Daredevil (Director's Cut) - Review

Daredevil is a comic book film directed by Mark Steven Johnson about a lawyer named Matt Murdock, who was chemically blinded as a kid and developed superhuman senses. It was released in 2003 to mixed reception, and rightly so. I felt the original cut had a very weak narrative, pace, and tone. I had heard that the DX version of this film is a favorite among comic book movie fans, I never thought much about getting my hands on it until it was right in front of me. I thought “why not?”, and surprise came surely afterward.

First off, the film is about thirty minutes longer than the original cut. This is a welcome change as the theatrical version felt like scenes were missing. According to Mark Steven Johnson this injustice was done by his producer, much to Johnson’s disapproval. Honestly the producer must have been a complete moron and could be the sole blame to why this film wasn’t as well-received as it could have been. This version should have been theatrically released.

This version has an entire subplot that the theatrical version left out, involving a homicide case revealed to be tied with the Kingpin, a defendant named Coolio, differentiated and extended scenes,  giving the film the R rating it should have had to begin with, which helps it steer away from clichés of the past. Anyone who has seen the film at all will probably remember the scene where Matt and Elektra share their first kiss after his ultra-senses are able to pick up the details of her face in all its extravagance during a downpour. That scene is among many to be altered or extended in some way.

Honestly, it almost feels like an entirely different film. I felt like I was watching what Daredevil should have been right from the start. It’s darker, it’s edgier, it’s more mature, and it’s far more narratively structured. Unfortunately though, while the Director’s Cut does alter Daredevil and Elektra’s intimacy scene (being that it’s removed completely, with Murdock actually leaving when he said he would), it does not remove my least favorite scene in the movie. I’m referring to Matt and Elektra’s little scuffle in the park. This scene irritates me, since Matt Murdock seems to be trying to keep his alter-ego a secret and yet has no problem drawing so much attention to himself just to get a girl’s number. Still, this time Daredevil’s fight against the Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan) parallels him in and out of costume, as it should be. The guy is an attorney, after all.

Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano) gets more screentime and his investigation is handled with greater detail, including his interactions with Murdock out of costume, and Foggy Nelson (Jon Favreau) becomes a more solidified character as he handles this new case in the re-included subplot and steps out from his cell as just being comic relief. The film is just so much grittier and fitting now, and it even leaves room for a sequel (that we’ll never have) with scenes showing Bullseye (Colin Farrell) in the hospital.

I honestly think that if this version of the film was released in theaters as Johnson originally planned, that it would have been a big hit, but poor decisions make for poor reception. This version should be called “Daredevil – The Complete Film”. 8 out of 10.

Let the Right One In - Review

Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) is a Swedish film I saw on The Distressed Watcher’s Top Ten Vampire Films list at number one. He said it was one of his favorite films, and the clips he presented in his video intrigued me, so I got my hands on the film and proceeded to sit down and watch. The end result bewildered me. He was absolutely correct.

The film involves a lonesome boy named Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) who is physically tormented and bullied by a group of other kids. In one instance, he gets sliced across the cheek and lies to his mother about it. Oskar spends his evenings imagining revenge to vent out his frustration and desire to get back at them. One night he meets a young girl his age, named Eli (Lina Leandersson, dubbed by Elif Ceylan), and the two quickly become friends, though Oskar points out some peculiar things about Eli. For example, during their first encounter she is outside in pajamas with bare feet in the middle of a very snowy winter. Over time Eli is able to give Oskar confidence to strike back at his tormentors, Oskar eventually comes to the realization that his new friend is a vampire.

Oskar is an abnormal boy for his age, quiet, collected, and morbidly intrigued by crime and forensics, even keeping a scrapbook with newspaper cuttings about murders. Hedebrant's performance conveys a sense of mystery and pity about Oskar's character, when he's feeling vengeful, you in turn feel his anger, and when he is satisfied, you don't doubt it. Eli is his other half, she's just as quiet as he is, but she displays a sense of dominance and intensity, despite her seeming so young on the surface. These two characters feel meant for each other, Oskar brings out Eli's humanity, and Eli brings out Oskar's animosity, and the way this is executed is subtle and crafty.

This is a very unconventional vampire film, one of the many reasons I enjoyed this film so much. The premise is original and executed with absolute finesse. The dialogue is solid and engaging, and it’s perfectly delivered by these young actors. The direction is wonderful; particularly the lighting, which really stood out to me, and I found out that the sets used in the film had no ceilings, so lighting was very well implemented. The setting of the film is like its own character, isolated, desolate. It's almost as if the story exists in its own little world. From the beautiful scenery of vast forest backdrop surrounded by ghost white plain, to the sheer atmosphere of winter's beauty and anonymity. This is a gorgeous movie. To top it off, the plot was simple yet engaging, and I loved the ambiguous qualities of its storytelling.The music did as it should, amplify the tone rather than setting it on its own, its an added level to this already poetic tale. To call this just a film would greatly understate it.

Let the Right One In is absolute poetry, its flawless, beautiful, and skillfully subtle. This is a new addition to my favorite films. At the time of this review I have not seen the American remake by Matt Reeves: Let Me In. While I won't dismiss it, I seriously doubt it will top this masterpiece. 10 out of 10.