In the first 10 films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, big-name actors and a jovial, witty tone were the core strengths that made the franchise full of money-making epics.
But Marvel’s first of five planned Netflix series featured neither big names nor humor. It was dark, sullen and unapologetically violent.
Matt Cox stars in "Daredevil" as Matt Murdock, a blind and idealistic defense attorney who spends his night using his heightened senses and thirst for justice to beat up on bad guys as the titular vigilante.
Cox isn’t a big name in the ilk of Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Hemsworth or even Mark Ruffalo, and Daredevil isn’t cracking wise about being a genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.
There’s certainly no shwarma in Hell’s Kitchen.
While it’s out of character for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the darkness of "Daredevil" is what makes it yet another hit from the multimedia giant. The show adds a layer of depth and grit to the normally upbeat world that Marvel has been building since 2008.
If there is a bone to pick with the series, it’s that the hero arguably takes a backseat to the villain.
In the short span of 13 episodes, Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin has undoubtedly grown into one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best villains.
D’Onofrio is perfectly cast as the twisted crime boss Wilson Fisk, masterfully alternating between taking a man’s head off with a car door and whimpering like a child at the memory of his abusive father.
In the comics, Kingpin is a powerful man who relies on coercion and a mean façade but on the inside, he’s a sad and broken man craving the approval of those he loves.
In "Daredevil," D’Onofrio captures that duality perfectly. He orchestrates a wide criminal network like a bona fide Michael Corleone then attempts to ask a woman out on a date with the kind of awkward clumsiness all too many comic book fans can relate to in their own lives, myself included.
What makes Daredevil a success is that it separates itself from the MCU at whole. Even Marvel’s first two small-screen series, "Agents of SHIELD" and "Agent Carter," are heavily laced with humor and heavy-handed references to the movies but "Daredevil" isn’t like that.
You get the occasional quip about Murdock’s blindness and the quick glimpse at a “Battle of New York” headline, but for the most part the series sets itself apart. It stands on its own and urges you to judge it on its own merits, not those of its silver-screen blockbusters.
"Daredevil" doesn’t rely on the success of its big-screen predecessors to connect with fans. It marches to the beat of its own drum and excels at it.
Reach the reporter at icbeck@asu.edu or follow @icbeck21 on Twitter
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