Admittedly, Daredevil has a few pacing problems, at least in the early episodes, which is likely a side effect of its existence as a Netflix exclusive. In some areas, such as the fight scenes and flashbacks, the series’ longer sequences and deliberate pacing are a plus. In others, like subplots involving Matt Murdock’s co-workers Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, and a few villain-centric scenes, some tighter editing or faster pacing could have been a benefit.
In the current upswing of superhero-centric content, we’ve seen endless amounts of action set pieces and fight scenes. Marvel is famous for ending its films in ever-growing (and sometimes derivative) set pieces, but things get scaled down quite a bit here. Daredevil employs the same type of bone-breaking parkour and fisticuffs that Arrow is famous for, but here it feels slightly different.
The directors are smart not to lean too heavily on displaying Matt’s extraordinary senses, choosing instead to showcase those only when absolutely necessary. The sound mixing is quite unique, too, and helps the viewer imagine what Matt must be feeling, but it’s still used subtly enough that it never falls into schtick territory. The fights themselves don’t feel too heavily choreographed either, as they instead take on the form of back-alley brawls. One long take in particular (seen below) is masterfully handled in the second episode, as it utilizes memorable camerawork that would make even True Detective fans drool.
One thing to note is that while the cinematography perfectly matches the tone of the show, it feels as if it’s almost to the series’ detriment at times. While it’s nice to see that Hell’s Kitchen has been lifted right from the pages of a Frank Miller or Brian Michael Bendis comic, the colors on screen sometimes look ugly and a little too grimey. I get the effect that the directors are going for, but often found myself missing Marvel’s more crisp tendencies. It’s no deal breaker, but something that takes some getting used to.
The casting for the series is one of its strongest achievements, especially in the form of Charlie Cox as Murdock. He embodies the character perfectly, seems believably blind (without the need for distracting contacts like those Ben Affleck wore), and convincingly plays a charming lawyer who goes around at night beating up criminals. He’s a fine addition to the already impressive roster that Marvel has managed to attach to its properties and I sincerely hope he gets to stick around for years to come.
As for the surrounding cast, some (like Elden Henson as Foggy) are rough around the edges, while others (like Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple) blend perfectly. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is the true standout here though and the series finds very deliberate and effective ways of building up his character before we ever see him on screen. Once he does arrive, he perfectly matches the image of him we’ve created in our heads and quickly surpasses those initial assumptions and expectations.
All in all, Daredevil is a wonderful achievement for Marvel. Netflix truly is an open sandbox in which the studio can play around in and I’m glad that they’re taking the time to do new things with the opportunity they’ve been given. The show definitely has its kinks, but those could be easily worked out with time. In just five episodes, Daredevil has proven to be an extremely promising show. If it’s any indication of the direction that the studio hopes to head in with its future television outings, then fans are in for an exciting new chapter in Marvel’s history.
