THE ABSENT

THE ABSENT
THE ABSENT - out now!

CRIPPLED HEARTS

CRIPPLED HEARTS
Out Now - For sale on Amazon and other onlne book sellers

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FLESH EATING MOSAIC AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FLESH EATING MOSAIC AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju
Out Now

THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT NINNY AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT NINNY AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju
My first book of poetry available through Amazon and other online booksellers www.rajbooks.com

Saturday, April 11, 2015

A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT NETFLIX'S DAREDEVIL


Finished binge watching Season One of Daredevil and it was pretty good.  Maybe not as good as the generous praise that is being heaped on it all over the Internet but very well made, like a long film (which is the Netflix and AMC trademark) rather than an episodic TV show.

What I liked about it

 Vincent D’Onofrio’s performance as Wilson Fisk the Kingpin (although that name is never used) is the best performance I’ve ever seen by an actor as a comic book villain.  His performance is deep and complicated and full of dimensions.  This is a real human being with all the feelings and foibles and complexities.

 The overall look of the show is great – dark, gritty, full of dirt under the fingernails.

Tthe fight scenes are some of the best I’ve ever seen in a TV show.  There are so many but I would single out the fight in the hallway in episode two as particularly amazing.

 All of the supporting characters from the comic book – Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Ben Urich, Vanessa, Stick - have their essence captured by good performances, faithful renderings.

What I didn’t like

 Like I said D’Onofrio’s performance as Fisk is excellent but physically his dimensions are bit off.  The Kingpin is not just a tall bald guy.  He’s a massive giant.  D’Onofrio should have added a hundred pounds or worn a fat suit.  The wrestler King Kong Bundy is how I see the Kingpin.

 Daredevils’s power in the show is shown to be enhanced senses – smell, hearing, touch, taste etc. but he also uses echolocation like a bat which the show didn’t make clear.   In addition, showing what Daredevil sees as a “world on fire” makes absolutely no sense.  Dardevil’s  line of vision looks like this http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/3/36257/2867875-daredevil_022_zone_008.jpg

 Other potential super villains such as Leland Owsley (The Owl) and Melvin Potter (the Gladiator) appear in their human identity but the Kingpin is the only major villain for the whole season.  I think they should have added in one or two more villains. Hopefully, they will do this in the second season.

I loved the red outfit but it doesn’t appear until halfway through the last episode.  I would have liked to have seen it more. 

Overall, some of the episodes felt a bit padded.  Could have done with less priest conversations (one or two would have been enough) as well as the whiny what happened to us? dialogue between Matt, Foggy, and Karen in the later episodes. 

Not sure what the point is of this being in the same movie universe as The Avengers.  They hardly mentioned  other heroes (I counted three mentions) and when they are it’s in euphemisms  like “The Incident” or as jokes.  If there were superheroes around, you’d think people would talk about them more.

Still, it’s an impressively put together story.  I think The Flash is a better adaptation (even though it’s not as good as a comic book or character) because it understands the possibilities of episodic TV  and has a multitude of interesting villains but Daredevil is still worth watching.

My suggestion for Season Two – Of course the Elektra/Bullseye storyline with the Punisher “Child’s Play” thrown in the mix too.  Would also love to see Typhoid Mary at some point.   


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