(2003)
1.5
Jeremy Wheeler
After the 1-2-3 successes of Blade, X-Men, and Spider-Man, adaptations of Marvel Comics characters were finally getting the kind of cinematic justice denied to them by their dark years of mistreatment in the '80s (Fantastic Four, anyone?). It was imminent, then, that there would be a stinker somewhere down the line. In 2003, the chaos theory was proven correct, although the film in question didn't sink as much as it stumbled. Mark Steven Johnson's Daredevil had many things going for it, with the director and star being longtime comic fans and the fact that they were adapting arguably the best Daredevil tale ever written -- Frank Miller's Elektra saga. So what went wrong? With some, it started with the casting of the Daredevil himself: lawyer by day, costumed crime fighter by night, Matt Murdock. Known more for his cocky smirk than superheroic stature, Ben Affleck spelled casting misstep from the get-go. Surprisingly, for those that give him the chance, he isn't that bad. Rarely do his usual annoyances shine through (it doesn't hurt that his face is covered half the time) and the chemistry that he and Jon Favreau create is refreshing and fun. As with any great superhero tale, the lead character is only as good as the villains, of which old horn-head has in spades. Sidestepping the racial hurdles, Michael Clarke Duncan simply is The Kingpin. His intimidating physique and tone work perfectly for the crime lord (much better than poor John Rhys-Davis in the Trial of the Incredible Hulk TV movie), but it's the hopped-up Colin Farrell that manages to steal the villain spotlight in this one. Insanely over-the-top, his wild-eyed take on Bullseye is a hoot and a half -- sure to be argued over between cheese and film-lovers alike for years to come. Sadly, praise cannot be given for all the cast -- especially when your name is Jennifer Garner. The Alias star is not only a complete bore as the female assassin Elektra, but the highlighted-hair campus sorority girl look defies the mystery of her role and cheapens the love story arc of the characters. To be sure, there's no doubt how impressive she handles the kitanas, but when tackling this character, Garner needed to do more than to just look great in the movie's bloody brawls. Speaking of which, the kind of dark and kinetic action poses yet another misstep in the production. While some scenes are spot-on (with famous shots straight from the comic), choppy editing hampers others with FX money shots that look exactly like numerous other of hits of that time. Worst of all, Daredevil is littered with the loudest, most obnoxious metal tracks ever heard in a major motion picture. No matter what dynamics are being played out onscreen, you can be sure that it will be scored with some of the worst, most out-of-context, over-testosteroned mess of noise and white-boy rap wailing this side of Jet Li's sci-fi letdown The One. Mix that with a condensed script that feels, well, condensed, and it's not surprising that the film comes off as so forgettable. Mark Steven Johnson might have preserved the look and feel for his beloved character, but he failed to fully realize the true vision of the source material. With an Elektra film on the horizon and immense DVD sales, there's no doubt this series will go on. Just hope it's less frustrating the next time out of the gate.
Daredevil on AllMovie
Daredevil (2003)
