Written and Directed by Mark Steven Johnson (Characters and Comics by Frank Miller, Stan Lee, and Bill Everett)
Starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell and Michael Clark Duncan
103 mins / 20th Century Fox / Rated PG-13

The Poster.

In case you live in a comic book free world, as many well adjusted folks seem to be, Daredevil is an adaptation of a long running comic book by the same name. It's the story of Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck), a blind lawyer who fights crime by night. With his 'radar sense' he leaps from building to building, fighting crime and bringing the guilty to justice.

What's great about the film is the seedy look it gives to the life of the superhero. For Daredevil, it's never glamorous and it's always painful. We see him popping pills and soaking in a shower. Matt Murdock doesn't have any superhero strength - he's an ordinary guy with extraordinary abilities.

You almost wish that the film was longer - it really calls out to be adapted into something epic and wonderful. It's still good, just not great. But it's probably one of the better superhero movies out there - certainly on the same level as Spiderman and Batman. The direction is nice and it certainly helps that the same person both wrote and directed the movie. You don't see that too often with big blockbuster films, but it gives Daredevil a consistent tone that keeps your interest.

The judge is the other way, Matt.

Both Affleck and Garner are fantastic. It takes a moment getting used to seeing Affleck in a funny suit and hat, but you quickly get over it. He's performance allows you to forget "Ben-Lo" and just focus on the character and his need for revenge. Garner slips much easier into her role - fans of Alias are used to seeing her kick ass on a weekly basis. The two have great - you understand why two people such as these would have gotten together. It's Colin Farrell's over the top BullsEye that provides the real fun, though. We relish in every over-exaggerated gesture, because he's so damn cool (and he could kill you with a paperclip.)

The fights are fun and always interesting, especially when they make use of Daredevil's sonar sense that allows him to see sound waves. In practice, this effect is great and really makes sense. It's a good representation on how he might work without sight.

Elecktra and Bullseye face off.

The film does have some negatives. Elecktra and Daredevil's romance is touched upon, but it's not long enough to understand why they feel so deeply for each other. We need to see their lives, we need to see why they care for each other. Instead we're given the superficial structure and expected to fill in the blanks.

Of course, I'm a huge fan of Daredevil and have been before I heard they were making a movie. For me, the tone of the story remains loyal to the books, although it takes some liberties. You keep wanting more story though, and it never comes. Daredevil could have been the Lord of the Rings of comic book movies: epic, violent and moving. Instead we get more along the lines of Spiderman - fun, entertaining, but lacking the substance that a comic book nerd craves.

Movie Grade: B+

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