Another comic book movie about a blind lawyer who issues his own brand of vigilante justice in the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, Daredevil is very mediocre and although the performances by Ben Affleck and his now wife Jennifer Garner are not bad, nothing can save the fact that this movie is a poor man's Batman with a weaker story.

Lawyer Matt Murdock, played by Ben Affleck (Jersey Girl), who was blinded as a child by toxic waster uses his improved senses to help defend people in the crime ridden section of New York known as Hell's Kitchen. Murdock is motivated by the unsolved murder of his father, a fighter, who was killed by a mobster, Kingpin, played by Michael Clarke Duncan (Sin City,) for not throwing a fight. Murdock meets the daughter of a lieutenant of Kingpin's, Elektra, played by Jennifer Garner (Elektra) and falls for her. However, Elektra's father is assassinated by a hit man hired by Kingpin, named Bullseye, played by Collin Farrell (Alexander,) and frames the Daredevil in the process. Elektra takes her martial art skills to a new level to try and find the Daredevil while Murdock tries to save her life and convince her that he was framed when he discovers that Bullseyes next target is Elektra.

The biggest problem with this movie is that with the revenge factor that keeps Daredevil going and the problem with the love interest with Elektra, this movie has a very eerie resemblance to the first Batman. Except the actors aren't half as good. The script has a priest be the conscience of Murdock which is basically the part of Alfred in Batman. So as far as script goes, this is very unoriginal, plus I don't know if the Daredevil was that vengeful in the book.

Colin Farrell did a fine job as Bullseye but the character is just so uninspiring that it's hard to play him tough. So he's a marksman, big deal. This is a comic book movie, couldn't they have found a better nemesis for the Daredevil than a guy who can throw darts? Oh ya, and what about Kingpin? Michael Clarke Duncan was fine except that the character in the comic books is, ummm, what am I looking for? Oh yes, in the comic he is white. So what gives? Granted Duncan's body fits that of the Kingpin perfectly, but I hate it when casting directors deviate from a known character.

One thing I did enjoy was the music that was in the movie. This movie had the breakout song from Evanessence, Fallen, I believe is the name of it. Great song and it fit perfectly with the scene that it was in with Jennifer Garner kicking butt.

This movie is very OK. Much, much better than the sequel that spawned from this movie, Elektra, which is pure pig vomit. I am an Affleck fan so maybe I am too generous but there are a lot more comic book movies out there that are worse than this one, so go for it.

Brian - the Naked Gun