Daredevil

There is much to recommend in this comic-book adaptation. First off, it’s preceded by the awesome trailer for the long-awaited X-Men sequel. Then, right after that, the trailer for the nerd-a-licious League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the trailer for geek-a-riffic Hulk movie, and then, if you’re lucky, the grosstacular trailer for the upcoming Willard remake starring Crispin Glover. Sadly, after that, Daredevil starts. Well, sort of starts. First it digresses in a boring and pointless origin story that’s so maudlin it makes Love Story seem like Batman. Then, finally, we get to the good stuff: Hong Kong-style action sequences. Sadly, they’re spaced apart by what I’m sure somebody thought was "dialogue." In the end, it’s occasionally fun to watch Jennifer Garner turn it on as Daredevil’s superheroic pal Electra, and there are some decent shoot-outs and beat-ups with Colin Farrell as the villainous Bullseye, but Ben Affleck’s wooden acting and the film’s poor pacing make this a not-so-super hero film. Comic nerds will enjoy the references to Jack Kirby, John Romita, Brian Michael Bendis and host of other Daredevil writers and artists, but upping the geek factor is not generally a recipe for successful cinema.