Daredevil
daredevil
"they say freak. when you're singled out. the red. well it filters through" --Chevelle, "The Red"
a man wearing a devil mask clings to a cross in the middle of the night with blood dripping down over the church. nice image to introduce a film with. batman eat your heart out.
say hello to daredevil. This movie accomplishes something I would say Spider Man didn't, in that it makes me want to go and read the original source material. For all the good he did, raimi still didn't get past the fairly straightforward narrative into the depth of the character (which I won't blame him for, he did well). Daredevil reveals a plane of existence which people live in (anger), where Spider Man told about a path from naivety to responsibility.
Daredevil is character-driven. It isn't obsessively about the struggle between good and evil, or guilt, or all that stuff, it's about a man coping with his limitations of physicality and morality. It's not preachy most of the time (note to the director: sometimes we get what's going on without the narration), and when it is, the heavy-handedness is forgivable.
Ok, enough generalizations... it is a solid movie.
The actors did great. Ben Affleck's "blind" body language seemed totally natural, and he even holds his snuff in the action scenes. In the acting scenes he's a bit cold, but that's an attribute of his character, so it works. The pain on his face makes it across, and that might be the most important part.
This casting director did great in my book (or whoever found these people). Jennifer Garner is a perfect combination of brains, athleticism, and emotion. This is a big step from Dude Where's My Car (though not far from the solid Alias), and I'll give her props for it. Following her, Michael Clark Duncan does a good job of making the Kingpin menacing in a greedy way rather than an "evil because I can" stigmatic way. Colin Farrel's character is a bit too over-the-top for me, but that's a minor quibble because I'm sure he was written and intended that way.
And I like Joey Pants. He could tell me a story about a man named jeb and I'd probably like it. And I liked Jon Favreau's sidekick character (Plus One). Would have liked to see him do more than a glorified bit part, but maybe that'll be solved in the sequel.
sidenote: kevin smith ain't all that bad as an actor, even when he has dialogue
The special effects are numerous (and well done overall), but I'd like to make special mention of the radar-sense. This is one of the best special effects I've ever seen. It's logical, and it's visually stunning (the dripping water in the hospital just made my eyes go wawa). Whoever designed and implemented this deserves to get a raise.
A complaint.. the editing. Sure, it has one or two scenes where the editing is almost subtle (ALMOST), but overall it goes with the trends and butts it's Riddlin-needing head in every time someone touches someone else. It's not overtly annoying, but I'd have liked the movie more if they'd have spent a little more time getting the right scenes rather than getting the right coverage (and mish-mashing it later).
Another complaint... the music. Probably some of the most misplaced music I've heard in a while can be found in this film. I don't remember any specific instances anymore, but it is sure noticeable when it happens. (it's like playing DMX over a game of bridge--trying to imbibe a moment with an emotion that isn't anywhere near appropriate).
I think that's it.
Summary: the music sucks (save one or two songs), the acting's good, the special effects are great, and the movie is definitely worth seeing.
Matinee's all around.
"It's like waiting for the ocean to save you from the waves"
--Finger 11, "For the Ocean"
I give it 3 out of 4.
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