Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – A Legacy of Responsibility and Hope

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” lives up to the hype and is a favorite film and “Spider-Man” film. This is a film that has to complete Holland’s Spider-Man’s arc as well as cover the multiverse in a compelling way that doesn’t distract or detract from the core story being told. I’d say it overwhelmingly works with only 2 issues I had that I’ll get into below. Still, if you haven’t seen this and are a Spider-Man or MCU fan you should see this film.

The film was directed by Jon Watts and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.

When Peter Parker / Spider-Man (Tom Holland) attempts to solve the world hating him after his identity is revealed to the world, he makes a deal with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and after causing the spell to go wrong must face villains who know Peter Parker is Spider-Man from the multiverse.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Mysterio Fallout – We pickup in this film where “Far From Home” ended with the fallout of Mysterio revealing Peter Parker’s identity and it is great. We see how divided people are around him and how it is hurting his friends and their dreams for college. Peter is saved by Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock who is his lawyer and keeps him from legal trouble. After he finds he no longer has privacy in any of his lives so goes to Doctor Strange to make a deal to help the world forget he is Spider-Man. He later causes the spell to go wrong asking for 5 exceptions, bringing in the 5 villains from the multiverse and the spell to fail. J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson’s Alex Jonesesque conspiracy network continues harassing Peter Parker throughout the film too.

The Action – Holland’s Spider-Man defeats Doctor Strange with math and we get 3 Spider-Man verse their villains from the multiverse in a fight on the Statue of Liberty. The action in this is some of the best in any MCU film.

The Five Villains – Lizard and Sandman are the most basic but they are fine. Lizard seems to just want to have fun and Sandman just wants to go home but can easily be pushed around. They basically function as muscle for the other 3 who have more going in.

Max Dillon / Electro – Jamie Foxx’s Electro is finally good as we see him not wanting to lose his new confidence and power in Holland’s Spider-Man’s universe. He is fun and a threat who is able to beat multiple Spider-Men at one point. In the end Garfield and him connect though and we hear him voice that there must be a black Spider-Man out there somewhere. It is a touching scene and he is great as one of he main 3 threats to the Spider-Men.

Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus – Alfred Molina is back. “Spider-Man 2” is my 2nd favorite “Spider-Man” film behind “Into the Spider-Verse” and Molina’s Doctor Octopus is a big reason why. In this we see him in villain mode when the robotic arms are in control and him saving the Spider-Men when he is free. He is a guiding the plot when in villain mode revealing the villains deaths in their universes if they return or as a protector when he is good. I loved seeing him back and used so well.

Norman Osborn / Green Goblin – Willem Dafoe is a favorite actor and he owns his return as the Green Goblin capturing a man trapped by his darker Hyde half as when he is Jekyll he is helping Peter heal the villains. This duality drives him as the Goblin constantly manipulates to take control and seems to crave death as after he kills Aunt May eggs on Holland’s Parker to kill him. In the end Maguire’s Spider-Man saves him and his last act before being returned to his universe is reflecting on his actions.

Aunt May – Marisa Tomei is great in this and fills Holland’s Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben role as she is the one who motivates him to cure the villains and tells him, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I’ve always liked her in these films and I like that she is so central to this one. Her death by Green Goblin’s hand is tragic and you see how it changes Peter and Happy as they try moving forward.

MJ – Zendaya has always been fantastic as MJ and here she is the ones comfortable living in the spotlight even with the world not liking Peter Parker. You see just how strong their bond is making Peter’s choice to make the world forget he’s Spider-Man all the more tragic. It works and I can’t wait to see where their story eventually picks up again.

The Spider-Men – We get Maguire, Garfield and of course Holland in this so I’m going to give each their own section.

Maguire – Maguire functions as the mentor, from stopping Holland from killing Goblin to opening up about his guilt over Uncle Ben and how revenge solved nothing. He is the old man of the group and the other Spider-Men are fascinated that he can create webbing from is body. He also worked things out with his MJ post “Spider-Man 3” and didn’t have a best friend post Harry Osborn.

Garfield – Garfield went dark and stopped pulling his punches and lives with the guilt of not being able to save Gwen, a guilt that finally has some level of relief when he saves MJ from falling to her death. He is the most open of the 3 and you get how raw and alone he’s been. Andrew Garfield steals every scene he is in. I didn’t think his “Spider-Man” films were good but he is amazing in this.

Holland – Holland drives the story as taking responsibility is is arc as escaping celebrity lead to the spell that brought in villains who killed people and the loss of Aunt May. He owns it all in the end and you feel his saying good-bye to his friends and how alone he is when he an unknown person as to stop the multiverse from invading he had Doctor Strange make everyone forget he is Spider-Man. It is powerful and Holland owns the loss of Aunt May and saying good-bye to Ned and MJ. This is easily his best performance.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility – With great power comes great responsibility is the theme of the film as Doctor Strange fails this test as does Peter Parker until Aunt May and the other Spider-Man show him the path to do so. It is really well done.

The Cons:

More Fallout Needed in Act 2 and 3 – Besides J. Jonah Jameson’s stalking Peter Parker the media fallout kind of goes away after Act 1. I wish it had been more present going into the final fight in Act 3 given how core it is to Peter going to Doctor Strange in the first place.

Doctor Strange’s Doing the Spell – Doctor Strange doesn’t question Peter at all and it felt out of character. He berates Peter later which felt in character but there needed to be more for how trusting he was going in. Yes, they saved the Universe but Doctor Strange didn’t even offer more alternatives before going in on the spell that sparks the drama of the film.

Besides Doctor Strange not asking more questions and the events in Act 1 better connecting to Acts 2 and 3 I loved this film. The villains all worked, the drama worked and the Spider-Men all worked and didn’t feel tacked on. This film honors and lives what it means to be Spider-Man and I can’t wait to see where Holland’s Spider-Man’s story goes from here. Seriously, check this film out.

Final Score: 9.6 A favorite “Spider-Man” film and favorite film.

Top 5 Netflix “Defendersverse” Seasons

    The Netflix Marvel “Defendersverse” is an experiment I wish had gone on. Outside of “Umbrella Academy” this is the only quality superhero content on Netflix and here they gave us so many amazing characters and storylines. I don’t know if Disney will take those same risks and given Disney’s growing corporate monopoly I’m not all that inclined to support Disney Plus. This was a series that I overall enjoyed. “The Defenders” season 1 was even great in how bad it was, but because it was bad it did not make this list. Every season on here is a season I would come back to re-watch or have gone back to re-watch. Also, I feel Disney taking these characters back probably won’t work. I like the Marvel Cinematic Universe but we have not seen them take the kinds of R rated risks this series or really “Deadpool” took. So hopeful but doubtful we’ll see these characters again as great as they were before, if ever again.

Slight spoiler warnings here. If you want to watch “The Defenders,” “The Punisher,” “Daredevil,” Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist” and haven’t yet this review isn’t for you. I have to talk about the content on why I enjoyed these shows or didn’t enjoy them, and that involves spoilers so…

SPOILER WARNING for all the shows I just listed.

5th – “Daredevil” Season 2

Finding 5th place on this list was somewhat difficult. I felt “Iron Fist” Season 2 solved many problems I had with Season 1 and “The Punisher” Season 1 is great when it doesn’t get distracted.  What ended up being the deciding factor for me were the side stories. Frank Castle is introduced in this season and his face-off against Daredevil is perfection. It is a fight I’d love to see Batman have more against a friend or ally who crosses his line. This season did that. We also see how Matt’s obsession wad destroying his relationships. From Claire to Foggy, Matt when he was all in as the weapon Stick had built him to be, he was screwed. This could have been more if “The Hand” was written as a more compelling villain but them not being more compelling is a reason this isn’t higher on the list and had to be debated on to get here. The Karen and Castle story is far superior to the Matt and Elektra story and that is where the side stories being stronger made me appreciate this season. Frank Castle’s arc in this season is better than either seasons of “The Punisher.” This is a season worth a re-watch for the B plots.

4th – “Jessica Jones” Season 1

This is a season that didn’t make the best use of Killgrave as a villain for the climax of the story. Throughout the story he is a great threat, but when he has the power to control anyone who here’s him with his voice we get nothing interesting. I blame lack of creativity for this. What works though is Jessica Jones and her relationship. Her relationship with her adoptive mother and adopted sister are where she first stands up for another due to her adoptive mom abusing her and Trish. This leads her doubting herself later on due to her isolation from them and Kilgrave’s using of her and all those around her she cares for. Krysten Ritter is absolutely amazing as we see her work through how she was abused and gaslighted by Kilgrave. From here her arc is the slow building of community and fighting to stop Kilgrave. Most episodes are good to great, it is just the climax and Killgrave’s powers being so underutilized in that climax that keep this season from being higher on the list. David Tennant as Kilgrave and Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones carry the show and the more time away from the show more the story grew on me. There is so much good here.

3rd – “Luke Cage” Season 2

“Luke Cage” Season 1 had one of my favorite villains in Cottonmouth. He didn’t last but due to how villains and antagonists are used this time around, and Luke’s own ego growing lead to an exciting season that I loved. Mariah makes up for the amazing threat of her brother “Cottonmouth” not being around. “Shades” is a great villain beginning to question what he is doing and his loyalty and “Bushmaster” shows up and his war against Maria hurts Luke Cage’s protection of Harlem forcing him to change further and make some difficult decisions that only make him more compelling. Like Jessica Jones and Matt Murdock, Luke Cage is someone who is someone who pushes others away. In this case it is different though because he feels invulnerable and that feeling never really leaves as he realizes he has to make tough decisions to keep Harlem safe. I loved that. He ends almost as an anti-hero and it works. He was a character who is good at the core but also human and has an ego that ruins his relationships. In the end he is all about the big picture and like most heroes in the “Defendersverse,” this makes him isolated. This season was great. The flaw on why it wasn’t higher is Mariah should have been used more and been longer lasting in power.

2nd – “Jessica Jones” Season 3

“Jessica Jones” Season 3 builds on what worked about Season 1, but has a better conclusion. One of the only reasons this season is better than “Luke Cage” Season 2 is because this season has a level of hope the other prior ones don’t have. I get that Netflix is walking a line of dark R “Marvel Cinematic Universe” which I feel should still go on, Netflix has more than earned it. This season goes fully dark but the fact that it ends with hope and our heroes like Jessica and Malcom choosing the good gives me that perfect bittersweet. This season is where we see Jessica become the hero while dealing with Trish and her abuse like Matt Murdock’s leading to her becoming a weapon akin to Daredevil and The Punisher, except Trish does kill. What helps with this dilemma is them facing off against a serial killer named Sallinger. He like Jessica and Trish was also abused and used it to become a monster who targeted Inhumans believing them to be cheaters for having abilities. The season arc is powerful and I loved where everyone ends up. Luke Cage post his own Season 2 meets up with Jessica and reminds her of her choice and responsibility to stop Trish. It is great and I miss that as far as we know right now, we won’t see more of their relationship.

1st – “Daredevil” Season 1

“Daredevil” Season 1 is still the height of the show. We get to introduced to amazing villains like Wesley, Madam Gao and the Kingpin. This is a show that is truly carried by the villains as they are on top for most of the film, which gives Matt Murdock so much he has to fight against and work for. This is a season with cost. Season 3’s Kingpin is never as threatening or effective as he is this season. This season is also where Matt is most human and we come to understand his obsession through his backstory and the murder of his father. It is powerful and Kingpin’s story mirrors it in the killing of his father to protect his mother. Both of them were shaped by those around them and came to have a warped view on what it means to protect what they believe to be theirs. This mirroring of one another and the war against Kingpin who has united the gangs is beautifully handled. I also love Claire and Matt’s relationship far more than the Karen and Matt relationship of later seasons. This was the season that kicked off the entire “Defendersverse” and still remains the best of them all.

I know “Disney+” might bring some of these stories and heroes and villains back. I’m just less likely to trust it. Unless they are the same writers who have clearly shown an ability to learn and also giving “Disney” some competition…I don’t want a monopoly. I want competition and so far I have seen nothing from “Disney” to show they will be putting out original films and shows the way Netflix is. Support competition and indie films and show please. This subset of the “Marvel Cinematic Universe” being absorbed is not something that gives hope in the corporate game of control of “Marvel” or any other franchise.

“The Defenders” Season 1 – One of the Best Teams in the MCU and a Worthy Threat

    “The Defenders” is the best show I’ve watched in the Defenders Universe it is a part of since “Daredevil” Season 1. The ending isn’t as good as Season 1 but the characters are more dynamic, everyone grows and even Iron Fist is made into a more likable guy. The strongest part of the show is still the side characters though and we finally have a lot of questions answered that have been hinted on through both “Daredevil” and “Iron Fist.” As far as my non-spoiler thoughts, you don’t need to have watched any of the prior shows to enjoy this one. It stands strong on it’s own and is one of the best creations to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The show was created by Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez.

The story involves the leaders of the Hand coming together under Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver) as the Defenders (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage) must come together to stop them and their apocalyptic aspirations for New York City, as well as finding out what it they seek at the bottom of the city.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros: The Action – This is a series that brings back the best of the action we saw in “Daredevil” Seasons 1 and 2. There are a lot of great action beats as Colleen Wing, the Defenders and others face off against the Hand and those they are manipulating in Hell’s Kitchen. The final fight at the bottom of the city in another world is also really cool too as well as when the leaders of the Hand face off against the Defenders.

The Hand and their History – There are Five Leaders of the Hand who were exiled from K’un-Lun for seeking the cure for death and finding immortality. They find it in the bones of Dragons we discover in this and that is the substance that keeps bringing them back when they die. By the time of this series they use the last of it resurrect Elektra as the Black Sky but it does not go as planned as she kills Alexandra to take control of the group. There are 5 members of the Hand each representing a finger and area of the world, Alexandra, Murakami (who was controlling the Yakuza in Season 1 and 2), Bakuto (from “Iron Fist” is brought back again) and Sowande or “White Hat,” who has been using Harlem to recruit and Madam Gao who has been recurring through a few of the series. Learning about their exile and the reasons they went to K’un-Lun are powerful and I loved seeing them face off against the Defenders. “White Hat” and Murakami are the least memorable but Gao once again shows why she is in my Top 5 MCU Villains given her ability to survive and the tragedy of Alexandra is a nice touch as her personal desire to have Elektra as her daughter, blinds her judgement. All of them are at least interesting even if Murakami and “White Hat” go mostly unexplored.

The Defenders and Coming Together – The Defenders are like a mixture between The Guardians and Avengers. You have the Captain America / Luke Cage / Star Lord leader type, you have the sarcastic damaged fighter in Rocket / Jessica Jones / Bruce Banner, you have the Child Soldier in Black Widow / Iron Fist and Drax who are shaped by personal loss and you have the Iron Man / Daredevil / Gamora in the conflicted hero trying to do good. There is a lot of overlap and I’m curious what lines you’d draw to the similarities between heroes but these were the ones that got me. Seeing the dynamic come together on a small gritty level was wonderful and I can’t wait to see where the show goes from here and how our characters are shaped in their own shows and how that plays into their next team up, which will probably be against Kingpin.

Awareness of the People of Hell’s Kitchen – There is much more awareness of the people of Hell’s Kitchen in this. From Knight and the cops calling them out on being vigilantes, in Luke Cage calling out Iron Fist for beating up scared kids who got pulled into the Hand just looking for a job to survive and how his billionaire privilege shows he doesn’t get it (as well as his race, class and name – Rand). I loved it and I hate how we don’t see this enough in Batman. Bruce Wayne is doing exactly what Iron First was put besides Alfred sometimes and Dawes in “Batman Begins” I can’t think of a time where he’s been called out. This was needed and a lot of this show is calling out Danny for his arrogance and in turn forcing him to grow and truly become a hero. This show is amazing.

The Women of “The Defenders” – The women of the Defenders Universe are the best written characters on this show. Alexandra is dying of cancer but can’t let go of the world she left behind leading it to her protecting Elektra even into her death, Madam Gao is surviving and understands just how powerful the Defenders are (only Hand member who really does) Jessica Jones is working through her trauma and trust and having to work on a team and Colleen Wing is working herself through her Hand conditioning as well as doing all she can to be there for people who push her away. These women made the show amazing and are the best parts of the MCU, especially in this show.

Facing Trauma – So many characters have to face their trauma in this (a running theme of the Defendersverse) with the strongest being Wing’s final defeat of Bakuto (and working through the mind control the Hand put her through) when she is trying to save Danny and blow up the building that holds the substance but we also have Daredevil confronting Stick and his abuse as well as Danny working on his own failure to save the monks. These three best illustrate this theme this season as Jessica Jones is very much doing her own thing and the trauma is so bad she has trouble being close to anyone, even friends.

Okay: The Ending – The ending is okay. This is one thing that the first season of “Daredevil” has over this one as the ending involves the team moving on and Daredevil is believed to be dead (the cave collapses on him and Elektra) and when he wakes up we get hints at the show taking a darker path as everyone he knows believes him to be dead. His sacrifice was okay but we knew a “Daredevil” Season 3 was coming and no one had been set up to take up his mantel if something like this happened to him. These take away from the loss of the moment even though I did enjoy the good-byes and how the character relationships have changed because they’ve all finally interacted and grown from one another, becoming “The Defenders.” The Hand is shut down as an organization at this point though Murakami and Gao survived and both of them have the substance that gives them immortality, so I’m curious how all of that will play out, as well as Elektra’s and Matt’s future.

This was the best to come out of the “Defenders” Universe and is my Second favorite Season if I put them all side by side. Season 1 of “Daredevil” is still perfection for me in this Universe but this gets most of the things right and only really falls short on the ending. It is great to see the Hand explored and truly appreciated as a threat and most importantly I loved the character dynamics between the Defenders and the members of the Hand. These character moments are why this MCU series that Netflix has created is so amazing and it is why I’ll keep coming back. If you haven’t gotten into this universe yet, this Season, like “Daredevil” Season 1 is a great way to do so.

Final Score: 9.6 / 10

 

 

“Marvel’s Daredevil” Season 2 – Moments of Strength Brought Down by Archetypes

    “Marvel’s Daredevil,” continues to have the great quality that made last season so powerful, but also hits a few snags that bring down my overall impression of the season. This season fully embraces it’s dark Frank Miller roots and pulls us into the mythos of the Secret Ninja Group called the Hand and what they are on about…when overwhelmingly the myth arc was the weakest part of last season…now this season puts it dead center when it isn’t focused on the much more interesting crime story told through the Punisher. Suffice to say, I’d still recommend it though.

      Doug Petrie and Marco Rameriz have taken over as showrunners this time, as the show creator Drew Goddard is now a consultant on the show.

SPOILERS ahead

      The story picks up a year from last season as Matt Murdock is working on juggling his life as a vigilante and lawyer as he finds both crumbling around him as a new vigilante that kills calls the Punisher arrives on the scenes as well as ex-lover Electra along with an ancient foe.

The Pros: The Cinematography – The cinematography is stunning and captures the gritty darkness that is Hell’s Kitchen. From it we get the torn nature of our characters too as they wrestle with demons within themselves.

The Soundtrack – The soundtrack also continues to be stunning and gives an intensity to the events going down, which add more to both the character and action scenes. John Paesano does a fantastic job.

The Action – The action continues to be one of the things show does solidly amazing. In this we get more tight corridor fight scenes including taking out a gang of bikers, we get a fight on the roof and countless assassination take-downs by the Punisher. The action is as best as it’s ever been.

The Characters – The characters are still the strongest part of the show, even though the structure often times gets in the way of their development. I still overwhelmingly recommend Marvel films and shows because they know characters, especially when Netflix is heading it.

Sgt. Brett Mahoney – This guy is the commissioner Gordon of the series except better as he holds Daredevil accountable to the bigger picture, he also admires that Daredevil can see it to and lets him go as Daredevil says the police should be the ones who catch the Punisher (though with his escape we are back to Square 1).

Mitchell Ellison – This season is really his redemption as we see him working with Karen to help reveal the conspiracy behind the death of Frank Castle’s family and the events that went down that day. He proves to be a great mentor figure for her and later gives her the job that Ben Urich had when she leaves Nelson and Murdock.

Claire Temple – This season involved a lot of characters moving on and it is here we see Claire get fed up with the corruption and focus on money at the hospital that she just leaves after all her work trying to help all those hurting on the street is getting her punished. She has some great interactions with Matt and Foggy too as she gets Foggy’s stress and is done with Matt’s martyr complex at this point.

Foggy Nelson – This season has Foggy rising to the plate and showing why he is the Nelson in Nelson and Murdock as we see him take on the City when he defends Frank Caste / The Punisher and gets hired later because his opening statement made such an impression. His idealism and excusing for Matt is done too as we see him call Matt out on more than one occasion on the double life he leads.

Karen Page – Karen has a pretty amazing arc in this as she shows to be a greater super hero than Matt most of the time, which she ends up illustrating on her call for everyone to be that hero at the end. She has a great arc that involves her relationship with Matt turning romantic and falling apart and her going into journalism to find out the truth behind what happened to Frank Castle and how he became the Punisher…she is the only one who really learns the truth besides Castle and there is power in that. She is the truth seeker this season and the most put together character. At the end it pays off too as Matt finally tells her the truth and comes to her as a partner not someone to save.

Matt Murdock / Daredevil – Matt is a mess this season as he tries to juggle his civilian and vigilante life. It all comes to a head when Electra, his old love returns and Stick his abusive mentor…so he gets all the toxic! He also learns Kingpin owns his prison now and Frank Castle is on the loose after he helped bring him down.

Frank Castle / The Punisher – The Punisher is the strongest character in this story as we get a grunt from war who loses everything and only lives for revenge. He is a character who is given a chance to reflect and to remember and in that we get to see the tragedy that he has gone through and the depth that drives him. Jon Bernthal owns this role and made me want to watch the original Punisher films as well as read the comics. He is never presented as a good guy (he goes on trial at one point) but you get his motivation and drive and through his eyes we see that the corruption that runs through Hell’s Kitchen is on all levels. This city is Gotham level messed up, which is what lead to the creation the Punisher and the death of Frank Castle, an everyday man who snapped.

The Cameos: Jeri Hogarth – Jeri hires Foggy and it is awesome! How she explains that he gets the vigilante perspective and made me needed is really well handled and sets up “Civil War” and “The Defenders” really well. Always good to see her character too.

Madam Gao – She makes a brief appearance to help Daredevil take out the Hand and I liked seeing that she’s avoided the influence of the Hand and the Kingpin. She’s the best gangster outside the Kingpin and I’d like her to survive this entire series.

Wilson Fisk / The Kingpin – Fisk is back and we get to see him take control of his prison, set the Punisher loose once again on the world and beat Matt Murdock’s face in with a promise that the Punisher’s reign will be nothing when he gets out again. Seriously, I love how this guy turns losing into winning. I hope he gets a good victory on New York once he gets out.

Okay: Electra – Electra is an intersting character in how she is a character trying to fight against the different influences in her life, whether it’s Stick or the Hand…you get why she is the way she. She has had no solid influences and is a tragic figure because of it. In the end she saves Matt though and since she was the only person she loved, it actually means something. Her character could have been better developed though.

The Cons: Stick – Stick is an abusive dick and I don’t get why Matt puts up with him. He’s super talented but we see he has no foresight as he pushes Electra further into madness on multiple occasions and fails to see how Matt’s why serves a purpose. If killing to stop bad is his point, the Punisher does it better and to a much more concrete purpose.

The Hand and Fetishizing Japan – These guys are apocalyptic and underdeveloped. They are Ninjas and I really only cared about them in how they advanced the Matt and Electra plot. For being everywhere and replacing a bunch of kids’ blood with toxins…they didn’t take it anywhere or do anything with it. They showed up and left when their Black Sky Electra died. It was never explained what that meant though. Nobu from last season is control of them and apparently can’t die unless he is beheaded, but he is just as underdeveloped as the Hand…It’s fetishization of Asian Culture via the Ninja and extremely outdated. Hell Ninja Turtles satires this idea with it’s very existance because of how silly it is.

The Colonel – He’s a corrupt guy who served with Frank Castle and turned his men into drug runners for him. Apparently Frank said no so he said up the killing of Frank and his family. I think he was the Blacksmith, but it never completely stakes it. Was glad when the Punisher killed him. Even Clancey couldn’t give this character the depth he needed.

A lot of the antagonists who aren’t out and out gangsters from last season really did bring this season down. I didn’t care about the Hand. The Colonel’s motivations were never explored, Stick is just an abusive ass and making him be nice to Matt now doesn’t redeem that and the Hand is so underdeveloped that I didn’t care about them at any point, even if Nobu from last a season controlled them. The main characters are still the strongest part and the music and action elevates the weak villains. I seriously wish we had gotten more Fisk as the Kingpin continues to be one of the best characters to arise out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Can’t wait to see what they do with him next season.

Final Score: 8.6 / 10

“Marvel’s Daredevil” Season 1 – Complex Characters, Stakes and Better Than Most Marvel Movies

     “Marvel’s Daredevil” Season 1 is a masterpiece. This is a show that manages to have both complex heroes and villains, bring up important questions and dilemmas that drive said characters and have a coherent overarching plot while still leaving things open for a future or ending if it they have to. Suffice to say, I am glad this show is getting a Season 2, it deserves it. Besides “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Captain America: Winter Soldier” this is the best thing to come out of Marvel (still haven’t seen “Age of Ultron” but that review will be coming later.

     The series was created by Drew Goddard and based on the comics created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett. It is produced by Marvel Television and is part of the lead up to “The Defenders” television series.

     The story is that of Matt Murdock who is “The Man in Black” and his story as he becomes Daredevil as he fights the gangs of Hell’s Kitchen and their leader “The Kingpin.” From here the story unfolds as conflict arises in his relationships and they face their own dilemmas too. Whether they are heroes or villains.

The Pros: The Cinematography – The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and captures the dark noir feel that would lead to the creation of a person like Matt Murdock, who is very much the Batman of Hell’s Kitchen. It’s a brutal world but their is a beauty in it too as no character is one dimensional.

The Soundtrack – John Paesano and Braden Kimball were fantastic at this soundtrack. It gives the dark gritty intensity that really gets into the heads of all the characters. This is a rough world that made them and the soundtrack expresses that beautifully.

The Writing – The writing is extremely sold. Every character has an arc that leads them making difficult choices and they change because of those choices. This show doesn’t allow characters to be static or repeat character plots over again. Characters change and move on.

The Characters – The characters are itneresting and complex. My favorites were probably Daredevil and Madam Gao, though I really liked the Kingpin too. Each of them had parts both dark and light inside of them (in all the characters for that matter) and they either chose to reject one half, or in some cases find balance.

The Gang Leaders – The gang leaders are complicated and in most cases we get their backstory, especially if they are killed, which happens a lot in this series in regards to all the characters. This leads to an interesting dynamic and strange alliances and choices the characters make in their own agendas in Hell’s Kitchen.

The Russian Brothers – These two were tortured but managed to escape Russia to America and wanted to own the world. Eventually one chooses to submit to Fisk and dies, but when Daredevil is framed the other brother seeks to kill him before he is finally ended in Fisk’s plot to wipe out the Russian Mafia. Their story is sad but the brother is avenged as the surviving brother tells Daredevil the name of Leland who is the accountant for all of them.

Nobu – Nobu is the connection to the supernatural and one of the leaders of the clan in Hell’s Kitchen. He gets the closest to killing Daredevil but dies in the process. He is a dangerous and quite character and is working with and for the supernatural elements in the MCU. What those are is still a mystery though. Peter Shinkoda does a good job in the role.

Leland – Leland is the guy who is all about the money and is arguing about Fisk all the time. He isn’t stupid though and when his attempt to kill Fisk’s girlfriend fails he keeps the detective who has been working for them protected so that he has leverage over Fisk. Sadly this doesn’t stop Fisk and he is killed, though his plan does work at bringing down Fisk after Daredevil manages to save the detective from the corrupt cops working for Fisk.

Madam Gao – Madam Gao is amazing. She is old and smart and is the only person of the gangs who Fisk respects. After her and Leland’s assassination plot fails she leaves the country. She sees herself as doing good in her selling of the heroin as she believes it gives people sight into another world and plane of existence. She also knows when to get out and is the only one to escape Hell’s Kitchen unscathed. I really liked her character and hope she is around for a lot longer. Wai Ching Ho is fantastic!

Wesley – Wesley is the Kingpin’s Hand and enforcer and makes the all the deals. He is the face of the Kingpin when the series first starts and is how the mob deals with Fisk. He is crafty and is able to offset most situations. He also sees danger clearly and when he captures Karen he ends up dead as he underestimates her willingness to fight for her life and to end Fisk. His death is powerful as he was a sociopath but clearly cared for Fisk and considered him a friend. Toby Moore does a good job in this role.

Vanessa – Vanessa is the owner of an art studio who gets Fisk out of his shell. They have an equal relationship and she lives her own life until Fisk’s life ends and it shows that she make pick up his mantel. She is a sensitive character with a brutality to her as she doesn’t mourn the death of the Russian Mafia or those caught in the crossfire.

The Kingpin – Wilson Fisk is brutal and complicated. He believes that murder is the only way to change the city because murder was the only thing that stopped his father from abusing him and his mother. He also loves deeply and when the heroes trap closes in around them he proposes to Vanessa. His heart has always been her’s as he is honest in who and what he is and it’s what makes their relationship so wonderful. They are idealists and also monsters. Vincent D’Onofrio is great at this role.

The Heroes – The heroes like our villains have complex motivations and the choices they make change their relationship to one another and what it means to be who they are.

Stick – Stick is Matt’s brutal mentor who is serving a mysterious mentor. He cares about Matt but is also someone who is abusive and has a lot of issues of his own to deal with. I was glad when Matt kicked him out for killing the weaponized kid that Nobu was going to use as a weapon. This is a character who isn’t good but is the Punisher to Daredevil. Scott Glenn does the dark mentor role really well.

Ben Urich – Ben is a reporter who is a thorn in Fisk’s side. He breaks the story about the corruption in the company Karen was working for and together they work to bring down Fisk. Sadly the price is his life as he is killed personally by Fisk when he and Karen discover Fisk’s mother and learn about Fisk’s mother of his father.

Karen Page – Karen worked for a company that was taking bribes and doing illegal acts for Fisk. In the end they ask to her sign a silence order and pay her a lot of money…this is only after she weathers an assassination attempt from Fisk’s men and this makes her someone fighting always against them. She is the only one who has killed for the cause and she carries that with her, just like the deaths of Ben and the others lost in the fight.

Claire Temple – Claire is the only person outside of Foggy and Stick that knows that Matt Murdock is Daredevil. She has saved his life on multiple occasions and at one point was interested too. It ends with them only being friends as she needed someone their when Daredevil was pushing everyone away. She stands up for herself though and lays down those boundaries with Matt. Rosario Dawson (Mimi from “Rent”) does an amazing job as her!

Foggy Nelson – Foggy is the ambitious of the two as Murdock is the idealist. Murdock’s idealism as well as Karen’s changes him and we see just how deeply he cares for the people and not the bottom line of money. We also see how much he trusted Murdock and how the secret of Murdock’s power hurts him. It takes a few episodes for them to be good again and for him to realize just how much Matt was hurting holding it all in. Elden Henson does great work in this role.

Matt Murdock/Daredevil – First, Charlie Cox is a beautiful guy, second he is also an amazing actor! I really enjoyed how well he played Matt Murdock, from showing his sensitivity to his Dark Knight persona where he would beat and torture, even if he’d never killed. It was a line he was always dealing with and you see that play out in how he connects to others. Everytime he almost dies he grows close to someone but his obsession drives them away as well as his fear of losing them. This is what defines his character as well as his empathy for the innocent and his willingness to even protect the monsters from death. I really like this guy and the only character in the MCU with similar levels of empathy is Captain America, who is also my favorite after “Winter Soldier.” This series is worth it, just for his performance in this role.

The Action – The action deserves it’s own space here. There is a ton of hand to hand combat and it’s really beautiful and well done. Daredevil never uses a weapon until the end when he starts using sticks and the Kingpin is the same way. Both of them are almost animalistic in their fighting styles and it makes for beautiful fight sequences. The moments with guns are great too, from the Kingpin’s escape and the ambush of the Russians. This series doesn’t shy away from the cost and you see just how horrible the acts are.

The Ending – The Kingpin tries to escape, Daredevil attacks in his costume (made by the same man who made the Kingpin’s bullet proof suits) and we get a great fight sequence before the final with the Kingpin staring at the wall in the cell that is the same wall he faced as a child (showing he’s just as dangerous here even if he is alone) and Daredevil triumphant as he is now known by that name after giving the name to one of the few good cops on the force. I really enjoyed it and I’m glad Madam Gao escaped Daredevil and Kingpin too.

    This is a show that gets storytelling right. The characters are complex and change, the story has stakes, the music and writing and amazing and what the par for comic book storytelling on television should be (looking at you “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) and it actually tackles complex issues and dilemmas. Whether the show can sustain this remains to be seen but for now, I am extremely impressed and have to give it the best score. This is the best writing to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe outside of “Winter Soldier” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” and hope it can continue.

Final Score: 10 / 10.