DAREDEVIL

US, 2003, 103 minutes, Colour.
Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Colin Farrell, Joe Pantoliano, Jon Favreau, David Keith.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson.

Daredevil is based on a series of Marvel comics. The Marvel comics have had a great run in the cinemas – and a company was formed to produce and market film versions of these comic characters. They include Superman, Batman and Spider Man.

Daredevil did not have the great success of the other characters. Perhaps this was due to Ben Affleck being Daredevil. He is not the most dynamic of actors, rather wooden at times. This helps in the fact that his character is blind, but it meant that he lacked the charism of, say, Michael Keaton, Christopher Reeve or Toby Maguire.

On the other hand, Jennifer Garner (later to become Affleck’s wife) made an impact as Elektra and was given her own movie with that name.

Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile, School for Scoundrels) is Kingpin, the crime boss of New York. He has a new hit man, Bullseye. He is played with manic humour and determination by Colin Farrell who had emerged at this time as a star but was yet to appear in Alexander, SWOT, Miami Vice and become a household name.

The action adventures are standard material – with a touch of the religious dimension with Matt Murdoch, the blind lawyer by day, Daredevil by night, being a Catholic and given some church and confession scenes with the parish priest.

The film was written by Mark Steven Johnson, writer of the Grumpy Old Men series who wrote and directed his first feature, the interesting film about children, Simon Birch. To show that Daredevil’s lack of success was not necessarily his, he wrote and directed Ghost Rider, another Marvel comic adaptation, with Nicolas Cage – which was a box-office bonanza in 2007.

1. The popularity of comic-book heroes on the screen? Their tradition, especially _.. Batman in the 80s? The city, justice, the touch of the vigilante, the masked hero, the quiet alternate individual upholding the law? Daredevil as offering the same ingredients, the differences (the hero blind)?

2. The New York City settings, the city as the home for the superhero, the streets and apartments, the offices of the wealthy, the streets of the poor? Musical score and songs?

3. The initial focus on Daredevil, his being under threat, his dropping into the church and the significance of the church? The advice of the priest? The flashbacks to his boyhood, the twelve-year-old, his being able to see, his world, bullied by the kids, his devotion to his father, shocked by his father and his being an enforcer? The accident, his blindness? The Daredevil point of view and the Matt Murdoch point of view? Reality and fantasy?

4. The film and its style, hero, more modest than many of the other comic-book heroes? More engaging because of that?

5. The themes of justice, the hero as saviour, avenger, vigilante, challenging law and order, changing? The impact of death on Daredevil's life, his father, Elektra? Moved by grief?

6. The preponderance of Catholic icons, the opening and the church, the crucifix, the priest? The later confession sequences, his confessing his angers, the priest's advice? The Catholic tones about integrity and guilt? The finale with the priest helping him?

7. The explanation of Matt Murdoch turning into Daredevil, from the age of twelve, the idolising of his father, his shame? The impact of the chemicals and his blindness? Recovering the father-son relationship?

8. Daredevil in action, the journalist and his watching him, the articles, the police and their scepticism, Matt's best friend and his disbelief?

9. Daredevil in action, the range of criminals, petty crime, serious, his attacks, the violence of them, restoring order? The response of the police?

10. Matt as a lawyer by day, blind but effective? His best friend, their discussions, the restaurant, Elektra and the meeting? Matt's attraction towards her, his skimpy vision of what she might be like? Touch, talk? The sexual relationship? Her father, the dangers, his assassination? The set-up to blame Daredevil? Elektra blaming Daredevil, the confrontation, stabbing him, taking off the mask, knowing the truth? Her own death? Daredevil wanting to avenge her?

11. The character of Kingpin, his ring, emblems? His wealth? The flashbacks to the fights, their being fixed, Matt's father and his taking the fall for Kingpin? Kingpin years later, wealthy, his offices, staff? The larger than life character, his laughing at danger?

12. His calling in Bullseye, Bullseye as young and mad, violent, enjoying his work, riding his bike, the killing attempts, the death of Elektra? The confrontation with Daredevil?

13. The final build-up to the confrontation with Kingpin? Matt learning the truth? The journalist seeing what happened, knowing the truth but deciding not to publish it?

14. The minor characters, his friends, Franklin and their discussions, the journalist, the police? Kingpin and his subordinates?

15. The impact of comic-book heroes, heroes who can do anything if they put their minds and energies to it?