So, it feels like it's been twelve million years since I last wrote one of these opinion posts that wasn't religiously skewed, but really, that's just how good Marvel Studios and Netflix's new Daredevil series is. I even did fan art!
If you're looking for a full-fledged review of the series, you can find those at many other sites. This post is more of me just gushing about the series and a basic run down of my favorite parts of the show.
1. The Black Costume-
As soon as the Matt Murdock's black costume was revealed last year, the question everyone was asking was where was his iconic red costume and what would it look like? Despite poor reviews on the film itself, Ben Affleck's Daredevil costume was actually pretty good looking, so how the new version would compare was a pretty hot topic.
But I actually really like the super basic black costume Charlie Cox's Murdock sports for the majority of the series. It really drives home that Daredevil is a street-class hero and sets him apart from Iron Man and Captain America. I also appreciate the callback to Daredevil's original live action appearance in The Trail of The Incredible Hulk, which continues the MCU's reverence to the series started in the previous MCU film, The Incredible Hulk.
2. The Leads-
I really, really enjoy Charlie Cox's take on the often-conflicted character Matt Murdock. There's a good mix of vulnerability, compassion and conviction in the performance that really underscore's Murdock's need to be Daredevil. I also enjoyed his chemistry with his supporting cast, especially co-star Elden Henson's Foggy Nelson.
Of course, I can't not talk about Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk, whose multi-layered portrayal of the character make him as relatable as our hero. Even though Fisk is the primary antagonist of the series, it's still painful watching him lose so much as the story progresses. Another nice touch was introducing the character in a scene showcasing his social awkwardness and having a slow build to his first villainous scene.
3. The Sidekicks-
Really, I think I would have liked to put this topic above the leads because, for me, it was the side kick characters that really stood out and built up their respective sides of the story.
Foggy really brings the humanity to Murdock that keeps him from being too brooding and too distant from the people he's protecting. The conflict between himself and Murdock is also handled really well and I was pleased that it played out the way it did.
On the villain side of things, Kingpin has his own confident in James Wesley, his savvy secretary played by Toby Leonard Moore, whose wholehearted and genuine care and devotion to his boss makes the character really endearing despite his evil bent. To be honest, Wesley is my favorite character from the series and is definitely in my top 5 favorite MCU characters.
4. The Big Picture-
Like all things related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil references the world's history and sows the seeds of it's future. Daredevil's journalist ally, Ben Urich's office features framed newspaper clips recalling scenes from The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers. Later episodes tease directions for future Daredevil adventures and feature hints at characters that have yet to appear. Even Daredevil's bandanna is worn in similar style to future hero Iron Fist's costume.
5. The Fights-
Finally, the action choreography in Daredevil follows a very close second to the action in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, making fights visceral and realistic. The anything-goes-style of the fights further sets this series apart from the rest of the MCU; even on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D fights focus much more on martial arts and putting foes down in as few hits as possible, in Daredevil, we get normal guys fighting normal guys and it really adds to the girt of the series.
All in all, Daredevil was an amazing production and really stands out even amongst the incredible pedigree of Marvel Studios' projects. The series is long and rich enough to really savor, but also short enough to warrant multiple viewings. Definitely a series well worth your time, whether viewing it a few episodes at a time, or as a binge watching affair.
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