Daredevil

"Is it really that good?" That is exactly the question I asked myself when I saw the reviews on FilmBooster and IMDb. I am not a big comic book fan. I probably like the DC universe and characters more than the Marvel universe, to be honest. I thought Ben Affleck’s Daredevil movie was completely mediocre, so I was very skeptical beforehand, which was a good thing. I guess it meant I could be surprised more. I was impressed by the dark and gloomy atmosphere from the first episode. I was quickly caught up in the grey, corrupt, and crime-ridden environment, and I found the main male protagonist quite appealing. Furthermore, when the charismatic male protagonist was joined by an even better and more charismatic villain/antagonist, whom I understood and honestly felt quite sorry for at times, I really enjoyed their fights and the struggle to save the city (after all, they were both being sincere). As for the brutality and the fact that we occasionally see some broken bones, a festering wound, or instructions on how to bash someone's head in with a car door, I did not mind that. It is more like something I have come to expect in an anime series with that kind of atmosphere (they are not going to change the spots on a leopard). Otherwise, the most positive thing about this show is that it shows us that nothing is black and white or without issues. It also throws up questions regarding morality and ethics (like how far can I go in fighting crime without becoming a criminal myself?) in a way that  could be understood by anyone. In summary, and going back to the original question, I started with: "Is it really that good?" My answer after watching the first season is "Yes, it is." 9/10. (2015-05-04)

After three seasons I can say with a clear conscience that this TV show (even though it is considered by many to be one of the best collaborations between Marvel and Netflix) is not worth more than 3 stars. The atmosphere resembles Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, some action sequences prove that the creators are action movie lovers but overall, the show is very repetitive and the arrival of Punisher and Electra does nothing to salvage that. The first season introduced me into the world of the surprisingly not entirely heroic Daredevil, introduced a decent opponent Fisk but failed to make me connect to the main characters. The whole supernatural feel stems from the fact that Daredevil is blind and this blindness caused his other senses develop to the maximum. Okay, so the premise is pretty good. The second season brings Punisher and Electra back to the game. They opened Daredevil’s eyes a little bit but overall in the story they were pretty useless. The third season returns to the first season and renews fight with Fisk who was Daredevil’s only proper adversary, the show ended more or less in the place where it started. The only thing that left me with some kind of impression was the series of actional sequences, which saved the individual episodes many times. Not only were they very well filmed but they also looked well executed choreography-wise, and a lot of contemporary action movies could envy Daredevil in this respect. The rest, however, was mediocre. (2019-03-27)

A well-made series. The atmosphere is absolutely perfect. I love the cast, especially Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. As the main villain, he outshines all the other characters and steals the show for himself. Plus, the action scenes are not frantically overdone, the characters go through interesting development and the whole series is surprisingly civil despite being based on a comic book. (2016-10-13)

I was hoping for something like this, the first episode gives me great expectations. The raw atmosphere of a horrible quarter of New York, greedy magnates, stylish heroes. I was particularly pleased with Charlie Cox who I was a little unsure about, but he turned out to be a charismatic powerhouse. If Marvel series all were like this, it would be wonderful. And now give me some R-rated Punisher action. Season two exceeds all expectations. Getting the Punisher involved is a great move and every confrontation with a devil from hells kitchen is worth it. Jon Bernthal is unrivaled as Frank Castle. At last the executioner gets some special treatment. Veteran crushed by losing his family, eliminating mafia low-life at last has the right depth. Add to that Electra and a mysterious plot by quiet warriors who drink kids’ blood. Breathtaking action scenes in every episode. Deborah Ann Woll finally has an intriguing storyline, Foggy stops being a blabbing waste of space and Matt slowly loses everything. Marvel’s Dark Knight. I look forward to the next season. Season three: A return to grassroots. The ninjas and Electra were fine, but confrontation with Fisk is much more personal for Murdock. Season three is very dismal, full of losses. It’s all about revelation of painful truths. The writing... great, with just a couple of exceptions, it perfectly captures character development from suicidal depression to balanced states and back again. Loads of emotionally intense scenes. Presentation of Bullseye works (Bethel’s acting is excellent) although he only distantly resembles his comic book likeness. The confrontation between the two rivals are exemplary and the fights take your breath away again. Top-notch TV. (2015-04-11)

An ambitious TV adaptation of a well-known comic book, in the spirit of the dark Batman universe made by Christopher Nolan, but lacking the proper epicness, sophistication of the characters and their motivations and, last but not least, a sufficient dose of drama and realism, which fades away over time, especially with the third series. Good stuff, but there’s no need for further episodes and, unlike Punisher, there’s probably no interest either. (2020-11-09)