Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Batman and Superman. These are all big name comic book super heroes that are debuting, reappearing and resurfacing on the silver screen in the next couple of years. All of these heroes are recognizable brand names that have been injected into our consciousness in various shapes and forms over the years. Whether it be television shows, cartoons or on the sides of drinking cups, these heroes are immediately recognizable by the general public. But who is this new hero that has suddenly appeared in our local theatres? Daredevil? Who the heck is Daredevil?

To the comic book fan boys, Daredevil is an indomitable icon in the comic book world. A grass roots hero that fights purely for the sake of justice despite his own physical liabilities. His exploits are legend, but will the common movie patron, without this background knowledge, be willing to shell out the big bucks to see this unfamiliar super hero on the big screen? After recently seeing this film, I surely hope so.

As with any movie of this genre the opening segment is dedicated to the telling of the fabled "origin" of the main character. The reasoning behind why a grown man would parade around at night in long underwear fighting crime in the streets of New York. In this case, young Matt Murdock is blinded by a mysterious chemical that somehow magnifies his other senses to super human degrees and also grants him a mysterious "radar sense" that allows him to perceive the world in ways that no sighted person could ever dream of. In a tragic scene where Matt's father is murdered by mobsters, he promises to seek vengeance for his untimely death by using his newfound powers in the pursuit of justice. Fast forward to present day, Matt has become a relatively successful lawyer dedicated to protecting the rights of the common person, but at night dons the crimson mask of the mysterious Daredevil feeding his hunger for justice that he cannot attain in the courtroom alone. Due to his nocturnal activities, Matt Murdock leads a very solitary life, that is until he meets Elektra. Played relatively convincingly by Jennifer Garner, Elektra fills the emotional void that has been missing for so long from Matt's life. Providing a physically capable partner for Matt, their blooming relationship becomes a game of cat and mouse, blending both sides of their lives into one once reputed hitman, "Bullseye" enters the picture. In an instance of mistaken identity, the two lovers become foes for a short period until they realize who their common enemies are. It's in this instance that Daredevil realizes that Bullseye is only a pawn in this whole scenario and that the real villain hiding behind the curtain is the powerful crime lord known as the "Kingpin." Ultimately a showdown is inevitable between these two opponents and their eventual meeting finishes the film with very satisfying results.

Being a self confessed comic boy fan boy, I could have easily dissected this film piece by piece, but I held my geekiness in check and accepted the film for what it was. I saw this film as a two-sided coin. One side representing the action packed lifestyle of Daredevil, the other representing the solemn lifestyle of his alter ego Matt Murdock. Needless to say the sequences as Daredevil were played to the hilt. Over the top action combined with the cheesy lines that are pretty much a standard for any punch em' up flick. I found many of the action sequences dark, a bit too quick and difficult to distinguish at certain points, but not enough to wholly detract from the film. It was the other side of the coin that made the film so much more interesting, almost giving the superhero genre a new dimension. In other superhero films, the mild-mannered alter ego is generally a bland, almost non-existent personality. In any of the Batman films, Bruce Wayne is totally uninteresting as a character and adds virtually no substance whatsoever. In the Superman films, although very amusing, Clark Kent is primarily played as comedic foil to his confident alias. In Daredevil however, Matt Murdock represents a significant role. He is an obviously troubled soul and it's his courageous attempts to maintain a normal life that only reinforces his need to protect the city of New York from the forces of evil. It's a logical use of character building that I hope will continue in future films that are produced in this genre.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The use of radar sense was cool. Ben Affleck did a better job than I thought he would. Jennifer Garner was ok, but I thought they could have established a more richer back story behind her character in order to flesh out the relationship angle a bit more. The action sequences were enjoyable, especially where Bullseye was concerned. Colin Farrell portraying an over the top super villain was excellent. Although some individual pieces of this film were a touch weak, as a whole this movie did not fail to entertain.

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