Daredevil Review

                                          

     SPOILERS FOR MARVEL'S DAREDEVIL!!!!!!

     I've finally watched Daredevil on Netflix, and it defied expectations. This show is going to forever change how TV shows in general are watched, and will open up a new realm for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Daredevil already renewed for a second season due in 2016 as well as A.K.A. Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders, not to mention all the other characters they can bring to Netflix. Now let's begin the review.

     First off, the cast was amazing. Charlie Cox did an amazing job as Matt Murdock. It's hard to act like a blind lawyer during the day, only to turn into a brutal vigilante at night. There are so many layers to this character that Cox brought to life, and he succeeded. Elden Henson's Foggy Nelson was perfect. They didn't present Foggy as just Matt's friend or a character just there to provide comedic relief, he played an important part in the story with his investigation into Fisk and his loyalty to Matt. Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page was a very interesting character to follow, as she went from a damsel in distress to actually killing a man. They never talked about her past, only provided hints, and hopefully they touch on it in later seasons. Vincent D'Onofrio probably had the best performance on the show. His portrayal of Wilson Fisk was probably the best villain I've seen in the MCU because of all the different sides of the character. One minute, he is just an awkward guy trying to impress a woman, then he is bashing someone's head in. You never know where he's at, and that makes him both intimidating and interesting. So there's the main cast, and I'll sprinkle in some of the other members. 

                           

     The storyline was very enjoyable and kept me intrigued the whole way through. I was never bored during the main Fisk/Russian/Japanese/Chinese plot. The story just kept on moving forward, with many deaths, something that Marvel hardly does. Ben Urich, a big name in the comics died, Leland Owlsley died (another name from the comics, though he wasn't like he was in the comics at all) and many other minor characters. Part of the fun was trying to guess the real goal of each party involved with Fisk. Madam Gao probably had some connection to Iron Fist, as the drug she was distributing had the emblem of Iron Fist villain Steel Serpent and might well be a character from the Iron Fist lore herself (how did this little old lady punch Daredevil so hard?). The Russians were very intimidating, but were simple pawns overshadowed by a grander plot. The whole Karen/Page subplot was pretty boring though, as it was largely overshadowed by the action and main plot.

                        

     Most fans of the comics can guess what organization Nobu was apart of. Though the show never said their name, he was clearly part of The Hand, a mystical ninja clan who wear, you guessed it, red costumes. Stick, played by Scott Glenn (who needs to come back for Season 2) came back just for Nobu and the item that was arriving in Hell's Kitchen, Black Sky. We never learn what the deal with this kid is and why he killed him, but I think we'll get more answers in future seasons, as there is obviously larger forces at play here that were only touched upon.

     This seemingly never-ending battle with Fisk is what should happen in a Daredevil series, and it was smart how they only gave Daredevil and Fisk a few confrontations. I would've loved to see more scenes with Fisk and Murdock, as we only got one, but hopefully, they will have more meetings with Fisk eventually finding out who he really is. 

     Claire Temple, played by Rosario Dawson, was a fun character to have on the show, providing someone that Matt can confide with. I wish we could have seen more of her, but oh well. 

                         

     Ayelet Zurer did an spectacular job as Vanessa, bringing out another side of Wilson Fisk and actually causing some problems for Fisk's committee, as they think that Fisk is off his game because of her. I wished they would have told us why she was fine with being the girlfriend of a mob boss in the first place, telling Fisk to make those who hurt her suffer. How did she go from being an owner of an art gallery to being okay with all this violence done in her name? It was a fast transition for sure.

     The flashbacks to Matt's childhood were also fun to watch. Jack Murdock was a cool character to watch, as he went from being a guy who threw punches in the ring to a loving father who set Matt on his path to becoming a lawyer. His sacrifice to make Matt proud, which had him killed, shows us how selfless of a character he is and how much he cares about Matt.

     The action scenes were stunning, and what made them even better was the brutal nature of the fights in general. There was blood, broken bones, and concussions. Matt did not hold back. The fights were not usually between two highly skilled fighters, as they are in the movies, just street fights where the opponents did anything to win. The hallway fight was the best fight in the show; I felt like I was there watching it unfold before me. And Matt didn't always win the fights; he got his ass handed to him a few times where he really got hurt.

     This universe's Hell's Kitchen was portrayed beautifully; it was dirty, and old, and rotting, yet at the same time, it was pretty. This love for the city propelled the characters, and because of the way it was portrayed, let us understand why Fisk and Murdock were trying so hard to make it a better place. This isn't the city of skyscrapers and bright lights, it is a city full of rotting buildings, dark alleys, and abandoned warehouses.

                          

     I'm a costume guy, so I have to talk about it. When I first saw the picture of the black costume, I was disappointed, as I expected red and horns and a "DD" on his chest. But as I saw it in motion and saw what it was inspired by, I really grew to like it. The black ninja costume was made of things that can easily be found in a sporting goods store, which will no doubt bring a lot of black Daredevil costumes to Comic-Con this year. The unveiling of the final suit was really cool, courtesy of Melvin Potter. In the comics, he is the villain known as the Gladiator who has his own shop as well, and you can see plenty of easter eggs in that shop of his alter-ego. I wasn't expecting an all-red suit, and some black was bound to be there. His mask looks really cool, complete with the horns. An armored suit only makes sense for a guy who gets shot at and stabbed every night who doesn't have powers. He has the billy clubs and the pouch for it on his leg too. 

     But the thing is, aside from the horns, red, and billy clubs, this doesn't look a whole lot like the classic suit from the comics. The "DD" isn't even on the chest, which is a major disappointment. That's the one thing that has remained consistent with his costume over the years and it's his most iconic feature. If they can put a giant bat emblem on Batman's costume, and "S" plastered on the chest of someone from another planet, or a star on the chest of a soldier and wings on his helmet, then I don't see how a simple "DD" can't be added to this costume. It's already got horns. And there's a little too much black on it, and I know it represents the most "armored" parts of the suit, but the black seems to just be thrown on there in random places, and it is too much. On some parts of the suit, like on the abs, the black looks out of place.

                              

     However, the costume doesn't dictate the series. Daredevil does a great job of focusing on the crime drama to begin the series before moving into the superhero/supervillain territory. I look at this show and it makes me realize that this is what Arrow wants to be, but can't because it's on the CW. If Marvel keeps with the gritty, street-level shows, then they have a bright future with Netflix. By keeping true to the crime drama and not moving too fast into the more comic booky territory that will undoubtedly follow, Daredevil was a total success. There are also some very intriguing threads left hanging, and the season closes with a wrap to the story and questions lingering, surely being saved for another season. Fingers crossed that they make the transition from a crime drama to a show that will definitely have supernatural ninjas and crazy assassins successfully, because I'm thinking of one show that hasn't made that transition with a lot of success.

     There's so much to cover in essentially a 13-hour movie, and I definitely missed some stuff, but there are my main thought on this. I've rambled on long enough. Leave your thoughts in the comments!

     

Jared Leto's Joker Revealed!

  

     In celebration of 75 years of the Joker, Suicide Squad director David Ayer revealed the first look at Jared Leto's Joker! And boy does this guy look insane...

     There has been mixed reactions online, but I am actually really digging the look. Bright green hair? Check. Bleached, white skin? Check. A big, maniacal smile? Check. Just look at his right arm. This definitely isn't Jack Nicholson's cheesier take on the Joker, or Heath Ledger's greasy, mangy Joker. No, this is a Joker who has tattoos and silver teeth. Oh, and a purple glove. Why not?

     Some noticeable tattoos include "damaged" across his forehead, because having green hair and white skin isn't enough indication that you're damaged enough. His trademark cards are tattooed on his shoulder with the words "All in" below them. On one arm there is a big grin that looks as if a comic book artist drew it himself. "Hahahahahahaha" is plastered across part of his chest and left arm in a chilling font reminiscent of the comics, especially the cover of The Killing Joke, with his pose a nod to that comic cover.

                           

     On the other side of his chest is a skull with a jester's hat on, and I can't help but think of Harley Quinn's classic jester hat. And on his right bicep looks to be the tail of a Robin, but I'm not positive. It would certainly make sense, as it is rumored that the Joker and Batman have had a long, violent history, and the Joker has supposedly killed Robin in this universe. So that could be a trophy of some sort.

     There's also a small "J" on the right side of his face, and I think there's some scars on his face. He's noticeably got some silver teeth, and I think I can guess just why he needed them in the first place... because Batman knocked them out. This is definitely a modernized version of the Joker, and I like it. Ayer decided to keep enough of the iconic Joker look yet differentiate it from previous incarnations at the same time. I do wish that his lips were a brighter shade of red though. But I gotta ask, what's the deal with DC designing so many of their big screen characters with tattoos? First Aquaman, and now the Joker? They both look cool, but I don't want this to be a common thing in this dark, gritty universe.

     

Analyzing the First Trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

     For months, actually, years, we've been desperate for any information regarding one of the biggest superhero films of all time, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The trailer has been rumored to be attached to multiple films, yet they all passed without one glimpse of the film. Now, we finally have our first look at the movie, and I'm here to analyze the most important frames in the trailer!

     One of the first frames show a rebuilt Metropolis, with the silhouette of that Superman statue we saw in set photos awhile back. So nothing major here.

     As you'll see as we dive deeper into the trailer, it seems as if Superman is being almost worshiped, and appears to the humans as being almost God-like. It looks here as though Supes has decided to attend the Day of the Dead, and everyone is happy to see him. And it's impossible to not note the fact that these guys are in white face paint and have black around their eyes, like the Joker. The Joker is rumored to be referenced in this movie, and with Jared Leto bringing him to life in Suicide Squad just a few months later, why not throw in a few easter eggs?

     Superman is clearly busy in this movie, as we just saw him possibly in Mexico and now... Russia? It's a Russian missile, so of course he's not for sure in Russia. Could this Russian missile be an indication that the Russian villain the KGBeast, (who was an important character on Arrow, but he was a good guy) plays a role? Someone on the set from a few months back reported seeing a trailer labeled "Knyazev", the last name of Anatoli Knyazev, the KGBeast. Just a thought, though it seems far-fetched.

     Black-suited soldiers kneeling in front of Superman with his logo on their shoulders? Weird. Obviously, there is some controversy about the Man of Steel, but it seems like he's got some followers as well.

     One of the coolest shots in the trailer. I have no idea who the woman is, but it appears as if she is wearing robes of some sort. Again, it looks like Kal-el is being worshipped.

     Or not. Obviously he's got his haters.

     Our first look at Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne! Personally, I think he looks the most like the Bruce Wayne in the comics than any other actor portraying him. This will be a more depressed, beaten, and gloomy Batman, and this moment captures his sorrow perfectly.

     The Bat-suit has definitely seen better days, as indicated by the scratches in it. But boy does it look awesome! We'll get a better look at it later on, but here it looks like it is on display.

     Something looks to be in Batman's hands here, but I have no idea what it is. What is this place? My guess would be Wayne Manor. Remember, Bruce is rumored to be living in a cottage on the property of his mansion, so maybe he lives in a cottage because, I don't know, Wayne Manor is not suitable to live in? Oh, and on the front left pillar, there is a question mark. An obvious reference to the Riddler.

     This seems to confirm that the Bat-wing will be in the film...

     ...attacking some goons!

     Here's the Bat-mobile, and it seems like these two vehicles are at the same place. Why Batman would bring the Bat-mobile and the Bat-wing to the same place at the same time is beyond me.

     Bats looks pretty intimidating here. Look at those muscles!

     This is an amazing shot of the Caped Crusader. You can make out what looks to be a rifle in his hands, a nod to The Dark Knight Returns, in which he used a rifle to fire a grappling hook.

     Talk about a nod to The Dark Knight Returns! This is the exact suit he wore to fight Superman in the graphic novel. There are some scratches on his cowl, so it has probably been in a fight before. Or he and Superman have already fought. And the glowing eyes! Beautiful!

     Are you guys just going to have a staring contest or throw down?

     I didn't mean literally throw yourself on the ground Clark... never mind. I'm glad we at least got a tease of the epic showdown between the two.
     Well, there you go! Enjoy this trailer, because this is probably going to be the only thing we get until Comic-Con in July...

Arrow "Public Enemy" Review, and What's Next

          Things are officially gearing towards a crazy and emotional conclusion for Arrow Season 3. This week's episode, "Public Enemy", was one of the best of the season. Not only did it further the League of Assassins conflict, it gave us some great character moments and some amazing action.

     The beginning of this episode didn't waste anytime, as it got to the action right away. This episode left off right where the last ended, with Ray Palmer taking Maseo's arrow intended for Felicity. Then we get a random appearance for Felicity's mom. Her role in the episode seemed kinda odd and out of the blue, but she provided some very emotional scenes, especially towards the end when she puts tow and two together and figures out that Felicity loved Oliver.

     The whole Ray in the hospital sub-plot seemed kind forced, and I found myself not really caring considering Ray, you know, is going to star in the spin-off and appear on The Flash in two weeks, but his recovery may have given us an explanation for his inevitable shrinking abilities. The injection of the nano-tech removing his clot is a little too on the nose given the Atom's comic book shrinking powers.

     The confrontation with the League further cemented the fact that Ra's al Ghul will do whatever it takes to make Oliver his heir. Oliver's fight with Maseo was a really cool and a well-executed fight scene. That whole scene was amazing, with Team Arrow battling the League of Assassins on top of a building, only to have it cut short by the police. This then lead to a really cool police chase, with the three running through the maze of alleys and warehouses.

     I'm also glad Lance finally found out the truth about Oliver. The fact that he didn't know, after so many confrontations with both the Arrow and Oliver is just sad. Ra's is definitely not messing around, as his revelation to Lance shows us that he has no boundaries. And Lance revealing to Starling City that Oliver Queen is the Arrow really made think, What choices does Oliver have left? He's really screwed this time around. 

     And as we were probably all thinking that, with Oliver in the back of a van, Roy jumps down in the Arrow costume and declares himself to be the Arrow. The scenes before, with the team going to Oliver in the precinct after he turned himself in and their discussion back in the Arrow Cave, were really touching and Roy's determination to exonerate Oliver is truly heart-warming. Roy has really been a background character this season, with few emotional arcs. "Guilty" and the three episodes in which Oliver was gone were the only episodes with some truly emotional scenes for Roy. If Roy does end up dying this season, then this would be an amazing and heart-breaking departure for this character that has been under-developed this season.

     The flashbacks this episode were pretty entertaining as well. I'm not totally sure what the flashbacks are leading to, as it's just some goons chasing after Oliver and the gang, but it paralleled well with this episode with its emphasis on getting told the truth and its implications. Too bad it wasn't actually Shado, but her sister instead.

     The season finale's plot doesn't seem clear at the moment, as last year's episode 18 revealed to us what the real endgame was. If Ra's wants Oliver alive, then what will the conflict be? Especially considering the fact that Oliver will most likely take up the mantle of Ra's al Ghul. We'll just have to wait and see, and April 15th's episode, "Broken Arrow", promises to be an emotional episode, with the high possibility of a major death...