Daredevil - Review

A departure from the standard superhero TV series, bringing the bleak comic book character to life.

He's not as cool as this

I'm not much for streaming TV services, but I quite enjoyed 'Bosch' from Amazon, so thought I'd take a good look at Netflix's 'Daredevil' series. Those familiar with with the Marvel character (ignoring *that* movie) will know that this is Marvel's closest parallel to DC's Batman; a hero who deals with the day-to-day, small-life, everyday crimeworld, rather than the global or interstellar problems the likes of the Avengers handle. 

Daredevil is a blind defence attorney, Matt Murdock, who fights crime during the twilight hours as a customed superhero, operating in the grim Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood of New York, fighting the seemingly all-powerful Kingpin of crime, Wilson Fisk. Let's be clear - Daredevil is a grim read; often facing seemingly insumountable odds, and rarely 'winning' his battles against an array of powerful nemeses. His alter-ego seeping into his personal life, badly affecting those closest to him. Even in the early 80s, love-interest Karen Page had turned to prostitution to pay for her drug addiction (yes, it's not big on laughs). He's a complex character conflicted by strong moral and religious views, in a dark, criminal controlled world, which often makes you wonder why he bothers trying to save it.

Murdock & Page

And to Marvel's, and Netflix's, credit this is the hero we get in the series. The 'superhero' element is light, and we're given a programme more akin to latter-day police dramas. A city oppressed by dark undercurrents; corruption; bad cops; powerful companies; and a bleak future for Joe Public. The series starts quickly, only unfolding Daredevil's back story slowly, and follows a narrative that sees college friends Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock starting up their defence firm by taking on the case of Karen Page, who has become their secretary by the end of the first episode. It's not until episode three that we even see Daredevil's arch-enemy, Fisk, or even hear his name.

The first four episode are outstanding. Gritty, brutal fight sequences, full of bone-crunching brutality. This isn't a series that would occupy a prime-time Saturday evening slot ... you'd seek it out past the water-shed, after the kids are safely tucked away. Some of the earlier set-ups are clearly there to demonstrate Daredevil's more prosaic skills over other superheroes; this isn't a flashy, powerful, demi-god - this is the guy who just about holds his own.

Episodes five and six drop the pace a little, and are weaker episodes, but the next episode introduces 'Stick' played by Scott Glenn, and gives us the first true glimpse into Daredevil's origin. Stick, and his agenda, are crucial to the larger story arc which we don't see much of in this series, but again we're given a correct 'Stick' - an unsympathetic, harsh, tutor, determined to create weapons, not heroes. Beyond this, the story continues at a fair pace, and all elements are beautifully in place by the climax of the series. There's much still to be told, but we know who we're dealing with by the end of the 13 episodes.

"Stick. Mighty Stick"

The cast are very good. Charlie Cox in the title role is excellent. There's a lot to be asked - his accent is believable, his mannerisms stilted, or flowing depending on who he's being, and he conveys the inner conflict with subtlety. Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page is perfect for the role. Someone with inner strength, determined to stand up for herself, and whose affections are torn between Nelson and Murdock. Then Vincent D'Onofrio as Fisk is rightfully terrifying. A man on the edge of violence, liable to strike out at any moment, but also cold, detached, and even sympathetic.

Don't mess with Kingpin

There are some niggles. The Daredevil of early episodes seems less capable than the one we exit with; by necessity most of the action takes place at night, and the visuals can be hard to make out at times; Elden Henson as Foggy, although looking the part, wavers at times early on; there's a tad too much empathy being evoked for Fisk; and Vanessa seems fairly indifferent to Fisk's livelihood, even though it's clear she knows what's going on around her.

Other reviews have likened the series to the Frank Miller (Sin City, Batman) seminal run on Daredevil, which created the characters of Bullseye and Elektra. I think it's closer in look and feel to the later 80s period written by Ann Nocenti (and beautifully drawn by John Romita Jr), when Daredevil was closer to the heart of Hell's Kitchen, and engaged in trying to make it a better place to live. To help it drag itself out of the hell it had become. In either case, it's pleasing that Marvel haven't eschewed the fundamentals of the character by trying to create a more "family-friendly" Man Without Fear. This is the real Daredevil, and I'm grateful for it.

Definitely worth a watch, even if you don't much go for superhero series.