This weekend, Marvel launched it's first of 5 series for the online streaming service Netflix and boy is good. So good in fact that I wouldn't be shocked if it got some award season recognition next year. Daredevil, featuring The Theory of Everything's Charlie Cox as the Hell's Kitchen vigilante, is a far ways away from the 2003 feature film version featuring the same Marvel hero. Daredevil is gritty and dark, packed full of some fun Easter eggs referencing an incident incident that nearly destroyed Manhattan and even mentions of a man with an "iron suit or a magic hammer," and another for Captain America. The series winds it's way through the crime ridden Hells Kitchen with Matt Murdock along with his former college roommate and partner, Foggy Nelson. As the story progresses, events begin to weigh on their friendship as well as bring up questions of legality and morality and just where the line needs to be drawn. With help from True Blood's, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, Vondie Curtis-Hall as Ben Ulrich and plenty others, this series offers a very fresh take on a genre that's nearly been beaten to the ground. What might be one of the best characters out of this already strong cast, is Vincent D'Onforio as Wilson Fisk, better known as Kingpin. Onforio's talent alone is impressive but what really propels him to one of the staples of this series is the strong characters development that's rarely seen for villain. He's oddly humanized, giving us a much more complex look at an iconic comic villain. From his childhood, to his interactions with other gangs, it's fresh to have a central villain with his own motivations and set backs and a story arc you can actually feel yourself getting invested in. Another great stride for this series is the action sequences, which may or may not be the best part. There's even a hall way scene that pays homage to one of the greatest action sequences of all time from the Korean Drama, Old Boy. It's even received great praise from director of Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn! Daredevil is the combination of good writing, action, and an amazing cast. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you might even learn a thing or two but this 13 episode series is most certainly one of the best that super heroes has to offer.
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