Marvel’s Daredevil Season 2 Review (NO SPOILERS)

Howdy ladies and gents, after all the waiting and waiting and WAITING, we’re here in 2016 and Marvel’s Daredevil season 2 and I’m here to review it. I adored the first season and made mention of that in my review, and after an epic binge over the course of Saturday from midnight to nightfall, I binged the hell out of this show coz I’m crazy and I’m an addict. So how does the second season of Daredevil fared? Well read on and find out! (Oh and careful for spoilers from Daredevil season 1, though I can’t imagine why you’d be reading this if you weren’t aware of transpired last season)

So what’s the story for this season? Well Matt Murdock is still a blind lawyer by day and continues to fight crime at night as Daredevil and things seem to be going well after the incarnation of Wilson Fisk, however new challenges come in the form of the dangerous Frank Castle/ Punisher, and Matt’s ex-girlfriend Elektra Natchios, things get a lot more complicated as Hell’s Kitchen becomes home to all new levels of crime and chaos.

From the beginning things kick off pretty quickly as you’re filled in with what’s transpired since last season and then get introduced to the new plot elements and characters that will inhabit this world for the forseeable future. This season is all about morality, the value of life, relationships past and present, and when you take the law into your own hands, how far is too far? And with those themes comes new layers of darkness, psychological issues and sensuality through the storytelling and character moments that’s so incredibly dramatic, engaging and heart racing. This season also gets into some thought-provoking areas when covering the Punisher and Daredevil’s different ideologies and brings up questions like: Is the criminal justice system enough? Where does one draw line? Is it right to take a human life? And if one crime is worse than another does that person deserve death or a shot at redemption? We really get into the mind space of what it means to have rules and whether they should be abided by or not when they don’t work, and seeing both sides of the argument really adds some perspective not only to this part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also for superhero adaptations in general.

I would also say that this season is better with its pacing and storytelling resulting in more consistent and satisfying episodes than before which just made me want to jump on the next episode immediately. Another aspect of note would be legal material. More so than last season, the lawyering is at the forefront and there’s a lot more conversations dealing with the law and how it works, the research, evidence and how it can help and hinder certain cases, and court room drama too which is very good and full of suspense and tension. Nelson and Murdock are really put through their paces and have interesting new hurdles to overcome and it is really well written and captivating stuff. Oh and the references to the comics, last season and Jessica Jones were awesome, it was nice world building too. And that’s all the stuff I can tell you, believe me there’s so much I want to share about this show, but it’d be giving away too much good material, suffice to say that there are plenty of surprises and moments that’ll frigging blow your mind! XD

Episode highlights include:

• Bang
• New York’s Finest (personal favourite)
• Penny and Dime (personal favourite)
• Kinbaku (personal favourite)
  
• Semper Fidelis
• Guilty as Sin (personal favourite)
• Seven Minutes in Heaven (personal favourite)
• The Dark at the End of the Tunnel
• Cold Day in Hell’s Kitchen
  

When it comes to the cast, the returning members all do such great job as they’ve settled into their roles but have also gained additional layers too, while the new players do really well to change things up and yet stay relevant to the main plot. Firstly there’s Charlie Cox who is once again wonderful as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. He’s still very smart, courageous and cool, but he’s still flawed and has issues with his duality as a superhero and lawyer that make his life a lot more complicated and the way it unfolds is such a whirlwind of emotions, and Cox handles his material so well. I also believe this season also dives a little deeper into the mind of Matt; what drives him to do what he does as Daredevil and how it affects the people around him. Elden Henson also steps up his game as Franklin “Foggy” Nelson, this season he’s in a more interesting place not only because of the legal material he has to deal with but also the lies and complexities that come with being friends with Matt and hiding his secret. Deborah Ann Woll does a fantastic job as Karen Page too, unlike last season she had her uses but was primarily a background character, here she’s a lot more pro-active, has her own agendas and her efforts are quintessential to this season’s story and characters.

The newcomers are just as important, so let’s start with the man who nearly steals the whole show, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher. This is how you do the Punisher justice. Prior to this series both Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson have portrayed this character in 2004 and 2008, and while both of them had elements of the character done right, neither of them had the full package, but Bernthal has it. Here we have a man on a warpath, who is calculated, strategic, driven and scary as hell, but behind all his exterior there’s a tragic story that almost justifies his actions and makes him human/relatable. Bernthal really has a good lock on what makes the Punisher so engaging to watch whether he’s fighting, shooting or giving speeches, this man is like a hurricane of different things, he moves like the T-800 and yet has a depth to him that’s beyond your average killer. And then there’s Élodie Yung who is so sexy and deadly as Elektra Natchios, Jesus Christ! This woman is perceptive, smart, vivacious, playful and all sorts of trouble, and the backstory she has with Matt is one of most intriguing, fun, destructive and sensual relationships I’ve seen in quite some time. Their relationship in one of passion and toxicity and just seeing how things unfolded in the past and present was incredibly satisfying thanks to some incredible chemistry from Cox and Yung. I also enjoyed the appearances from Michelle Hurd as Samantha Reyes and Stephen Rider as Blake Tower who added an intriguing new dynamic to legal side of things.

And finally there’s some of my favourite returning characters too. Rosario Dawson once again shines as Claire Temple offering her services both as a nurse and counsel for the good guys was great, Royce Johnson also returns as Brett Mahoney and it’s so awesome to see more of him in this season, and of course the cast wouldn’t be complete without Scott Glenn as Stick who is just as rude, sarcastic, funny and hardcore as ever. There are also some other returning faces but I’ll let you discover those on your own. 😀

As for the presentation, it is just as good as ever. Visually the show’s received a bit more of budget for new locations more intricate camera movements, better lighting, more digital and practical effects and more detailed make-up as I think the show’s a little more violent than before. Just like last year the action is badass with some beautiful fight choreography, gun fights, explosions and the introduction of ninjas just made everything better. Also John Paesano returns again to craft the soundtrack and it is fairly dramatic, emotionally gripping and awesome.

So are there any problems with this season, well yes there is. This will really depend on the individual, but for me there were certain storylines that didn’t pay off in the way that I’d hoped, and you could argue that Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk left such a major impression on fans last season, that this season definitely a little empty without him being the primary focus of Daredevil’s missions. Plus while most characters get moments to shine, certain people (me included) will be disappointed with the amount of screen time and specific character arcs that they’ve gotten.

In conclusion season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil is absolutely fabulous, I cannot praise it enough. While it may sound like I’m just a biased fanboy, if you really looked at this season as a whole, it takes the foundation of first season and improves on it in every way with such incredible attention to detail with the story, character development, action sequences and expanding this world’s mythology. I think your appreciation for this show will depend on what you want from this season and whether you loved the first one or not, but in my mind this is easily the best TV-based superhero material available. I’m already hyped for season 3 and I’ll probably be sure to watch this season again very soon. 😀

Rating: 9/10 (Even more fun than the first season)

So have you seen season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil and is so what do you think of it? Did it meet or exceed your expectations? And I’m also curious to know which did you prefer, season 1 or 2? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters. 🙂

 

QUICK REVIEW: Daredevil Season 2 Trailer #1 (Part 1)

Howdy people of the internet, so yesterday the first official trailer for season 2 of Netflix’s Daredevil dropped online and needless to say a lot of comic book fans lost their minds. With the recent release of Deadpool, the awesome final trailer for Batman v Superman and now this, it has been a great time for fans.

Check out the trailer below:

This trailer, ah man it makes me so giddy!

Watching Daredevil last year was one of my favourite TV experiences of 2015 and waiting for season 2 has been so agonising especially after it was announced that Punisher and Elektra would be joining the show. So we had that teaser trailer back near the start of January which only showed snippets of new footage, but with this trailer we got a much better look at what to expect and I’m SO hyped!

Frank Castle aka Punisher looks like he’ll be so frigging badass. This trailer gives us introduction of Punisher into this world, how he functions and how he’ll be a difficult foe for Daredevil to take out. Punisher looks like a lethal assassin stepping into Hell’s Kitchen and leaving a trail of bodies in his wake, he’s clearly Daredevil except much hardcore and hearing some of his quotes highlights how dangerous he is, stuff like “You’re a half measure” “You know you’re one bad day from being me.” and my personal favourite “You hit them and they get back up, I hit them and they stay down!” Oh lord, scary words being spoken there. Jon Bernthal right now looks like he’s gonna kill it in this role and I hope that it leads to a Punisher TV show as we need some of this beautiful madness.

But this trailer isn’t just about Punisher, we get to see Matt Murdock again and this trailer highlights that he has challenges to deal with Karen and Foggy, but also with confronting Punisher and realising how lethal and relentless he is. Looks like Matt’s gonna get messed up fighting Punisher with these brief glimpses of mortal combat going on. I also enjoyed the brief shots of some of my favourite secondary characters Father Lantom and Brett Mahoney, seeing Claire Temple again is great, Karen and Foggy look good too. But the most interesting is the appearance of Elektra just at the end of the trailer, she looks very calm, cool and happy to see Matt even though he’s more surprised/aggressive towards her. I hope that in the second trailer we get to see more of her and her combat skills too.

In conclusion season 2 of Daredevil is looking so cool and I need this in my system possibly more than any of piece of comic book stuff coming out in the near future. It looks dark, tense, bloody and violent and I CAN’T WAIT. I need it now!

So are you hyped for Daredevil season 2? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀

 

Comic Book TV Shows of 2014-2015 – Let’s Compare

Howdy ladies and gents, now as promised a little while ago in Upcoming Stuff For This Blog, I’m finally getting around to talking about those comic book TV shows. This is the first of a few blog posts on this subject matter (if I can write them up soon enough). So as it says in the title of this blog post I’m basically going to look at the comic book TV shows that started September last year up until May this year. I’m annoyed its taken me almost 2 months to get around to doing this post but I finally have some free time. And just to clarify before I begin even though The Walking Dead and iZombie are comic book shows, they won’t be counted unfortunately. Minor spoilers to follow…

Arrow

Arrow was a show I was reluctant to watch at first because of the hype behind it and the whole dark and gritty approach aesthetic, but I really ended up liking seasons 1 and 2, and so I was super hyped to see what would go down in season 3. So imagine my surprise to find out what a disappointment last season was overall. Now don’t get me wrong, there was a lot to enjoy. I liked the earlier half of the season with the introduction of characters like  Ra’s al Ghul and Ray Palmer, and then there’s some of the progression of the characters from season 2 as well which was interesting. The action was still super slick, nicely shot and well-choreographed, and the crossover material with The Flash was cool. But my problem with Arrow‘s third season is that it loses its focus, it felt like the focus was less on Oliver and more on everyone else, also the stories in this season just weren’t as engaging as they were before, there was also some annoying love stories taking place and the flashbacks which were once an interesting look back into Oliver’s life, just became tedious and far-fetched. Plus there were just some bad decisions made with some of the characters and stories that made this season more of a chore to watch more so than anything else.

As for how it compares to the other shows it is hard to say. While it’s clearly not in the same league as The Flash and Daredevil, you can say that it was better than Constantine and argue it was better than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter, but I honestly had more fun with those shows than Arrow but that’s just me.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a show that most people had given up on by the time season 2 started and it only had its loyal fan base to keep the viewership alive. Luckily season 2 corrected a lot of the problems with the first season by moving at a quicker pace, having further development of the established characters, having more action sequences and hand-to-hand fights and utilizing the comics better. The people behind the show did well to use characters and stories from first season and bring them back here, but in addition to that they were able to introduce more new characters and make them fit into the overall dynamic of the show while also changing up the basic formula. There was more drama for Coulson, we got answers for why Skye was so special, we finally found out about Melinda May’s past and got to see more of evil Ward. But the biggest reveal of this season was the introduction of the Inhumans which changed the structure of the show a lot and added the super-powered aspect to the show which it really needed. With all that being said season 2 still had problems with creating engaging stories for people who weren’t familiar with the show, some of the new characters were wasted and because of the swift pace some stories felt rushed.

When it comes to comparison, AoS was better this season, better than Constantine and in my mind more fun to watch than Arrow. And I liked it a little more than Agent Carter too. But it was nowhere near as good as Daredevil or The Flash.

The Flash

Ah The Flash, the show that a lot of people are claiming to be the best comic TV show ever, and for good reason because it’s pretty awesome. I feel like this has been the most consistent, fresh and fun first season of any comic book TV show I’ve seen in these modern times of comic book adaptations. While I’m not too familiar with the Flash source material, that did not stop me from engaging with the show’s characters and stories. What’s so great about this first season is that it is not another dark, gritty and realistic superhero affair like arrow or the Chris Nolan Batman films, it is light-hearted and comedic, it also embraces its super-powered side, is also self-aware, has plenty of fan service for fans and still finds time to be dramatic and emotional when the time comes. Even though this season is an origin story for Barry Allen, there’s a lot of groundwork being made for his friends and enemies, and storylines that will come to pass in season 2. I think my only issues with the show was that the first few episodes were a little slow and had that annoying CW habit of inserting popular music in episodes when it clearly wasn’t needed.

As for how this show compares to the rest would argue that it is the best as it had such a nice balance of action, drama and humour. Daredevil comes in at a close second because of its style, genre and action but lacks the consistency and fun factor that this show has.

Constantine

Constantine is another one of those shows that most consider a failure, I mean look at all the problems it faced:

1. It was on NBC
2. It had a bad time slot
3. It was barely marketed so no one really knew about it
4. The show made a lot of sacrifices with the source material which turned a lot of fans off

The show was fighting an uphill battle and add on top of the facts above that it was less adult than the comics, had so-so reviews and very little viewership. It is no wonder that the show got cancelled considering all of those factors. That being said, I thought the show was pretty good and I know that there were a good few people on the internet that were fans of this show too. I think what made this show good was two key factors: 1) It was the only superhero TV show that had a heavy focus on the supernatural/horror side of comic books and 2) It had a great central performance from Matt Ryan, while the rest of the cast were good, but it was Ryan’s performance that made the show worth watching. While it did start out a little slow, I reckon it was around episode 4/5 when things started to get interesting, eventually in the final stretch of episodes things started to get pretty dark, dramatic, suspenseful and pretty creepy.

When you compare Constantine to its other DC counterparts it just did have the same kind of engaging stories, style and heavy focus on action that Arrow and The Flash had. You could argue that it was the weakest of the bunch in this list of shows, that’s not to say that it was terrible, but in my opinion the other shows were a little more show of themselves and had a lot more charisma.

Agent Carter

Now let’s talk about Agent Carter‘s first season. This show is very different from the other mainly due to its length, 8 episodes is a pretty short time span, that being said it allowed this show to tell a concise, interesting and action-packed story. Getting to see more of Peggy Carter’s adventures after Captain America: The First Avenger and seeing what kind of challenges she faces, not only around the workplace, but also emotionally and physically when she was kicking ass. This show did a great job of showing off both Peggy’s vulnerability but also her badassery, and pairing her up with Edwin Jarvis was great as they made for an unlikely but hilarious pair. I liked the ties to the comics and other MCU films, the use of new villains and interesting action they were able to pull off considering the 1940’s setting. I will say that as much as I liked the show, I would have liked more spy-oriented material, some more likeable main characters and a swifter pace for some of the story elements in the first half of the season.

As for how it compares to the other shows, Agent Carter was good and some fans said it was better than Agents of S.H.I.L.E.D. and while this show was a little more consistent, I think it didn’t have as fun characters or as interesting fight scenes. I will say it was better than Constantine and I liked it possibly more than Arrow‘s last season. Still doesn’t have anything on The Flash or Daredevil though.

Daredevil

Daredevil is the only one of these shows I’ve had the chance to see twice, and had I been blogging about the show after my first viewing I would have probably been singing its praises and would have said that it was the best show. However my love for the show has taken a knock since watching it the second time round. That is not to say that show’s bad now, far from it. Daredevil is still one of the most intriguing, different and violent shows I’ve seen in the comic genre and it’s brilliant. What you have to appreciate about this show is the crime drama setting, the great cast of characters, choreography of the action sequences and darker tone within the MCU. The main performances from Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are great (especially with D’Onofrio who has humanised one of the best Marvel villains and given him a new interpretation with this show). The show isn’t perfect though, it does waste some of its good characters, and some of the stories leading up to the finale aren’t as impressive as what’s come before which does affect the quality of the show which before episode 10 in my opinion is near perfection.

As for how it comes compares to the other shows on this list I would say it’s just behind The Flash as the best of the bunch. The show makes a few missteps and has some inconsistencies that just make it a little less great than it should be.

So that’s my thoughts, thanks for reading. Be sure to comment below and let me know if you think my opinions are correct or not, and if you have your own opinions about the shows above, write them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next blog post. Laters! 😀

 

Elodie Yung To Play Elektra In Daredevil Season 2!

Howdy people of the internet, time for some TV news and it is relating to the second season of Marvel’s Daredevil, we already got confirmation that Punisher was entering the fray and now we’ve got even bigger news. The following information comes from superherohype:

Once he loved her… Now she is his most deadly enemy! Elektra is coming to Netflix’s Daredevil season two!

Mentioned by Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson in the first season, Elektra will be making her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the upcoming second season of the hit Netflix series, “Marvel’s Daredevil.” Marvel just announced that the iconic assassin will be played by G.I. Joe: Retaliation and District 13: Ultimatum star Elodie Yung!

Elektra Natchios was created by Frank Miller and her made her comic book debut in Daredevil #168. Marvel‘s announcement today describes the part as being that of “a mysterious woman from Matt Murdock’s past whose dangerous and exotic ways may be more than he can handle.”

“After a worldwide search, we found in Elodie the perfect actress to embody both Elektra’s impressive and deadly physicality, as well as her psychological complexity,” says Executive Producer and Head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb. “Paired with Charlie as Matt Murdock, the two will bring one of the most beloved and tumultuous comic book relationships to life with all the accompanying sparks and spectacular action sequences the show is known for.”

Elektra isn’t the only deadly character joining the Daredevil season two lineup. It was recently announced that “The Walking Dead” and Fury star Jon Bernthal will play Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, when the series returns in 2016.

So yeah I’m down with this. While I don’t remember her in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) or G.I. Joe: Retaliation (though I’ve forgotten a lot of things from that film for a reason), from what I’m reading she’s a capable actress with martial arts experience so that’s good news already. I may have to check out some more of her material to get a better idea of how she acts but again it seems like Jeph Loeb knows what’s going on with her and I believe that she’s gotta have something special to take on this role. I just wonder how big of a role she’ll play and how she’ll factor into the main cast, will she be hanging around with Matt, Karen and Foggy or just Matt or Daredevil or with the enemy? I have predictions but won’t say anything until more details come out.

I’ve seen a few people online complaining about her being too skinny or being a French actress instead of being Greek, but these are trivial nitpicks at best, if the actress can do the job then shut up and get over it. When it comes to casting everyone has an opinion and a lot of the time their opinions aren’t always the right ones, though one person did suggest Eliza Dushku, and I’d be down with that 100%, maybe it’s because I’m biased towards her, but hell in my eyes she’s amazing. But anyways, it seems like the people behind the show have confidence in her so I’m gonna give her and chance and I hope that he’ll be just as great as the cast we’ve been given so far. 🙂

So what do you think of Yung playing Elektra? Are you down with the casting or not and are you hyped to see both Elektra and Punisher in Daredevil season 2? Please comment below and let me know. Laters! 😀

 

Getting Back on Track

Howdy people of the internet, time for a quick blog update. As you may have seen, before my recent Terminator Genisys review, I was pretty vacant on this blog for a few days and I just wanted to clarify the reason for my absence and the lack of certain material I promised a while back.

Reasons For My Absence

So last week I left to go back to Sheffield to volunteer at the Children’s Media Conference for the second time and it was hella fun. Such a great experience to help people but also to learn and network within the media industry, and I also was reunited with some old friends and made a bunch of potential new mates too, so all in all it was a great 4 days away. In that time off I was away from my laptop (which I left back at home), and while it’s been fun not having to write anything I feel like I was wasting a bit of time by not doing any of my blogging activities. That being said, after the last Month of Superhero Films Reviews, I am pretty beat, that was a lot of time taken out of my days to watch all of those films, review them and keep up with all my other daily activities. So the few days I’ve had off have been so delightful and uplifting haha. 🙂

Even though I’ve had a few of infrequent breaks recently, we all need them from time to time.

Delays On Previously Promised Material

Back near the end of May in one blog post had promised discussions on comic book TV shows including The Flash, Constantine, Marvel’s Daredevil and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and even though it’s been a while since the buzz surrounding the shows have disappeared (well at least until Comic-Con), I have plenty to share about the shows that aired and wanted to do some comparison work too. So it is still coming, I promise!

ALSO, at this point I feel ashamed that I haven’t gotten my Buffy season 6 review online yet, right now it’s been around two months since I finished season 6 and I have yet to get my thoughts together completely to have a fully written review. But it’s around 2/3’s of the way done, but its there’s a lot of character stuff to finish up. I hope it’ll be up by the end of this week so I can start and finish Buffy once and for all with season 7.

I promised this stuff before and it is still coming, honest! 😛

To conclude, I’m still alive and still have much material for all of you to read (well, those of you that still read this blog after all this time), just hold on. Until next time, laters! 😀

 

Jon Bernthal to Play The Punisher in Marvel’s Daredevil!

Howdy people of the internet time for some TV news and it is related to Marvel’s Daredevil. Now the details about the second season have been coming out little by little, but there hasn’t been anything big come out… Until now. The following information comes from superherohype:

“Jon Bernthal (The Wolf of Wall Street, “The Walking Dead,” Fury) has joined the upcoming season of “Marvel’s Daredevil,” streaming on Netflix in 2016! Bernthal will portray The Punisher, one of Marvel’s most popular characters. He is a vigilante who aims to clean up New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen by any means necessary, no matter how lethal the results.

“Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences,” said Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television. “Castle’s appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.”

“Marvel’s Daredevil” is Executive Produced by Doug Petrie (“American Horror Story,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”), Marco Ramirez (“DaVinci’s Demons”) and Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods, “Lost”), along with Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Marvel’s Jessica Jones.”)”

So I saw this on my Facebook news feed and I wasn’t sure if it was just a rumour or actor stating that they wanted to play a Marvel character, but then I saw multiple sites posting it online and knew that it was for real. So my first thoughts on this? Fuck yes I’m down. I mean I’ve always like Thomas Jane, but his time as the character has come and gone. And if I am to be honest, if Frank Grillo never ended up being Crossbones in Captain America: The Winter Soldier then he would have been my first choice, that being said Bernthal is great actor, while Shane pissed me off in The Walking Dead, he was a great character and Bernthal has done good work in film too especially in Fury. If given the right look and right material to work with I believe he’ll kill it as Frank Castle/The Punisher. The only question that comes to mind now is, how does Frank Castle fit into Daredevil season 2? Will he be around to be an adversary to Matt Murdock or will he be an ally? Does Castle have his own agenda or is he working for someone (SPOILERS: maybe Wilson Fisk from inside jail)? No one knows but it does make you wonder and the hype for the next season of this show increases tenfold for me because not only was the first season so good, but we’re now getting a fan favourite character now being brought to life in the MCU. Praise the lord! 😛

So what do you think of this news? Is this good casting or not, and are you hyped for Daredevil season 2? Please be sure to comment below and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters! 😀

 

Marvel’s Daredevil Season 1 Review (NO SPOILERS)

Howdy ladies and gents, today I come to you with my review of Marvel’s Daredevil. You know the show’s only been out since Friday, but I just had to binge it as best I could while having to go to work on Friday and Saturday night haha. Since I already did an impressions blog post on the show, I don’t want to repeat myself for those who have read it, so I’ll try to focus on points that I didn’t mention before and abbreviate previous topics. So how has the first season of Daredevil fared? Well read on and find out!

So what this show about? Well, the show involved Matt Murdock, a man who at a young age was blinded by chemicals and because of that incident his other senses were raised to superhuman levels. So by day he is a lawyer but at night he fights crime and tries to improve the state of Hell’s Kitchen as costumed vigilante, Daredevil.

This show’s structure has been described by the actors and producers as a 13-hour movie and rightly so, this show has a sequence of episodes that all connect to each other, whether it is from episode to episode or if there are elements in earlier episodes that come to pass in the latter half of the season. Everything is connected and it gives off a great sense of continuity and cohesion. I also like how some episodes bleed into each other, like say how certain events that take place at the end of one episode will be picked up immediately in the next, it again makes things feel connected.

The show feels like a crime drama but also mixes it together with a lot of the cool superhero codes and conventions and references we’ve come to expect, there is an origin story but it is handled in a brief and smart way through flashbacks that relate to the action at hand (like Arrow). What this show does well with the stories is that there is a lot of mystery, intrigue, humour and drama, it is all mixed together in a very natural and fulfilling manner. The consistency for the most part is great, from the first episode you a given a very gripping near hour of TV and that quality continues as the season advances, and that in turn makes the show very addictive. I also like the pacing of the show, this show moves fairly quick, a lot of story and character elements are set up and established, but it never feels like things are moving too fast as there is enough time delegated for all of the events in the episodes.

Episode highlights include:

• Into the Ring (personal favourite)
• Cut Man (personal favourite)
• In the Blood (personal favourite)
• World on Fire
• Condemned (personal favourite)
• Stick (personal favourite)
• Shadow in the Glass
• Speak of the Devil (personal favourite)
• Nelson v. Murdock
• Daredevil (personal favourite)
  

When it comes to the cast, the cast do a really good job at establishing these characters and give such wonderful performances. Firstly there’s Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, he is great, he rides the line between good and evil very well, Murdock is as a person who wants to do the best for his city and protect the people he cares for, but goes to very extreme measures to get what he wants. Cox is very charming and convincing in this role and I love what he’s done with this character. Equally or more impressive is Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, wow, what a beast! This version of Fisk is a little socially awkward and is a little more vulnerable than what we’ve seen before, that being said, when he’s angry, he’s like a bloody force of nature and the stuff he does in this series is nothing short of insanely brutal. D’Onofrio was perfect for this role, he has the right level of subtly, mystery and anger and I loved his scenes when he was delivering the pain, but also when he learnt more about his backstory.

Elden Henson as Franklin “Foggy” Nelson is another strong character. He could have been a one-note character because of his comic relief nature, however he gets into the thick of the action, is a very charismatic and resourceful person who has an importance to the story. Together Henson and Cox have great chemistry and you really by the friendship that Foggy and Murdock have. Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page is great too, she is a valuable person in this show as she brings a lot of fun and emotion to this show, she’s surprisingly tenacious and stronger than she appears. She has some great chemistry with both Murdock and Nelson too. Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple is lovely, I appreciated that she approached her situations with a calm, yet firm and realistic manner, and Dawson acts with such care and beauty, whenever she was gone I wanted to see more of her. Toby Leonard Moore is awesome as James Wesley, he was Fisk’s right hand man and I liked how confident, suave and efficient he was. Moore was so good as being such a reserved man, but on occasions showed just how smart and dangerous he could be. Then there’s Vondie Curtis-Hall who did a great job as Ben Urich, Bob Gunton as Leland Owlsley offered a lot of interesting and tactical flair and Ayelet Zurer was very beautiful and impressive as Vanessa Marianna. And finally Scott Glenn as Stick, what a legend. The played the gruff, emotionless teacher that trained Matt in his early days and has a mysterious connection to other mysterious parties beyond America. Glenn was so slick, cool and funny in this role and his contribution to this show was one of my favourite parts.

 

As for the presentation, it is gorgeous! This show looks incredible, so much attention has gone into the visual style of the show with the great cinematography, use of colour and lighting and the crisp detail of the picture quality. Oh and the action, OH MY GOD! I love fight scenes in film and TV and this is some of the best work that’s been produced in the MCU, fights are ferocious, aggressive, rough and wonderfully choreographed. Beyond the cutscenes the stunt work is incredible, all of the running, jumping and flipping for Daredevil and some of the enemies he fights is SO good, the stunt work is lovely. Also the soundtrack by John Paesano is pretty good, at times it feels like he is tapping into The Dark Knight Trilogy style of music, but for the most part this music is dramatic, energetic and badass.

So are there any problems with the show, yes, unfortunately there is. I would say that there are moments where some of the characters and story elements aren’t quite as compelling as others and certain decisions made towards the end of the series I would not have agreed with. In addition to that, as I stated before the level of consistency for the quality of this show for the most part is excellent, however, the two episodes prior to the season finale were not nearly as compelling as the episodes that had come before.

In the end the first season of Marvel’s Daredevil is awesome, I had so much hope for this show and luckily it delivered the goods. This show is violent, action-packed, dramatic and just a lot of fun to watch especially if you are binge watching it. While it is not perfect, when it comes to TV-based superhero adaptations, it doesn’t get better than this and I cannot recommend it enough. This has given me much hope for Marvel’s other upcoming Netflix shows, and I can’t wait for season 2, I’m ready for more! Woo! 😀

Rating: 9/10 (Solid, exciting and brutal fun)

So have you seen Marvel’s Daredevil and is so what do you think of it? As a fan of the source material are you impressed with it or think that more could be done? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters. 🙂

 

QUICK IMPRESSIONS: Marvel’s Daredevil (NO SPOILERS)

Howdy ladies and gents, today I wanted to come and do a quick impressions blog post on Marvel’s Daredevil, the new superhero TV show that hit Netflix yesterday. While I do have a review on the way, my thoughts honestly couldn’t be contained, so I just HAD to give you impressions on the show so far. The reason I say so far is because I’ve only seen 7 episodes so far. But I can easily say, without a doubt that this is easily the best comic book TV show right now and is one of the most awesome comic book adaptations that’s existed. Fact.

So what makes this show so good? Well, how about EVERYTHING! Okay, so that’s not a proper answer, but it is hard to fault a show that’s done so much right so far. Daredevil from the trailers promised a lot, it was said to be a gritty, adult crime drama set in the roughest area in New York which would be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but would be a very different from what we’ve seen so far… And it is. This show is everything I hoped it would be and then some, it dark, violent, action-packed and full of drama and at the center of it all you have characters that you care about, that you are engaged with and you want to see what happens next.

I think the show’s biggest strength lies in its consistency, to keep giving you episodes that are engaging, fun, dramatic and add more layers to the stories, characters and overall world. From the start the kicks things off with and bang and it just keeps going, the episodes move at a swift pace, but not too quickly, there is plenty of time for character building, story and action. What it comes down to is pacing, it is good and it never feels too slow or fast, and with each episode things get more and more interesting. The first two episodes are especially impressive as it establishes the world, tone and characters and it does so in such a fantastic way, I was hooked after the first 15 or so minutes, that’s how good this show is.

It also helps that the visual presentation is excellent with such beautiful cinematography and wonderfully choreographed fight sequences that are cool, slick but not over-the-top for the characters involved. Oh and the violence it is delightfully vivid and on display in a wonderful way, there is blood, breaking bones and other gruesome stuff I cannot get into because of spoilers but suffice to say it is some of the most aggressive stuff you’ll ever see in the MCU. And then there’s the characters who are great too. Charlie Cox does a really good job as the title character, he’s very charming, funny and understandable, but also aggressive and badass. Oh and Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin, bloody hell, I knew he’d be great, but this was much better than I had ever anticipated. D’Onofrio brings a level class, style, imposing menace to the proceedings, but he is also very different and human than what we’ve seen other adaptations, and D’Onofrio is such a beast! All I have to say is episode 4, those who have seen know what I’m talking about. Deborah Ann Woll brings a lot of fun and emotion as Karen Page, Rosario Dawson is also very good as Claire Temple, Elden Henson is also very funny and interesting as Foggy Nelson and Scott Glenn is such a badass and brutal man as Stick.

So is the show perfect? Well that remains to be seen, I haven’t really come across anything I didn’t like or hated so far. I will admit that episode 3 was not as interesting when compared to the first two episodes, but that isn’t because the episode was bad, it was still very good, it was just because some of the character and story elements weren’t as interesting for me personally. But that’s the only nitpick I have.

In the end Marvel’s Daredevil is pretty badass so far, it has surpassed so many of expectations and proves that when you have the right team together and want to make a badass TV show, dreams do come true. The show is just so fun, aggressive, violent and dramatic and I’m addicted, I just can’t wait to see the rest. The show has really shown me just how far we’ve come in the world of comic book adaptations and really makes me excited for where TV could take other superheroes that might not make it to the big screen. Oh and this show so far has proved that Punisher needs his own TV show, MARVEL, MAKE IT HAPPEN!

So have you seen Marvel’s Daredevil and is so what do you think of it? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters. 🙂

 

Marvel’s Daredevil Trailer #2 Review

Howdy people of the internet, how are you all doing? With Marvel’s Daredevil bring around a month away now it seems like the advertising is definitely on the increase as we have a new trailer that dropped today. I really liked the first trailer so I was really interested in seeing more footage for sure. So is it good? Read on and find out!

Here’s the trailer:

So what do I think after seeing this teaser? I’m already down for this, give it to me now.

This show is looking better which each new image and video released. I’m not even the biggest Daredevil fan, however, I know enough about the character and it’s fan base to understand how much of a big deal this show is. The show seems a little darker, mature and edgier than what’s come before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sure, those descriptive terms have been used for this show for AGES, but it is hard to describe the look and feel of this footage without using them.

Now this trailer shows us a fair amount of what we’ve seen before in terms of seeing Matt Murdock in and out of the suit, seeing him fight at night and look mashed up in the rain. However there is a greater emphasis on the characters (especially Kingpin) and story, there is also some additional footage that gives us a better look into the world and how certain events will play out.

This trailer seems to confirm what we’ve come to learn about this series from the producers and actors behind the show like:

• Matt Murdock will not be invincible, he will get better as a superhero but will get beaten up a lot along the way
• The black suit will be the primary suit until the classic red costume comes along later on
• Hell’s Kitchen is full of crime and danger
• Kingpin will be a force to be reckoned with

What I appreciated about this trailer is how much emphasis there was on Daredevil and Kingpin when it comes to their ideals, how they take the law into their own hands and how they plan to change New York into a better place. Matt Murdock becomes a hero because he believes with his abilities that he’ll be able to save the place he grew up in, whereas Kingpin seems like a straight up criminal but perceives his actions as moral. I’m loving what I’m seeing from Charlie Cox as the main character, he’s really cool, aggressive and has a good screen presence. But then there’s Vincent D’Onofrio who is looking more and more like he’ll be the most badass version of Kingpin ever. D’Onofrio has this menacing aura and looks rough as heck from the way he speaks and beats the crap out of people. It looks like Daredevil and Kingpin are two sides of the same coin and it looks like they will work their way to up in popularity until they have to fight each other. Seeing more of Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson and Scott Glenn as Stick is nice too.

I also really like the way this show looks. I am  person who appreciates good visual presentation in film and television and in the last five years shows have really stepped up. I have to say that the cinematography in this show looks very strong, it is sharp and detailed, striking with its colour and looks especially good at night with lovely lighting. And you can’t talk about the visual presentation without talking about the action and it looks pretty slick so far. The action looks great with varying degrees of violence ranging from people jumping through windows, explosions, firefights and of course hand-to-hand combat with people being punched, kicked and knocked to ground. And of course there’s blood which may not sound like a big deal but with the MCU being the way that it is these days, a bit of extra violence is welcomed.

But of the best parts of the trailer was at the end with the one guy who says “Maybe if he had an iron suit or a magic hammer, that would explain why you keep having your asses handed to you.” Some could see that as referencing that’s unnecessary or too on-the-nose, but I think it is nice that with one sentence, hardcore and casual fans get a confirmation that this is linked to the films and is part of the MCU as a whole. As a fan you can’t help but smile or get a little giddy to know all of these characters inhabit the same world.

In the end the second trailer for Marvel’s Daredevil is looking very promising. The more footage I see of this show, the more I’m starting to fall in love with it. It looks rough, adult-oriented, action-heavy and character driven. I honestly think this is the most hype I’ve felt for a comic book TV show for a while, and if it delivers then I can see this show making some big waves for not only other Marvel shows but the films as well.

So have you seen the second trailer for Marvel’s Daredevil and is so what do you think of it? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters. 🙂

 

QUICK REVIEW: Marvel’s Daredevil Teaser Trailer

Howdy people of the internet, looks like the time has finally come for us Marvel fans to get a decent look at the upcoming Netflix show, Marvel’s Daredevil. I won’t be going super analytical for this review, instead I’ll be providing my super quick impressions on the trailer. Alrighty then, with that in mind let’s talk about this thing.

Here’s the trailer:

So what do I think after seeing this teaser? Great, I like it a lot, sign me up!

This trailer did exactly what a good teaser trailer should do (much like the recent Fantastic Four teaser), it provides you with a glimpse of things to come, showing off the tone and style, the characters and the type of escapades Matt Murdock will be getting up to.

There’s been a lot of talk about this series for a while now about its gritty, dark and realistic tone and the fact that the show will be very much a less grand adventure and more of an enclosed one, operating within the streets of New York. And in this trailer we finally get an idea of what the people behind the show were talking about. It seems like all their interviews about the show are certainly coming across in this trailer.

A lot of things going on in the various clips we see in this teaser trailer like a shot of the Kingpin, Murdock going to confession, people doing dodgy deals in the street, drugs, people in interrogation, a dead body covered in blood, fighting in the streets, explosions and more. Seems like shit is going down in a very familiar way for anyone who has seen a police TV show, but this is surprisingly more edgy and unfamiliar territory for Marvel Studios who so far have yet to produce anything that comes across like this. Seeing shots of Murdock on top of that rooftop in his black costumer to the moments where he is doing acrobatics or standing behind the door before rushing in, it all screams of coolness, realism and badassery. Also the look of this show from the trailer looks great, a very clean look, good lighting and a lot of shots at night too. And that final shot of Daredevil, in the rain, pulling himself up (possibly after a tough fight) with the blood dripping from his mouth, SO cool. I’m just theorizing here but it looks like Matt Murdoch is going to have some dangerous and touch time ahead here he’ll be battered and bruised and we’ll be able to see it in a more graphic and brutal manner than we’re used to in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which is great.

I hear a lot of people complaining about the lack of the classic red costume and to them I say “Shut up already!” Granted the classic costume is nowhere in sight, however, this show is clearly the origin of how Murdock becomes “the Man Without Fear”, plus the black suit and this show’s story is based on the Frank Miller run of the character from the 1980’s, so there is a reason for it being here. Plus I’m sure its been stated that the costume will eventually make its appearance, so just keep your wigs on and relax.

Overall I’m liking the look of Marvel’s Daredevil, it is looking rough, serious and realistic and I want to see this show sooner rather than later, however April is taking too long. Let’s hope the overall show is what fans have been waiting for.

So have you seen the teaser trailer for Marvel’s Daredevil and is so what do you think of it? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters. 🙂