Daredevil Starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner Directed by Mark Steven Johnson Rated PG-13 for action/violence and some sensuality **3/4 out of **** Stars, Movie Grade: B

Theatrical Release: February 13, 2003
Running time: 110 minutes

by Kevin Lang

Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who previously directed 1998's "Jack Frost" and "Simon Birch," "Daredevil" was a decently enjoyable comic book film that offered a story that was a little too complex for a two-hour movie, or at least this two-hour adaptation.

Daredevil's character (Matt Murdock) was the only one given adequate treatment by the film. We watched him as a boy when he suffered an accident that left him blind, yet at the same greatly enhanced his other four senses. Like in "Spider-Man," our young hero's new powers gave him the ability to overcome a local bully, this time played by the Sopranos' Robert Iler, and like in almost every superhero movie, we got to watch Matt practice and develop his unique abilities.

Though there may be subtle similarities, Daredevil was not Spider-Man. Daredevil was geared more toward an adult audience. This isn't to say that kids won't enjoy it. They just might not pick up on the deep internal struggle that was going on inside Matt Murdock, who tried his best to convince himself that he was doing "good." Daredevil was not as straight-edged and untouchable as other superheroes portrayed in recent films, such as Batman or Spider-Man. Daredevil often got injured, he didn't always save the day, and he battled his own demons, all while trying to do what was "right." I liked these things about the character. It made him seem more vulnerable and less impenetrable. The film successfully got underneath the skin of the character, which I was pleased to see.

The problem with "Daredevil" was that while we saw and learned quite a bit about Matt Murdock, we failed to get the chance to learn enough about the rest of the characters, who remained rather underdeveloped throughout the film. Bullseye (Colin Farrell) came to get rid of Elektra (Jennifer Garner) and her father, but where did he come from and how did he know the Kingpin? Fans who read the comic books may not care if this was absent, but I wanted to know.

The Kingpin, played by Michael Clarke Duncan, was not a menacing villain. He was barely on the screen enough for me to care about him, let alone fear him, and it wasn't until the end that he became a little more involved in the story. He did not nearly have the onscreen presence that both The Joker and the Green Goblin did, two characters who were almost as much a part of the movie as the hero himself. Even with Bullseye there to take up some of his screen time, I still wanted more from this character.

In the end, "Daredevil" barely succeeded in establishing a worthy foundation for a superhero franchise. I enjoyed certain things about the film, like how the rain allowed Daredevil to see Elektra, or how he needed to sleep in a water filled coffin in order to dull his senses enough to get some shut eye. As far as the story went, the filmmakers failed to create a memorable movie experience. They did however manage to sketch the first draft of an attractive new onscreen superhero.

"Daredevil" Review written February 13, 2003, CTF.

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