DAREDEVIL
Released: February 14, 2003
I was more than ready to discount "Daredevil" as I entered the theatre. But I was pleasantly surprised, enjoying it even more than 2002's "Spider-Man" film. Ben Affleck does a rather good job at filling Daredevil's costume. "Alias" star Jennifer Garner is great as Elektra as well. In fact, the whole cast is great here! Michael Clarke Duncan's Kingpin is perfect and Colin Farrell's take on Bullseye is perhaps his best role yet, using his natural arrogant demeaner to full effect. Other cast highlights include Jon Favreau, David Keith, Kevin "Silent Bob" Smith, and the two cast members from "The Sopranos" - Robert Iler (Anthony) and Joe Pantoliano (Ralph Cifaretto). The plot is pretty solid, as it should be for an "origin story" detailing the hows and whys of Daredevil's beginnings. Blinded by radioactive waste as a kid which also enhanced his remaining senses fights crime as an acrobatic martial arts superhero, Matt Murdock transforms himself into a vigilante. Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who also took his own draft of the screenplay to the set, is obviously passionate about the subject and comic books in general. He was a good choice for helming this film and if there are sequels, I hope he stays in the director's chair.
103 Minutes
20th Century Fox