Netflix SLAYS Daredevil

What a horror show to wake up to! I could hardly believe it this morning when I read online that Netflix had decided to cancel its best MCU series. Now here is where it gets a bit odd ’cause according to Netflix, this is what I read anyway, it’s down to viewership being low. That’s the same reason they gave for cancelling Luke Cage and Iron Fist.

I think that is a load of crap. I reckon what’s happening is that Marvel (I.E. Disney) are taking back their I.P.’s because they are getting ready to launch their own streaming service called Disney + next year.

If you read the statement from Netflix below they pretty much all but confirm the show could live on via Marvel.

“We are tremendously proud of the show’s last and final season and although it’s painful for the fans, we feel it best to close this chapter on a high note. We’re thankful to showrunner Erik Oleson, the show’s writers, stellar crew and incredible cast including Charlie Cox as Daredevil himself, and we’re greateful to the fans who have supported the show over the years…the Daredevil character will live on in future projects for Marvel.”

Now it remains to be seen if Netflix are simply stating the obvious in that EVENTUALLY Marvel will bring the character back or if they know Marvel/Disney has every intention of bringing the show back in some form for their own streaming service. So don’t be too surprised when you likely hear that both Jessica Jones and The Punisher have been given the axe from Netflix once their currently in production new seasons air.

I think this is a bloody shame this is. Daredevil is the best thing Marvel has put out. Yeah even better than the big films. I’ll be sorry to see the show, as it is on Netflix, go. You won’t be seeing the same amount of grit or violence should the show return on Disney +.

Daredevil seasons one through three are currently available to stream now on Netflix and according to the streaming service they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

The Defenders (No Spoilers)

The Defenders is finally here. The mini series is a team-up (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist) Marvel fans have been eagerly awaiting since the intention to go ahead with this series was announced. Each of these street level Marvel heroes has had their own series to date and each one brought a distinct flavour that no other corner of the MCU has been able to offer. The Netflix shows are dark, adult and very gritty. So violent and dark are these shows that it’s hard to imagine the likes of Daredevil or Jessica Jones showing up on the big screen with the likes of the wholesome Captain America and jokey Iron Man.

I had a great time with The Defenders. It’s definitely a mini series clocking in at just eight episodes but it is stronger than either of the others shows (besides Daredevil’s individual seasons to date). The set up is simple, thanks to the likes of Daredevil and especially Iron Fist for laying the groundwork – each of our four heroes must come together (whether they like it or not) to face The Hand and take them down once and for all. Viewers will be more than aware by now who The Hand are and the threat they present to New York. These deadly ancient ninjas want to bring down whole citites and will stop at nothing to see the world run how they see fit.

The main draw of The Defenders is seeing how each of our heroes bounces off one another, much like The Avengers, only these guys can get away with a lot more. It’s liberating to see the likes of Jessica Jones make it clear on more than one occasion she’s out for herself and couldn’t care less what The Hand wants, or Daredevil crack down on some goons along with Luke Cage and Iron Fist, not holding back and bringing the pain without fear of slipping out of a family friendly rating like say Iron Man or Dr Strange would have.

From Daredevil onwards the fight scenes have been what has stood out for me in these Netflix Marvel shows and the fights on display in The Defenders continue this great tradtion. I won’t spoil the set-pieces in this review save to say anyone who appreciated the fight/stunt work in Daredevil and parts of Iron Fist won’t be dissapointed with the throw downs in The Defenders.

All of the cast are great. Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter and Finn Jones know their characters well at this stage and it shows. The chemistry between the four leads seems natural and that is a plus point because the show could have fallen flat if that spark was not there. Rosario Dawson, Elodie Yung, Jessica Henwick, Simone Missick, Scott Glenn and Sigourney Weaver all provide great support work and their characters each bring exciting turns and motivations to keep things rolling at a great pace. Also, you may have noticed I’ve highlighted several female cast members? Well it’s because there is some serious girl power running throughout The Defenders that proves pivotal to the plot, somthing the Marvel TV shows have always been more than happy to focus on, sadly the same can’t be said (so far) for the big screen MCU.

The Defenders is available now on Netflix (UK) and it is essential viewing for Marvel fans. The show never felt over long or as if it was stalling for time to make a pre-decided episode count, which in my opinion hurt the pace of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. I suppose the one draw back is it may not be essential viewing for non Marvel fans. Being honest if you just popped the show on blind I think you’d be lost and be left feeling like you’re not in on the fan service and plot that has been set up throughout other shows within the same universe.

 

Daredevil Season II

Daredevil Season 2 has arrived. Easily one of the most anticipated shows of the year for me after being bowled over by the darkly brilliant first season. As I have said before I’m not a reader of the comics. I just base my feelings on what the show delivers and I went into this second season with the same mind-set.

Sadly and I hate that I’m even writing this, but sadly season 2 is a mixed bag. Okay. Overall it’s a great season but not as tight or well crafted as the first. Case in point when it begins we meet our first big new character in the form of Frank Castle aka The Punisher. His opening episodes serve as an origin story for this fan fave and the arc is really well done. We shift gears once Elektra enters the picture, her being the second big new player and I will stress any negativity I feel has nothing to do with Elektra. Her stuff is great it’s just bad timing my feelings started to shift when she arrives.

The Punisher episodes leading up to Elektra are brilliant but once his first arc is wrapped up the tone shifts and we begin to focus more of the legal realities of men and women taking the law into their own hands. I understand that because Matt is a lawyer the legal side of his life plays a big role in the comics but I felt the pace of the show came to a screehing halt. Thankfull Elektra was on hand to liven things up when Matt wasn’t in the courtroom. This next point is not aimed at the actress, she’s fine, but my word! Karen Page should not have so much focus. I understand the show wants to give the acrtess somthing to do but when all that amounts to is crying and being constantly one step behind our heros it’s really frurstrating to have to spend so much time in her company. The same has to be said of Matt/Daredevils BFF Froggy. His moaning and constant questioning of Matt got old real quick.

For a show called Daredevil the main man himself ALMOST (but never does thanks to the excellent acting weight of Charlie Cox) becomes a side player in his own show. I think it’s fair to say the show makers were a lot more interested in Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher than their main guy this season. That’s warranted because The Punisher is a big deal and Bernthal is a force of nature but to loose sight of Matt/Daredevil is a mistake. It’s his show. Elodie Yung really shines as Elektra. For such a deadly and cold blooded character she brings a lot of fun to the show. Vincent D’Onofrio is greatly missed. His Wilson Fisk was my favourite aspect of the first season and I’d have taken him back over The Punisher any day. Sorry Frank. But I have a feeling we’ll be seeing Fisk back and better than ever in the next season. Same goes for Rosario Dawson despite being involved in one of the best set pieces from the show to date. I actually fist pumed during her big moment which I will not ruin. Epic.

I did like the Hand story points and the supernatural elements they brought along. Felt they painted this great contrast witht the gritty Hell’s Kitchen setting. Naturally The Punisher annihilating criminals was a sight to behold and at times the show got really violent. Like SUPER gory. No way you’d let your tweens watch this! Daredevil and Elektra team ups worked a treat too and her ultimate arc was a great twist and I’m looking forward to seeing how that plays out.

In conclusion this was still a strong second season but I hope next year Matt is back front and centre, there’s a little less moaning/crying from the non-heroes and whatever new big supes we get are fit around Daredevil and not the other way around. Good day!

 

Elektra is unleashed in Daredevil Season 2 trailer

French actress Elodie Yung appears totally at ease stepping into the role of Elektra. Not too sold on that costume but much like Matt in season one we may see a evolution of Elektra leading up to her more iconic look. Yung is best known for the pretty good French action flick District 13: Ultimatum and David Fincher’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remake.

From the look of this trailer Season 2 looks a lot like the first season. Daredevil having to contend with different gangs across Hell’s Kitchen while the man has to cope with his friends woe’s regarding his life choice.  Now that makes sense from a story point of view but still I hope there is a bit more to it all. I have faith that there will be. It has one hell of a cast and the tone seems intact despite a revamped creative team.

We will find out when Season 2 premieres March 18th

Daredevil Season 2 brings the grim

Netflix and Marvel have premiered the first full trailer for season 2 of Daredevil and it is very grim. With good reason because season 2 will introduce viewers to Frank Castle aka The Punisher. John Bernthal looks to be doing the source justice. Bernthal is best known for his great work as Shane in The Walking Dead. Very intense actor who can get physical in the flip of a switch. The Punisher is a vigilante who hunts down and murders criminals. That’s his ‘thing’ the one aspect of his character that sets him apart from Spiderman or Daredevil. He kills. He’s hardcore.

Check out the tease at the end of the trailer, which is Part One of a two part trailer extravaganza haha, because it reveals season 2’s other big player.

Season 2 kicks off March 18th

Daredevil review

Marvels first series in partnership with Netflix is out of the gate and it’s a winner. Daredevil is basically Marvel’s The Wire. The story sees young lawyers Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson set up their own law firm right in the middle of Hells Kitchen. Of course it’s by no means a legal series, this being Marvel we learn Matt is not only blind but at night he also dons a black costume (which looks beyond cool) and fights crime and injustice head on! I haven’t read Daredevil, but I get that it’s meant to be a more gritty and violent part of the Marvel Universe and the show certainly doesn’t shy away from either. It is violent. Like seriously violent. :O was my expression throughout a lot of it. It’s dark tone only helps to set it up as its own unique beast which still exists within the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Back to the Wire comparison, now that is a show I am very familiar with and time and time again I kept being reminded of it watching Daredevil. It has the same feel as in the show is as much about the city, the citizens and their plights as it is about a guy who happens to be a super hero. The same can be applied to the characters. There is a lot of grey in the show. No black and white. You won’t outright hate the bad guys. Although one or two are outright horrors and you will be cheering when Daredevil smacks them into next week! Yes some of them, they do horrible things but from their point of view what they are doing is either justified (in their opinion they are the good guy!) or you see how the way the city works and life in general has shaped them into behaving the way they do.

A lot of what makes the show work is the brilliant casting. Charlie Cox is outstanding as Matt Murdock. He gives him such an easy going likeability while at the flip of switch he’s able to turn the character into a deadly and crusading vigilante. He has strong support from Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson who play his colleagues, as well as a winning turn from Rosario Dawson who plays Claire Temple who is a nurse who finds herself swept up in Matt/Daredevils world. The real standout is without a doubt Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk (The Kingpin). D’Onofrio packs Fisk with layer upon layer of character. His story is just as compelling as Matt’s and it’s easily one of the best performances I have seen in a long time regardless of genre (and I’d expect nothing less from An Adventures in Babysitting vet!).

Credit has to be given to Marvel and the showrunners for not compromising in bringing the character to the screen. I think another point I’d like to make is that I firmly believe that TV is the best medium for these comic adaptations. The format allows for so much more character development, plot progression and no sense of anyone or plot point being compromised in order to keep to a running time. One day when the budgets catch up and special effects are more affordable I think TV would be the ideal home for a lot of the major comic franchises from Spiderman, X-Men, Justice League to Spawn!

I can’t wait for season 2 which was announced last week! This is great news because at first I believe Marvels plan was to follow Daredevil with Jessica Jones later this year, then Luke Cage and Iron Fist in 2016 with a team up series The Defenders debuting in 2017! Which would have meant it would be late 2017/early 2018 before we got more solo Daredevil, which now looks set to debut next year instead!

I plan to check out the source material as soon as possible. I’d love to hear what the actual comic fans thought of the show so be sure to let me know in the comments!

Daredevil teaser trailer

Marvel and Netflix have released the first teaser trailer for their Daredevil TV series which is set to debut this April on Netflix. The very talented Steven S.DeKnight is the show runner. He has worked on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and created the excellent Spartacus, so I have no doubt the show is in good hands. Marvel are very lucky to have him. Charlie Cox stars as the title character, with a very strong array of support from the likes of Rosario Dawson, Deborah Ann Woll and Vincent D’Onofrio.

I think it looks great. I have not read that much Daredevil to be totally honest but from the looks of the trailer it appears as if this will be the dark and gritty take on the character long time fans have been asking for!