"Daredevil" is the most accurate translation I've ever seen of a comic book to a feature film. I'm not saying that it's the best comic book movie I've ever seen, nor am I saying that it's totally faithful to the "Daredevil" comics, all I'm saying is that it's the closest I've ever seen to a comic book as a movie. The dialogue that you'll find in a comic book is often cheesy. Sure, there's cheesy dialogue and one-liners in plenty of movies, especially comic book movies, but the cheesy dialogue you'll find in an actual comic book is distinct. "Daredevil" is filled with those one-liners and that kinda dialogue. Also, in a comic book, there are lots of holes in the storylines, and tremendous inconsistencies with the characters. The powers of a particular superhero function one way in one storyline, and in another storyline, the powers function a little bit differently, and no explanation is given. Comic book geeks (a subculture of which I consider myself to be a card-carrying member) have to be very forgiving, otherwise, we'd be bitching about every comic book we read. "Suspension of disbelief" for a comic book geek is a lot wider than for the average person. We have no choice. Over the last 60 years, "Batman" has probably been shot at about 10,000 times. He's been hit... I dunno, maybe seven or eight times. Flesh wounds, of course. It's a good thing we have that wide suspension of disbelief, and that we're so forgiving of character inconsistencies, because we need that when watching "Daredevil."
"Daredevil" is a movie made by and for comic book geeks. True comic book geeks can watch the movie and point out the things that make this movie like a cinematic comic book. True comic book geeks know the significance of a character being named "Jack Kirby," another being named "Quesada," and the name "John Romita" being on the marquee of the boxing match. And of course, true comic book geeks can easily spot the cameo by Stan Lee, just like they could in "Spider-Man." Oh, you don't know who Stan Lee is? Wow, then you're nowhere near being a comic book geek!
I really, really, really like this movie. It's filled with problems, it's got tons of flaws, there's one inconsistency after another, and there are holes in the story that a convoy of trucks can easily drive through. Still, warts and all, I really enjoyed "Daredevil." I'm certain that most comic book geeks will agree with me. I'm just as certain that non-comic book geeks won't like it at all. They'll roll their eyes and call it stupid. It's not like "Spider-Man," "Batman," "Superman," or "X-Men," all of which are familiar to all and easily accessible. "Daredevil" is the kinda movie you either get or you don't.
Comic book geeks tend to be big fans of Kevin Smith. In case you don't know, Kevin Smith is the filmmaker best known for making "Clerks," "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," "Dogma," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (in all of those movies, he plays the role of "Silent Bob"). He himself is a comic book geek (he's even written comic books, including "Daredevil"), and all of his movies are full of comic book references (especially "Mallrats," which actually has a pivotal speaking role for Stan Lee). In the movie "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," there's a part where "Daredevil" makes a cameo. Well, Kevin Smith has a cameo in this movie! "Daredevil" makes a cameo in a Kevin Smith movie, and Kevin Smith makes a cameo in a "Daredevil" movie. Cool!
Sorry, I'm easily amused.
I'm gonna do something different. Usually, I write a paragraph about the acting in the movie, and I name some of the actors and actresses who I feel deserve mentioning, for better or for worse. This time, I'm gonna break it down, so I can talk about that actor/actress, the character they play, and how I feel about that person being cast in the role.
Ben Affleck
- "Matt Murdock"/"Daredevil"
A lotta people seem to have it in for Ben Affleck. I don't get it, I happen
to like the guy. I remember when he was in smaller movies like "Dazed
and Confused," "Going
All the Way," and just about all the Kevin Smith movies (that's
right, he was in the one that had the "Daredevil" cameo). In a
lotta DVDs that I have, mostly the Kevin Smith movies, Ben Affleck does
some of the commentaries, and he comes off like a very cool, down-to-earth
kinda guy, the kind you'd babble to in the comic book store. That's right,
folks, Ben Affleck is a comic book geek. Yeah, he might be on the cover
of a magazine where he's called "The Sexiest Man Alive," and Jennifer
Lopez may be his girlfriend, but buried under the Hollywood glitter and
media hype is just another comic book geek. And his favorite comic book
happens to be "Daredevil." I was very happy when I found out that
Ben Affleck got the role, because I knew that he was a fan of the comics,
and it was a role he really wanted to play. Years ago, I remember a TV-Movie
called "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk," and though I loved
the old TV series with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferigno, the TV-Movies really
sucked. "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk" featured "Matt
Murdock"/"Daredevil" in a pivotal role. He was played by
Rex Smith, and it was pretty shameful. It was a horrible two hours that
I went through watching it, and I remember being really disappointed with
how "Daredevil" was portrayed. He's such a cool character, but
the TV-Movie didn't do him justice. The costume was pretty bad, too. It
was an all-black outfit that made him look like a completely different superhero.
Thankfully, the movie did a lot to wash away memories of "The Trial
of the Incredible Hulk." I thought that Ben Affleck was excellent in
the role, though anyone who despises him won't suddenly like him after watching
the movie. They'll hate his performance just for the sake of hating it,
but realistically, it's very good. He made not only a compelling "Daredevil,"
but a compelling "Matt Murdock." Ben Affleck kicks ass in this
movie, and I hope he earns some much-deserved respect. Unfortunately, he
probably won't.
Jennifer
Garner - "Elektra Natchios"
There was a lotta controversy over who would be cast as "Elektra."
Early rumors had Lucy Liu and Penelope Cruz cast in the role, and both were
HORRIBLE choices. "Elektra" is Greek, and neither Lucy Liu nor
Penelope Cruz come close to looking Greek. Ugh, I REALLY woulda had a problem
with Penelope Cruz in that role. Thank God she didn't get it. Those rumors
may have been just that. For all I know, they weren't even considered for
the role. The Internet is always filled with rumors, especially when it
comes to casting choices in a comic book movie. The current rumor is "Joe
Millionaire" as the Man of Steel for the next "Superman"
movie, so that should give you an idea. Anyway, when Jennifer Garner was
finally selected, it seemed like people didn't know what to make of it.
She doesn't look Greek, but as the gorgeous star of the TV show, "Alias,"
she definitely has what it takes the play the role, even if she doesn't
look it. Well, I'm happy to say that she's AWESOME in the movie, as I knew
she would be (I wasn't one of the non-believers... I'm a fan of "Alias,"
and I thought she was the perfect choice to play "Elektra"). She's
great, and so is the chemistry she has with Ben Affleck. Every scene that
has Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner together are great, and they're the
best scenes in the movie. The scene in the playground, the happy scene in
the rain, the not so happy scene in the rain, the fight scene... all of
them are great. You really feel for "Elektra" watching this movie,
and Jennifer Garner does a perfect job of telling you about her sad life
with mere facial expressions. I just wish that the movie did more to explain
her past and her life. Also, she's hardly in the movie in superhero form
(actually, "antihero" is the better term). In the comic book,
she spends a lotta time as the ass-kicking alter ego. In the movie, it's
just one night. At least, that's all they show. I really hope they do an
"Elektra" spin-off, 'cause she's a fascinating character. By the
way, her costume in the movie is nothing like it is in the comic book. In
the comics, it's red, like the "Daredevil" costume. In the movie,
it's black. That's fine, though. I like her costume in the movie better
because it shows off her belly.
Michael
Clarke Duncan - "Wilson Fisk"
There was even more controversy with Michael Clarke Duncan (he worked with
Ben Affleck in "Armageddon"...
he was nominated for an Oscar for his role in "The
Green Mile") being cast as "Wilson Fisk." In the comic
book, the character of "Wilson Fisk" is white. Why is he black
in this movie? Hell, even in the shitty TV-Movie, "The Trial of the
Incredible Hulk," "Wilson Fisk" was white. Before I get accusations
of racism thrown my way, let me say this: Do you all remember that awful
"Spawn" movie that came out a few years back? Well, I was a fan
of the "Spawn" comic book that it was based on, but when I heard
about the casting of the movie, I was pissed off. A character named "Terry
Fitzgerald" was to be played in the movie by D.B. Sweeney, a white
guy. That really bothered me. In the comic book, "Terry Fitzgerald"
is black, so dammit, he should be black in the movie! I feel the same way
here. However, setting all that aside, Michael Clarke Duncan is really good
in the role. Out of all the characters in the movie, "Wilson Fisk"
is probably the least true to the comic, but the general idea is there,
and Michael Clarke Duncan does a really good job with it.
Colin Farrell
- "Bullseye"
A lotta people seem to really like Colin Farrell in this movie (for those
who don't know, Colin Farrell is an Irish bloke who's been doing well making
his way in Hollywood... he had a big role in "Minority
Report," and he starred opposite Al Pacino in "The Recruit").
Even those who don't like "Daredevil" say that Colin Farrell is
the one good thing about it. I disagree. In fact, I think he's the film's
weakest link. He's way over the top, WAAAAY over the top. It's too much.
As for his costume, well, he doesn't really wear one in the movie. That's
probably a good thing. If he were to wear a costume like the one in the
comic book, it would look very, very bad. "Bullseye" has a very
dumb looking costume in the comics.
Jon Favreau
- "Foggy Nelson"
For those of you who don't know, Jon Favreau is a quirky writer/director/actor
who's well-known to fans of independent film. He starred in "Swingers,"
which he wrote, and he starred in "Made,"
which he wrote and directed. He writes funny dialogue, and as an actor,
he does a good job of delivering it. In "Daredevil," Jon Favreau
plays the kind of character he played in "Swingers" and "Made,"
and that's fine. It makes for great comic relief in this movie, and he's
very funny. In the comic book, "Foggy Nelson" is more dorky and
funny-looking, but Favreau still brings the spirit of the character to the
film, and he's perfect.
There are other notable people in the movie, including Joe Pantoliano as the reporter "Ben Urich," David Keith as "Jack Murdock," and Leland Orser as "Wesley," but I already wrote too much. I'll just say that they all did really good, as did everyone else in the movie. Again, I really liked everyone in the movie, but Colin Farrell was too over the top.
Would you believe me if I told you that the guy who wrote and directed "Daredevil" is the same guy who wrote and directed "Simon Birch"? Not only that, he wrote "Grumpy Old Men," "Grumpier Old Men," "Big Bully," and he helped write that pathetic "Jack Frost" movie that starred Michael Keaton. Yep, same guy. His name is Mark Steven Johnson, and ya gotta wonder how the hell he was able to convince 20th Century Fox that he should be the one to write and direct the feature film version of "Daredevil." Personally, I think it was passion. Johnson is a die-hard "Daredevil" fanatic, and it was his lifelong dream to make a "Daredevil" movie. Look, the guy's not Spielberg, he's got some ways to go before he's a great director, but his love of the material is obvious, and I appreciate the work he put into it. There are plenty of problems with the script, and as a director, he's good, not great. I respect the work he's done, though. I'm proud of the guy. It's not a perfect movie, but like I said, it's the closest I've ever seen to a comic book as a film.
I'd really like to see the director's cut of this movie. Apparently, the first two cuts of "Daredevil" that was submitted to the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) received R-ratings. Mark Steven Johnson had to make a lotta cuts he wasn't happy about in order to get the PG-13 rating. Hopefully the DVD release will be available in a director's cut.
The movie is based on the comic book "Daredevil" created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett. The actual screenplay is loosely based on the "Daredevil" stores written during Frank Miller's incredible run. Frank Miller is widely considered to be one of the best comic book writers in the business. Aside from his awesome run on "Daredevil" (he created the character "Elektra," by the way), he also wrote "Batman: Year One," "Sin City," and what I consider to be the best comic book story ever written, "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns." Unfortunately, he's not the best when it comes to writing movies. Frank Miller helped write "RoboCop 2" and "RoboCop 3." They were bad movies, but I'm sure they woulda made great comic books.
Did you know that the guy who directed "RoboCop 2" also directed "The Empire Strikes Back"?
I should probably mention that even though the movie uses Frank Miller's run on "Daredevil" as the source, the origin isn't exactly the same as the one you'd find in his 4-issue mini-series, "Daredevil: The Man Without Fear," which updated his origin. In other words, "Stick" is nowhere to be found.
For those of you interested, if you'd like to read Frank Miller's great run on "Daredevil" without having to spend a ton of money, you should go buy the trilogy of trade paperback comics called "Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller." It comes in three volumes. Together, the three volumes collect issues 158 (May 1979) through 191 (February 1983), as well as a couple of other goodies. Actually, issue 162 isn't included, though I don't know why. Maybe Frank Miller didn't write it.
Part of me wants to give "Daredevil" a higher rating, but there really are a ridiculous amount of flaws in the movie. Still, I found it very entertaining, and I look forward to seeing it again in theaters, and then again when I buy the DVD. Especially if the DVD has the director's cut.
Scale of 1-10: 8