Daredevil

This film is dimly lit (maybe as a homage to Daredevil's one handicap), but it doesn't work for the viewing audience.

The direction of the film, I think, is one of the 2 main drawbacks to the film. The other is the screenplay, which is too sparse, too 2-dimensional, too lacking in plot elements to tie events together. It's like there's no 2nd act to this film. The sense of flow is pretty average to poor.

The performances range from scenery-eating to above average. Affleck's Daredevil/Matt Murdock doesn't transcend the genre, but he doesn't stink up the joint either. Garner's Elektra was a little underwritten, but can pull off the tender and the action sequences easily. Farrell's Bulleye is just a force of nature w/r/t accuracy. Duncan's Kingpin is stealthily imposing, but isn't written as menacing and ominous as I was expecting.

The stuntwork is okay, but the fight sequences are too crowded and claustrophotic. The "obvious" special effects sometimes get in the way of the enjoyment of the running and jumping on the rooftops scenes for Daredevil.

In short, it didn't blow my socks off, and in the hands of a better director, I think there was some good potential that went unmined in this effort.

Given my penchant for super-hero films, I give it 2.5 stars, or a grade of C+.