Is 'Marvel's Daredevil' a worthy version of the superhero's story?
The 2003 film version of 'Daredevil' wasn't a success 鈥� is a Netflix TV series a better venue for the superhero's tale? The show stars Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, and Vincent D'Onofrio.
'Marvel's Daredevil' stars Vincent D'Onofrio.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Viewers are now able to see the adventures of another Marvel superhero, but these ones will be on the small screen rather than at movie theaters.
鈥淢arvel鈥檚 Daredevil,鈥� based on the comic book superhero of the same name, premiered on Netflix on April 10 as a 13-episode first season. The superhero Daredevil is also known as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer whose other senses are increased and who decides to fight crime.聽
鈥淒aredevil鈥� was previously adapted as a 2003 film starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, and Colin Farrell, but the movie was not a success. Monitor writer Lisa Leigh Connors wrote of the film, 鈥淭en minutes into it, you won't need superhuman senses to realize it won't be a great movie鈥� Sure, there's plenty of action 鈥� almost too much 鈥� but the characters aren't likable, it's thin on plot, and the acting is robotic鈥� the bloody violence is exhausting and grotesque.鈥�
The new TV adaptation stars 鈥淪tardust鈥� actor Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, while Deborah Ann Woll of 鈥淩uby Sparks鈥� plays Karen Page, a love interest for Matt, and Elden Henson of 鈥淛obs鈥� portrays Matt鈥檚 friend and professional partner Foggy Nelson. Meanwhile, actor Vincent D鈥橭nofrio is portraying the villain known as the Kingpin.聽
鈥淚 just brought in this kind of character who in one sentence could easily go from being a child to a monster, depending on where his emotions take him,鈥� D鈥橭nofrio, who starred on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent,"聽told .
In an early review of the show, Brian Lowry of called it 鈥渄ark, brooding, and violent.鈥�
鈥淭his is a pretty faithful retelling of the comics, while embracing a tone similar to Frank Miller鈥檚 invigoration of the character in the 1980s,鈥� Lowry wrote. 鈥淭he pulpy style and brutality (torture is one of Daredevil鈥檚 tools) clearly seek a higher sense of realism, which must be balanced against the notion of a blind superhero who can shimmy up walls and whose spectacular hearing lets him function, among other things, as a human lie detector. Helpfully, Cox brings the necessary mix of grit and Marvel-esque self-doubts to the dual role鈥� operating in Netflix鈥檚 pay-to-view world is clearly liberating, in much the way animated direct-to-DVD titles enable the comics companies to cater to knowledgeable fans without needing to worry too much about luring the uninitiated into the tent. And the binge prospect should be helpful in getting people hooked on the overarching adventure.鈥�