Daredevil Season 1 Review

In no shorter than a couple hundred words, I will tell you why you should watch Daredevil.

The Short answer:

It's amazing.


The Long answer:

Taking full advantage of the Netflix broadcasting platform, Daredevil is a blatant departure from the fun-loving, wise cracking movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil masks a side to the universe where Cap and Tony Stark are not influential, the streets of Hell's Kitchen. The streets are rife with drug trafficking, violence, shootings, police and political corruption and on top of all this, a mysterious man who's top of the crime network food chain. Matt Murdock, a daytime lawyer, who was blinded by chemicals as a boy, becomes the vigilante known simply as "the man in the mask", or "the devil of Hell's Kitchen".

Charlie Cox's portrayal of Murdock is brilliant and he is equally impressive when he dons the black mask. Murdock wants to keep his identity a secret, so Cox has to nail both the lawyer by day and the vigilante by night personas, and he plays them both convincingly. However, Vincent D'Onofrio's nuanced portrayal of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of crime behind everything, is one of the best things about the show. He is a compelling villain, but he is no sentient android, space titan or Norse God, he's just a man. He's the best at being both the crazy "snap at any moment" type of villain that could beat you to a pulp, to the methodical villain who is both well spoken and sharply dressed.

The show is excellent at presenting the hostile dynamic between both Fisk and Murdock and excels at character development. Playing out like a 12 hour movie at times, Daredevil doesn't shy away from letting us know about these character's past, their dark secrets and their motivations for their actions. Within the first 2 episodes, Murdock became one of the most compelling characters in the MCU. I think it was episode 8, where we saw Fisk's childhood, did he become an equally compelling character.

What impressed me the most though about Daredevil was the consistency of the storytelling. Having one main villain as opposed to various minor ones throughout the show helped maintain a consistent tone and structure, but I was honestly surprised at some of the detail they went in to layering the story. Small details which were referenced in earlier episodes (for example, Fisk's father Bill owing money to the wrong sorts) came back and became relevant.

Coming out on Netflix and avoiding the pressures of whether or not it'd be suitable for mainstream audiences, Daredevil shows of some of the most brutal, violent stomach churning gore and violence I think I've ever seen, and this is coming from an avid Walking Dead and Game of Thrones fan. The fight sequences are choreographed, executed and shot to perfection, no quick cut editing or shaky cam necessary. There is one scene at the end of episode 2 which takes place in a hallway which blew my mind as to how a fight sequence can be filmed, and apparently it was all done in one take.

Daredevil, while often hinting at the events of the MCU (The Battle of New York) stands completely on its own. It has an interesting environment which the camera brings to life, a vulnerable, relatable hero, a damaged yet powerful villain, and all of the death and violence the MCU movies would never dare to show. It is for sure the most grounded piece of entertainment Marvel has ever released. The fact that will be more Netflix shows, possibly a season 2 with expanded mythos and the possibility of an appearance in Infinity War, Daredevil is part of something truly great, and is equally great in its own right.


Rating - A


Summary - The charm and wit of the Marvel Cinematic Universe + the gruff realism and political intrigue of the Dark Knight + the action and violence of The Raid = Daredevil.



Thanks for reading,
Matt