Daredevil (2003) 20th Century Fox
1 hr. 36 mins.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Colin Farrell, Jon Favreau, Joe Pantoliano, David Keith, Erick Avari, Coolio, Ellen Pompeo
Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson
Rating: ** stars (out of 4 stars)
There were elements of grandeur thrust upon writer-director Mark Steven Johnson’s dark superhero flick Daredevil. Despite the anticipation of the famed stoic blind crime-fighter’s arrival on the big screen, Johnson’s sensationalistic fantasy is surprisingly another arbitrary stunt-infested motion picture that has plenty of kinetic movement yet never really goes anywhere with its energizing format. Daredevil is inspired by the Frank Miller “Daredevil: Born Again” comic book series. Although there are some traces of borrowed allure from previous successful superhero features such as Batman and Spiderman, Johnson’s narrative will simply benefit from the appeal of the comic book hero genre that’s inevitably looking to flood the big screen market in ubiquitous fashion (remember this when The Hulk and The X-Men 2 invade your cinematic psyches in a matter of time).
No one will deny the honest attempt at action-packed grittiness that the movie dares to aspire to with its introspective leanings. But with suspect acting from wooden lead Ben Affleck (J Lo’s personal hotshot boytoy and the perennial buddy/collaborator of comic book-worshiping film director Kevin Smith who makes a cameo in this film), irksome one-dimensional over-the-top villains and the familiar murky moodiness fueled by CGI-induced gimmickry, Daredevil misses the mark as both a spontaneous tongue-in-cheek narrative and as a legitimate brooding vengeance vehicle in the appropriate sullen spirit of the off-kilter The Crow for instance.
Affleck stars as the complicated and blinded Matt Murdock, an individual who lost his eyesight involving an unfortunate biohazard entanglement connected to the strong-arm tactics of his father Jack “The Devil” Murdock (David Keith). As a measure of redemption pertaining to this particular experience, Murdock flirts with the concept of turning himself into an edgy crusader in the name of justice and fairness for all. Not succumbing to the physical effects of his disabling blindness, Murdock trains feverishly in a physical, mental and psychological persistence in order to accomplish his mission and overcome his childhood demons (hmmm…much like in the tradition of Batman’s Bruce Wayne). Eventually, Murdock will reinvent himself as the Daredevil, the prowling and sleek red leather-clad vigilante with the uncanny athletic ability to fight furiously and move effortlessly through the haunting evening who’s armed with only his strong sense of sound and smell—not to mention using his specialized walking cane as a unique tool for transporting the sightless avenger from rooftop to rooftop a la Peter Parker’s alter ego Spiderman.
True, Murdock’s crime-fighting endeavors occupy his valuable time during the ominous and shadowy echoes of the unpredictable night. But he also gets to perform his civil duties without the constant rigors of dodging weapons and clashing with the riff raffish element during the day as well. Matt lodges his own mini-wars on a subtle level as a pro-bono lawyer fighting for the cause of the mistreated and misunderstood public at large. Helping Matt work the undesirable cases at the firm is his self-deprecating partner Foggy Nelson (Jon Favreau), a disillusioned soul who finds working with the underprivileged clients somewhat of a downer (here’s a tip Foggy…move on to the rich clientele that can serve your financial purposes better—wouldn’t that be the common sense thing to do?)
Clearly, Matt Murdock is in the everlasting struggle to convey his brand of humanity to the same world that robbed him of his innocence as a youth. Whether as a well-meaning attorney with an abundant consciousness or as an emotionally plagued superhero with defective eyes but a reflective heart, the agenda is quite self-explanatory: unselfishly give yourself as a sacrifice to the promotion of righteousness and harmony. One thing is for certain…the well-intentioned Matt Murdock/Daredevil tendencies are deeply felt even though most of the time he comes across as a self-aggrandizing acrobatic cliché.
It appears that good ole Murdock/Daredevil has his hands full with a couple of sleazy characters looking to put a capital “T” in trouble. Crime boss Kingpin (played by The Green Mile’s Michael Clarke Duncan) is a GQ style dressed mountainous man who has the control of New York City under his sinister grasp. He relies heavily on his pumped-up rascal-like Irish henchman Bullseye (The Recruit’s Colin Farrell), a psychotic slug who enjoys spreading the pain and misery with noted flair. Anyway, the ruthless Kingpin has something special for the crazed Bullseye to carry out—he wants the punkish nutcase to dispose of Ambassador Natchios (Erick Avari) and his lovely curvy daughter Elektra (Jennifer Garner from ABC-TV’s spy series Alias).
Elektra Natchios is a breathtaking beauty that exudes charm and a deadly skill—she is a handy kung fu cutie who also fancies a knack for creatively wielding swords when faced in combat. Interestingly, Elektra is Matt Murdock’s devoted lover but on the extreme side of the spectrum, she’s Daredevil’s determined foe out to destroy the justice-seeking night stalker. Apparently Elektra is under the false impression that Daredevil was the menacing force who killed her beloved father. She is, in many ways, the feminine version of Murdock’s Daredevil in that she’s a wounded soul looking for her own defining resolution.
Johnson (Simon Birch) assembles a cockeyed storyline that is sketchy in forethought even though his exposition is suppose to focus its attention on a tortured young man looking to iron out his identity and gain a self-discovering respect for himself and his fellow man. This is all well and good but Daredevil fails to move the audience in both the grieving process of its tainted protagonists and in its ability to work as a spry and flashy action-adventure. If anything, the plot lumbers through the motions while awkwardly reminding us of every detailed trait done so effectively as in the aforementioned outings such as Batman, Spiderman and The Crow.
There’s a seedy vibe about this picture that’s fascinating but Johnson is unable to capitalize on this tidbit thus giving us an incomplete void to draw our sensory juices on. The imagery of the film is fabulous in its dank and grotesque showy state that is good enough to accept as a delightfully hallucinatory hellhole. As a production, Daredevil is viable as a freakish display courtesy of the creepy atmospheric synergy that the film provides in palatable droves. It’s just too bad that the film’s heuristic resonance couldn’t be transferred to its non-involving players. The Marvel comic books are definitely more imaginative while rendering the clumsy screen adaptation an ambitious but disjointed session.
Affleck has never been known for his acting chops so this question comes to mind: why in the world would you have this particular stiff actor portray such a perplexing and confused superhero at odds with his self-image and overall integrity? Obviously Affleck doesn’t have the flexible range to translate the noteworthy torment of such a redemptive characterization. Because Affleck is a box office “name” that makes the little girlies swoon, this may be one of the main reasons behind ensuring the mainstream following of Daredevil’s impact. The creation of Matt Murdock/Daredevil was meant to embody a different kind of anti-hero--one that was drenched in seriousness and ambiguous anguish. However, Affleck never really quite manages to exhibit the inner turmoil needed to give his on-screen personas any distinctive depth. Playing a pretty boy with above the surface pain just doesn’t do the trick when promoting one of the most resilient but flawed superheroes to emerge from the comic book pages.
The supporting cast doesn’t exactly escape any criticism either. Garner is probably the best out of the lot as far as character development is concerned. Her Elektra Natchios is a welcomed combination of a romantic daisy and fire-breathing dragon all meshed together in one ball of uncertainty. She’s a vulnerable vixen and we essentially like her spunk. Still, Garner’s kick butt antics may be a tad bit reminiscent of her Alias television role that audiences are privileged to see weekly on the boob tube. Duncan doesn’t make much of an impression as the larger-than-life criminal mind Kingpin. And Farrell, the up and coming charismatic badboy making the rounds in a slew of movies that’s sure to feed his growing profile, elects to unwisely deliver an overly animated performance as the vile Bullseye. It’s one thing to chew up the scenes and make them your own but Farrell goes overboard while threatening to cross the line in tedious exaggeration territory. The conventional premise is rounded out by minor characters that are thrown into the mix to add some tension to the proceedings but to no avail: Joe Pantoliano plays the prototypical investigative reporter Ben Urich looking to get an exclusive scoop on the daring and elusive Daredevil and giddy assistant Karen Page (an underused Ellen Pompeo) that acts as a reliable right arm.
What a darn crying shame that Johnson couldn’t resist from revisiting the same old standard formulaic set-up of having his disturbed leading man delve into the mayhem aided by the unresolved feelings of his distant daddy’s passing only to be challenged by a ridiculously hammy arch villain. Not only is this blueprint tiresome, it’s undemanding and an instant throwaway concept not worth exploiting. Daredevil was never really a household name (in spite of its vast underground following) much like his other well-known contemporary crime-bashing brethren. But thanks to the regrettable shoddy acting, scattershot computer-generated effects too indistinguishable to make out in the dismal rainy fight sequences, an uneven and unconvincing romantic match-up between the two lead lovebirds/rivals, annoying small and pointless cameos, a shameless ending that practically screams out “SEQUEL” and a bland fratboy Affleck donning a bright colored leather suit while strutting around the movie like some oversized red chili pepper, this lackluster affair is too laughable to digest in one sitting.
Daredevils are traditionally known for taking chances. In the case of this hysterically despondent presentation, this glossy stunt simply backfired in its inert execution.
Frank rates this film: ** stars (out of 4 stars)