silence.
At very the top of this food chain is Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’onofrio), a respected multi-millionaire businessman who, along with a few key shady underworld characters, have full dominance over New York City’s underworld.
Fisk, a Hell’s Kitchen native, has an obsession with destroying the ‘Kitchen’ so it can be reborn. He’s a man with money and influence who is just coming to realise his power. D’onofrio portrays this crime boss as someone who on the outset is very big and stoic, protected by bodyguards at every turn. A peek behind the curtain shows Fisk is riddled with insecurity and the childish need to be respected, motivated by his troubling childhood.
What we see in Fisk is man rapidly losing the last of his humanity with every violent crime to his name, which is almost utilitarian as he claims that what he does is for the greater good and a means to an end. Fisk is a very different villain, while there are moments where he is hideously brutal, we see flickers of the good man he could be – and as a product of his disturbing past there is an uncomfortable sympathy and understanding for his actions, making it hard to be objective / black and white. Everything in Daredevil is grey, much like the title character himself.
Matthew Murdock (Charlie Cox) is introduced as the son of a boxer known Battlin’ Jack Murdock. At the age of 9, Matt was hit by a truck carrying toxic chemicals and was blinded by it. However, in the accident he traded in his sight for super enhanced senses which means he can hear / smell things from great distances away and feel things so sensitively that even the slightest the shift in the air can be felt.
The slightest reach for a gun can be felt in the air and heard by the twitch of a muscle, meaning Daredevil can almost psychically predict and counter his enemy’s moves at an alarming speed. The combination of all his enhanced senses act as a radar for Daredevil, meaning that he can “see” in a powerful way beyond plain sight.
Shaped by his childhood and extreme turns of events, Murdock’s duty to uphold the law begins early. He and his friend Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) are junior lawyers who have just opened their own practice ‘Nelson & Murdock Attorney’s At Law’ in Hell’s Kitchen.
While Matthew fights for justice, trying hard to believe in the legal system, he is struggling – his insides burning with a unstoppable compulsion to take the law into his own hands.
Every second Murdock is walking on a knife’s fine edge – finding criminals who’ve fallen through the cracks of the system and beating them within an inch of their life. Matt Murdock is crazed with purpose and a rage so strong that he’s just one step away from becoming a murderer.
Raised as a Catholic, Murdock’s faith could be the only thing stopping him from tipping over the edge. Matt is deeply burdened with inner conflict, seeking justification by God through a priest for his brutality, but maintains that what he is doing is for the greater good (sound familiar?).
The line here is paper-thin and you feel like at any given moment it would take one light push to knock Murdock over to a darker place where he is no better than the man he hates: Wilson Fisk. Despite the fact that both characters know nothing of their history, it’s disturbing to see their lives are almost parallel. Matt Murdock is what Wilson Fisk could have been, and Wilson Fisk is what Matt Murdock is very close to being. In the end, fate has these two intertwined as heavy-hearted idealists who both want the same thing for their city.
The fight scenes in Daredevil are nothing short of artistry. Very dynamic, rough and messy. There’s very little evidence of wirework and clean choreography that’s too perfect to be true, making these scenes more believable. The hero, while skilled and powered, isn’t invulnerable like The Hulk and doesn’t have the infinite stamina of Captain America: he bleeds, he takes knocks, he tires. He’s like the boxer in the ring who will fight even if he’s bloody – fuelled by pure determination to keep going, no matter the cost: that’s Daredevil’s true power.
The supporting cast of Daredevil also brings a lot to the story. Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) is surprisingly refreshing as Murdock’s partner-in-law and best friend, who is the “kind of asshole” that means well. He’s loud, fast-talking and a little bit obnoxious in a way that’s endearing, you can see how his friendship with Murdock is very much a counterbalance of Yin & Yang. Henson’s portrayal of Foggy is VASTLY different from what he’s like in the comic books, a character that’s known for being a bit of an awkward wallflower with a heart of gold. While the heart of the character is still there in this version of Foggy, the changes to the character work really well.
Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) is just one of those unlucky girls that seems to attract trouble wherever she goes, much like her comic book counterpart. She’s a little bit naive and tries to do the right thing but also doesn’t really grasp the full scope of how all actions have consequences, especially in such a dangerous place like Hell’s Kitchen. There are some great moments with Karen, like her interactions with Foggy and one particular scene you have to look out for later in the season where you will yell “DO IT, KAREN!”. I think Karen brings an innocence to the show, but by the first episode you know that not everyone is as innocent as they seem. A great character, but a worrisome one.
Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) is a nurse and someone who accidentally ends up in Matt’s life, the part of his life kept secret until his meeting with Claire. Without revealing too much, Claire is a very interesting character who has seen firsthand how much of a dangerous place that Hell’s Kitchen can be and understands Matt’s need for retribution. Dawson’s performance as Claire Temple pulls a lot of heart strings and it’s easy to see why this character will be such a good influence for Matt Murdock and Daredevil.
Stick (Scott Glenn) is introduced as Matt Murdock’s mentor. Stick, a blind Martial Arts master, helps Matt Murdock become the man he is today. I have to say that, out of ALL the characters in Daredevil, Scott Glenn’s portrayal of Stick is exactly the way I imagined him to be. In the comic books Stick is a bitter old man and an asshole, pure and simple.
He’s morally ambiguous and cold, showing no signs of affection, yet everything he does is with purpose that is again for the greater good. The part he plays in Marvel’s Daredevil is a very intriguing one, one which I’m confident we’ll see more of in Daredevil’s second season. In the comic books Stick is also a mentor to Daredevil’s ex girlfriend Elektra who goes down a very similar path to Matt but it all goes horribly wrong (more explained about her in my article here).
Overall Rating:
This is a very grounded and loyal telling of Daredevil that I think many, fans and audiences alike, could not conceive possible. This show does more than redeem the Daredevil movie that was, but sets the bar very high for every television show out there, even beyond the superhero franchise. This show does what Gotham and Arrow try to do in “gritty superhero show” making, but better. Marvel’s Daredevil goes where it needs to be and does what it needs to without cramming too many plot ideas into the story, so the direction of the show is clear and concise.
I’d like to see more of other villain elements touched on in the show, which I’m certain we’ll see more of in Season 2. Daredevil’s red costume reveal was … ok and not what I imagined. I think they could do a lot better with it, and hope to see further evolution in the design. My only complaint is the lack of strong women in the show. Karen and Claire are somewhat strong in the series but the tough guy in me couldn’t help but want to yell “Get your shit together, ladies! You’re better than that”, however as plot devices they were necessary to Daredevil’s story. Overall, I’m happy with the show and can’t wait to see what happens next. 4/5 stars.
Recommended Reading:
Marvel’s Daredevil takes it’s cues in grit, action and compelling storytelling from many of the following comic books, which I highly recommend as reading.
‘Daredevil’ Omnibus
by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson (Issues #158-191)
“Heralded as one of Daredevil’s greatest eras, just in time for the Kingpin and Bullseye’s efforts to rob the Man Without Fear of everything he holds dear! Featuring the first appearances of Elektra, Stick and ninja clan The Hand! The daring discovery that drew newspaper reporter Ben Urich into Daredevil’s domain of darkness. Such forgotten-yet-formidable foes as Death-Stalker and the Gladiator. Guest-starring the Hulk, the Avengers, and Power Man and Iron Fist.”
Daredevil: The Man Without Fear Omnibus Volume 1 (Issues #16-19, #26-6)
by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
“An epic of ambition, betrayal, and comeuppance culminates with the world learning the devil’s mask hides a pair of blind eyes! The hero of Hell’s Kitchen is assailed as both civilian and super hero by a wave of his worst enemies – including the Owl, Mister Hyde, Bullseye, Typhoid Mary, and the Kingpin of Crime! But it’s the heart of the Man Without Fear that gets the real workout with not only the introduction of Milla Donovan – but also the Black Widow, Elektra, and Echo! Who? Echo! Plus: the mystery of Leap-Frog and the trial of the White Tiger! Also featuring Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and enough other guest-stars to fill a jury box.”
(also, every other issue / volume of Brian Michael Bendis’ award-winning series is a must, too).
Born Again FTW
I looooove Born Again! Should’ve included that, too. Whoops.