An entertaining Disney+ series where Daredevil tries to handle crime the legal way but goes back to vigilantism.
I’ve heard the Marvel superhero Daredevil through the 2003 Ben Affleck movie, and I know there was a series in 2015 with Charlie Cox playing him. That was canceled on Netflix, but was moved to Disney+ in 2022 after Disney booked the license. And there have been other Cox appearances in “The Defenders,” “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” among others.
Another thing I know about Daredevil is that his real identity is the blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who wears sunglasses, comes from Hell’s Kitchen, and has a strong sense of hearing. That means with his superhuman levels, he can hear suspicious words and devious intentions close by. He sure knows when to fight and when to use his words.
Now, Disney+ has a new series entitled “Daredevil: Born Again,” and while I’m no expert inside this side of the Marvel universe (I guess we’ll now call it the MCU), I still think there’s a lot going for it.
The show begins with Matt giving up his Daredevil persona, following the murder of his best friend, and Wilson Fisk, A.K.A. Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), winning the election for Mayor of New York. The hero wants to try to handle crime the legal way. You know the lawyering, cases, talking, and no mask kind of way. The villain is not without his polarizing reactions from the public. There are those who think he has changed and those who think he hasn’t. Matt is one of those opposers, and Kingpin even warns him not to take matters in his own hands again, if you know what I mean.
There’s also a romantic connection between Matt and the therapist Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva), cases involving thieves and another vigilante being accused of murdering a dirty cop, a little reunion between himself and Frank Castle, A.K.A. The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), and a new serial killer on the loose, one who paints with his victim’s blood.
We also get street interviews on The BB Report, sparked by BB Urich (Genneya Walton) herself, talking about life on the streets since Daredevil called it quits and since the election. “Are the people safe?” is the real question, and the answer is doubtful.
And as for Fisk, he has serious marriage counseling with his estranged wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer), who, like many others, doesn’t believe he’s changed. He also has a young protege (Michael Gandolfini), who goofs up after a night of partying and drinking. I won’t spoil how here for the sake of spoiler alerts. And he won’t tolerate that new serial killer ruining his reputation.
Like “Deadpool & Wolverine,” don’t expect a family friendly tone, because there is going to be blood and carnage, and there’s going to be cursing, and it’s really entertaining in the right notion. But it also represents the crazy world we live in, regarding bad cops, politics, crime, and how there are polarizing reactions about how things have gotten better or worse. I think in Matt Murdock’s New York world, things have gotten worse. So let’s face it. He can say he’s done with the Daredevil persona and believe in the judicial system all he wants, but he can’t break free.
Cox does a terrific job displaying that, while D’Onofrio continues to represent his character’s sinister nature, and it’s clear from the beginning he hasn’t changed. And the supporting from their spouses (Levieva and Zurer) are also well-acted. I’m not completely in love with the rules of this side of Marvel, but I am open-minded about what this series accomplishes. I’m no lawyer, but I’ll take this case.
2-Episode Premiere Now Streaming on Disney+