Let's talk about YOU!: Lewis Jane and Film

A few years ago, I used to interview my friends about their experiences with Video games on my blog. I kind of let the blog fall to the wayside a bit in recent years but have slowly been putting content back on it and writing much more in general. I always enjoyed getting people to discuss their relationship with games in depth and felt like I should try to do something else like that from time to time.

So this week I thought I’d start up what I hope is a reoccurring segment of my blog called ‘Let’s chat about film’. Hopefully this can create some decent discussions about film and enable others to get some decent recommendations along the way.  I thought I’d start with myself as I did with the previous interview blogs so forgive me if this sounds a little awkward.

How long have you been into film?

I have always enjoyed films but I would say I didn’t really get into them until around my early to mid teens. My Dad was always working a lot so we didn’t get to spend too much time together but when the colder months came around and he worked less we started to watch movies in the evening. They were usually actions movies like Terminator 2 or First Blood but they really got me into certain actors filmography.

From there as I got older, I would try and go to the movies with friends but found it was an expensive thing to do so I would usually watch whatever movies I could find on Sky Movies. It was only in the last 6 years or so that I’d bought a membership card for my local cinema and began to see movies at least 3 times a week. From there it just expanded to following certain actors, listening to film podcasts and more.

Unfortunately, I don’t go to the movies as much now but I still try to follow certain series like the Marvel movies or catch some Netflix original films if I can.

What was the first movie you remember seeing in the cinema?

I think it was Disneys Mulan. I remember my Mum taking me and my younger cousin to see it and being so excited. I don’t know why I was so excited I think it’s because I’d never been to the movies before that point. I can’t remember how I reacted during the movie but I remember being SO hyper after it and saying things like ‘that was amazing’ over and over again and demanding we go to Mcdonalds as they had Happy Meal toys of Mulan at the time.

I think it’s great that a movie can have that sort of effect on a child and get them so excited about what they’ve seen. I don’t really rate that movie too highly anymore but it will always have a place in my heart because of the way it affected me back then.

What is a cinema experience that really stood out for you?

This is similar to the effect Mulan had on me and I was only around a year older but It’s gotta be Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. I remember being friends with the neighbor's kids and they always had old Star Wars stuff, I was always fascinated by it but couldn’t understand what it was about and then one day they tell me there is a new one and I’m invited to go and see it, I was really excited to be able to see what this stuff was really about!

I remember the scene where Darth Maul turned that lightsaber sideways and showing that it was double-edged and me and my friends just losing our shit. I think this movie really got me into ‘proper’ films rather than just animated ones. I’d never seen so much going on at once on a screen and I was amazed at how it was all put together, so much so I’d watch the ‘making of’ documentary that was on the PS1 game adaptations disc countless times.

I know this movie gets a lot of shit but I’ve always enjoyed it. Is it as good as the older movies in the franchise? No way, but is it a great introduction for a child who was around 6 or 7 years old? Absolutely.

What if your favourite Genre of film and why?

I’ve always enjoyed Thriller movies but that can be a wide range I guess; I think it’s because of the suspense and generally they grip you within the first 15 minutes. If a form of media hasn’t gripped me that time frame I usually find it difficult to continue. Some examples I can give are films like Nightcrawler or Shutter Island.

I really enjoy the Superhero Genre too. It’s a lot better than it was in the early 2000s and I think we’ve had some real stand out movies within the genre in the last 10+ years like the obvious The Dark Knight and more recently Logan.

Do you feel there is an abundance of superhero media currently?

Well, yeah there are a lot of movies and if you take TV into account there is a hell of a lot out there to watch. This is not necessarily a bad thing though, Marvel seem to do this right where yes it’s a Superhero movie but it’s a Superhero movie in a certain genre. Look at The Winter Solider, that’s like a solid political thriller kind of movie or Guardians of the Galaxy is a sci-fi movie etc.

I think if they stick to that sort of model then it can work well. I like DC too but I feel they are part of the problem in what some consider an abundance of movies in the genre. They try way too quickly to catch up to Marvel and as a result released some sub par stuff. They worked well when they took their time with something like Nolans Batman trilogy and they seem to be heading back that way with this new Joker movie coming out later this year.

Is there any other form of media you feel would work well if adapted to film such as a book or game?

I recently read a short book called ‘The Electric State’ by Simon Stalenhag which follows a teenager and her robot on a cross-country road trip across a post-apocalyptic USA. The book was really short but featured art by the author that was just stunning. The story itself was good but I felt there was a lot more to tell about the world itself so I’d love to see that explored in a movie sometime.

Has a movie ever made you feel uncomfortable?

Yes, Nocturnal Animals is one that stands out in my mind a lot. It's a great movie and really worth watching if you haven't but the movie deals with a lot of tough subjects and doesn't shy away from showing them. I wouldn't want to spoil what happens in the movie but if you know the movie then you can guess what part made me uncomfortable.

It was so bad that I was really squirming in my cinema seat for a lot of the movie, I literally could not get comfortable because of what was happening to certain characters and I kept thinking how I would react if I were in the main characters shoes at that point.

Who is your favourite director?

I think for the consistency of movies from them that I have enjoyed it has to be Christopher Nolan. I got into his movies with the Dark Knight Trilogy and they are all fantastic in their own way but since then I’ve gone back and found that I really enjoy not only his previous work but his later work too.

Memento for example is such a fantastic movie and is one of those films you need to watch at least twice, the same for The Prestige which is a real mind bender. Other than that Inception was pretty good as was Interstellar but as someone who studied History and University, I really enjoyed his most recently movie Dunkirk.  I will always have time for his movies, he hasn’t let me down yet.

Who is your favourite actor/actress?

This usually changes a lot for me depending on what films I’ve seen at the time but at the moment it’s Jake Gyllenhaal. I don’t really rate Donnie Darko that highly but a lot of his work in the last 10 years has been great. Nightcrawler, Source Code, Nocturnal Animals and Prisoners are all some films I’d recommend if you’re into him. He is certainly a guy that has range and uses his range well, look at him be a super gaunt and creepy, obsessive guy in Nightcrawler and then see him play two different characters within Nocturnal Animals that both have you feeling for them in different but intense ways. It’s hard to explain but watch these movies man.

Where do you see film going in the future?

I would hope that they are still released in the cinema as some people seem to think the places are dying out (But I mean look how many people go to see Marvel movies, how can they be?) but I also hope there are more chances for films to be picked up by streaming services like Netflix. They seem to allow a lot of smaller Directors chances to work on higher budget movies like the recent I Am Mother on Netflix.

What is an aspect of film you feel is essential in helping the movie work well?

I think it’s the score or soundtrack really. With the right song or piece in the background it can really help sell the feeling of the character or set the mood for the world that we are viewing. For example you get pumped when Dual of the Fates comes on in Star Wars or when the soundtrack of Shutter Island kicks in at certain points you feel the anguish of the characters.

What is a film you would recommend to somebody and why?

Other than the Jake Gyllenhaal films I mentioned already I’d recommend Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless mind. There are a few reasons for this, the story is a bit confusing but a really interesting concept once you understand it, Jim Carey CAN act in a serious role and more people need to see that and it’s just one of those movies that really helped me get through some shitty breakups. If you’ve seen it you might understand why.  It’s certainly not a film for everyone but I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something a little different.

What is the next film you want to see at the cinema?

I think it has to be Spider-man: Far From Home as it’s out next week and I just adore the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There is a lot riding on this movie to pave the way for the future of this franchise and I’m excited to see where they take it next.

Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)

This week I felt like taking a look at something Batman related after I finished the Batwoman DLC for Arkham Knight as I'm still on a huge hype for anything Batman. I've always found myself enjoying Batman as a kid, specifically the animated series and the Beyond series too like most people who grew up during that period of time. However after that It was not until both Nolans Batman Begins and the Arkham series that I really began to get super into it.

I never ever used to read comics of any kind, I would only know about superheroes from their cartoons, movies or games. While Nolans series of Batman films really got me back in to that universe it never made me want to read any of the stories it was based on, It was only when I played the Arkham series that I began to research characters Id never heard of and stories that inspired plot elements within the game. I think I can thank the Arkham series overall for the way I feel about Batman In general today actually.

If it were not for its use of easter eggs and in depth looks at character profiles I would never have looked online and discover decent places to begin reading. The only thing with that is that I don't read new series as they come out, I can only read collected issues in a graphic novel format, I really don't like waiting to see the end of an arc or story. Perhaps that's because I began with collected issues and I've never actually tried to read weekly or monthly though, to be fair with the New 52 thing I don't really feel like starting anew, to me each story takes place in the same universe unless specifically stated not to.

The Arkham series as well as Begins pointed me in the direction of the Year One storyline and from there I was hooked, I've read so many graphic novels now and my collection is ever growing but I'll always love Year One and to a latter extent The Dark Knight Returns, both of these graphic novels really propelled my love for the mythos of the character, his universe and his rogues gallery as much as the video games did.

So I looked around and realised I had a few Batman Blu rays Id not checked out yet and after the Arkham Knight game I thought id give Assault on Arkham a shot. This film takes place within the Arkham universe and seems to fit in after Origins and some time before Asylum. Although it is a Batman movie he actually takes the back seat to the Suicide Squad, A group of villains and anti heroes set up by Amanda Waller. As the name describes this squad is set up to do the missions 'no one else can', to make use of the most dangerous villains skills and of course as a scapegoat if something were to go wrong so Waller can deny any accountability.

While Batman does take a back seat this time around I suppose this movie is a nice introduction to the Suicide squad if you are unfamiliar with them as a group as it does feature a number of characters who will be front and centre in the upcoming live action film in 2016.

I think it is a shame this film doesn't focus too much on Batmans perspective but to be far he has enough animated features as it is. I suppose if this film was titled just something like 'Sucide Squad: Assault on Arkham'  it would not have sold well (If it even sold well anyway), but anything with Batman in the title will garter more attention towards it. Maybe that will change after the films release if people can get over how the fucking Joker looks.

The Suicide Squad this time around consists of King Shark, Killer Frost, Black Spider, Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn, and Deadshot. Their introduction almost felt like something out of a cheesy trailer with each of them having text around them stating who they are and who they were 'playing'. I actually really like the idea of the Suicide squad if only because I love to see villains working together to take on something, be it a hero who continuously beats them, a bigger threat        or an entire asylum.

I like that although they are working together, they're forced to, it makes for some pretty great scenes where the characters can't stand each other but know they just have to bite their tongue and get on with it or else their head will explode due to a nano bomb placed within their neck. I actually really liked that Waller showed first hand what would happen if one of the team were to disobey her. Right from the get go of the team being brought together we see KGBeast (what a name!) attempted to break away from the group and instantly got fucked up.

The plot begins when the Wallers government team infiltrate the Riddlers Hideout only to be stopped by Batman, Waller knows the Riddler has knowledge of each and every member of the suicide squads real names and threatens to release them on the internet. Waller assembles the squad to infiltrate Arkham Asylum while Batman is preoccupied in order to get a thumb drive laced with this information that is located within his cane.

The Squad lands in Gotham and works with The Penguin in order to find a way into the Asylum, during this time they suit up and await orders. However some members of the team begin getting specific secretive orders that the rest of the team are not to know about. As the story progresses we find out The Joker set up a Dirty bomb within the city and Batman believes the Riddler knows where it is. Because of this Batman continues to have run ins with the squad which allows Harley to be sent to Arkham, just as Waller planned.

As they all begin their plan to enter the Asylum they come across the Joker in Solitary confinement which pisses Harley off to the point of the plan almost going out of the window. During this time Batman gets the feeling Harley wanted to be caught and quickly heads toward the Asylum. Batman soons shows up and attempts to take on the entire squad, easily subduing the majority of them until he is seemingly overwhelmed and stopped by Black Spider.

Frost goes missing at this time and turn up at the Riddler's cell to assassinate him, however The Riddler states he knows how to defuse all their nano bombs in their necks. Naturally the Joker has found some way to escape (surprise surprise) and is looking for a way out of the Asylum. The Squad meet up with the Riddler and Frost and begin shocking themselves in order to overload the nano bombs.

At this point if you hadn't guessed it we see that Black Spider is Batman in his costume, who is somehow wearing his own mask beneath an entire Black Spider get up. Then the Joker shows up and chaos ensues as you can imagine.Oh and remember the bomb I mentioned before?, yeah it was just conveniently in the mallet Quinn was using.... how lucky.

The movie pretty much turns into Arkham Asylum lite now as the Joker releases all the inmates such as Two Face, Bane and Scarecrow while the remaining Squad members attempt to escape. Of course the Joker and Quinn were stowaways on Deadshots ticket out of the Asylum and the three begin fighting. The fight between Deadshot and the Joker is short but actually pretty great and get's quite brutal at times with multiple stabbings and choke outs rather than just a standard shitty fist fight.

The end of the movie shows Batman defusing the bomb and Gotham saved once again, with a short epilouge showing him confronting Waller about the damage caused by her Squad and a final scene with Deadshot reunited with his daughter aiming his sniper at Wallers head as the film ends.

This movie had a number of aspects that I did enjoy such as the line up of villains and the banter between them actually being quite funny at times, such as Killer Frost making ice related puns and the rest of the teaming groaning whenever she does. With that banter also came some rivalry between Deadshot and Captain Boomerang which I really liked the build up to with them having dart throwing competitions and getting into some fights, but in the end it felt like it didn't lead to anything as they betray each other after all.

To be fair though they are both villains so maybe the 'we were rivals now we're best pals' thing would not have really fit well. This sort of stuff actually helps the slower scenes with their pace, I feel these scenes would be pretty boring without the interactions to be honest. However Harley Quinn in this film, while a nice addition overall seems to be more of a 'IM SO RANDOM LOL' kind of character than actually funny in her own right, she had some dumb catchphrase throughout the movie of 'yahtzee' and it just got annoying.

I like that the films includes a large number of Batman's rogues gallery even if just for a moment such as the Penguin, Bane, Ivy and a few others, while they are only on screen for a few moments they are each a welcome addition and show that Batman's been busy and is already well established as the hero or 'dark knight' of Gotham by this point. 

I also liked that at least one time Quinns costume resembled her animated series version to an extent rather than the one she has in the Arkham games, I like to think the games take place in that universe but much later on. On the other hand however I like that the majority of the other characters costumes such as Bane and Scarecrow retain their look from the games, it's one of the only parts of the movie that makes it feel like it's actually related to the video game.

The voice acting is actually really good all around, Of course Kevin Conroy reprises his role as Batman once again and no matter how many years go by he still does the character justice, unfortunately he is not in the feature for too long every scene he's in shows how comfortable he is with being Batman, his voice just has this great power around it that just commands those around it to be intimidated, it's a guy in a Bat suit that will completely fuck you up if you're committing a crime and you know it.

While Mark Hamill has been away from the Joker character since Arkham City the use of Troy Baker as the Joker Origins has been the next best thing, he has truly been fantastic in the role, especially in Arkham Knight recently, there were definitely times when I could not tell the difference between the two. While he is great in this movie too, there did seem to be a number of moments where he just was not as good as he was in Origins, this isn't to say his portrayal this time around was bad in anyway it just felt like he could do better and he knows it.

The rest of the cast was pretty good too, Deadshot Particularly, while I found Harley Quinn to be annoying I can't deny that her voice works for the character and it always has, she'es meant to be this high pitched woman who love's to be the centre of attention other than when the Joker is around and honestly I had no idea until I just looked it up that it wasn't Tara Strong who voiced her this time around but Hynden Walch who voiced her in The Batman.

There were some issues I had with he movie too though. I don't understand the use of techno and dubstep like beats for the soundtrack, especially outside of action sequences It just did not seem to fit in any scene at all, Batman should be almost Gothic with its music, I mean if you're going for a more action orientated movie then fine but there is not need to have crazy ass dubstep playing when characters are suiting up and talking to each other, Id rather now music at all at that point.

The animation is nothing amazing, it kind of feels like your typical Saturday morning cartoon, a lot of scenes understandably take place in the darkness and actually look better because of this. One thing tht bugged me was having Batman's pupil semi visible most of the time, it was really distracting when and looked like a mix between the animated series batman and the film version where his eyes are always visible. To be fair though, the women were all drawn pretty well as you can see above....
In fact Killer Frost was one of the best things to look at I don't care!

Overall was this movie worth a watch? I would say yes if you're a huge Batman fan but no if you're more into just the films or games. While this is set in the Arkham universe it does not really have anything to do with the games other than some character designs, the story certainly does not really lead in or out of any game in the series. This film really is more of a Suicide squad movie, which is fine really I think in that respect it is quite a good way to become familiar with the characters and motives of the Squad so you're up to speed for the 2016 movie.

However the only key characters you'll need to focus on are Deadshot and Quinn it seems, as they seem to be center stage in the 2016 movie according to the trailers. Honestly if you're looking for a really good Batman movie from the long list of animated features I would not recommend this as your first. In fact Both Year One and The Dark Knight Returns have been animated and the Killing Joke is in the process of being made so honestly id say to go for one of these unless you're really in to the Suicide Squad.

I've actually got quite a few DC animated movies laying around the house so perhaps I'll review some more some time!, if you're into Batman or any Superhero let me know of any cool underrated animated movies to check out, they always seem to get overshadowed by their live action counterparts.

Daredevil (Netflix 2015)

This week I'm reviewing a new 'Netflix Original' series that you've probably seen mentioned across the internet recently, Daredevil. This series revolves around the Marvel character and protector of Hells kitchen in New York as he begins his crime fighting career and becomes a well known vigilante in the area. We see him progress as he defeats petty criminals to Mafia, Yakuza and Drug lords all revolving around antagonist Wilson Fisk.

Daredevil is the first of four miniseries planned in conjunction by both Netflix and Marvel which is set to include other heroes such as Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage, the plan being to have all of these characters meet up to form an Avengers style team up series, The Defenders. I think this was a wise move by both Marvel and Netflix as perhaps these characters would not have been popular enough alone to make their way to the big screen, it really does make you appreciate these perhaps lesser known heroes.

In a way it kind of reminds me of the 90's Marvel cartoons that all kind ofcrossed over from time to time, in fact most people who watched those as kids will probably be watching Daredevil, it's almost as if Marvel is growing up with the more mature format of shows like this but unfortunately it doesn't seem as though the movie side of things will become more mature any time soon, but then this series probably wouldn't stand out as much if the films delved into the subjects we're familiar with in this show.

I'm quite pleased that Netflix has delved into producing some Superhero based content, and with DC releasing multiple series such as Arrow, Gotham and The Flash there was no doubt that Marvel would be soon behind them especially as the world of movies is becoming dominated by yearly Superhero based releases. I feel as though this partnership between Netflix and Marvel is fantastic as Netflix Originals are becoming increasingly popular with titles such as Orange is the new black and House of Cards being in their third seasons.

But with Netflix originals the entire series is usually released on the same day, which some find to be great and some find to be a problem. I personally find it to be great because I don't have to wait weekly to continue a show I'm hooked on and if I don't watch to 'binge' on the entire show I can just watch maybe 2 or 3 episodes every other night or so, it's completely up to the viewer. Some however would like this weekly gap between episodes because they feel it ruins the discussion on the show in that the first week or so everyone will be talking about it but shortly after discussion may be non existent.

A point that I really enjoyed about this show was that it doesn't focus much on the origin story of the characters in the first episode. It's more interspersed throughout the show, it is only during episode 7 that we see how Matt began to hone his skills and use his heightened abilities to his advantage due to his training from Stick and right after that with episode 8 we take a look in to Fisk's past and a glimpse into how he became the man he is today. I believe having the show give little parts of a characters past every few episodes is great, especially in a time where Superhero movies are taking over and some are even being rebooted multiple times at this point.

A lot of people already know most Heroes origins and don't need them to be the focus of the film or show at this point, having them be interspersed really works well as it gives a chance for the first episode to be more action packed and grab the viewer rather than having to adhere to the same old story and boring audiences, in terms of movies this works well because it doesn't have to eat up too much time and allows the film to stand on it's own more as a new story featuring that hero. Of course with the likes of Luke Cage and Iron fist their series may focus more on their origins as they did not have a movie featuring them like Daredevil did.

This also leads into the pacing of the show which worked rather well, of course with movies we have around and hour and a half or two hours to get the entire plot set up and resolved while sometimes leaving some room for a sequel to be set up. With television we can take our time and while Daredevil is a shorter 13 episode show it really does seem to make use of its time having the story slowly unfold and showing the progression of the character as he builds himself as well as friendships around him that benefit his vigilante career. On the opposite side we see this almost untouchable Fisk at the height of his career slowly start to lose his grip as enemies conspire against him and our protagonists close in on him.

In terms of the casting and characters I generally can't complain I find Charlie Cox to be a great Matt Murdock and while portraying a man who seems to be disabled he really does bounce off the other cast members with witty comments and comedic timing, In the Daredevil roll I feel he also works well as he can portray this angry character who will do whatever he can to help his city without going to Christian Bale levels of trying to be this intimidating character. I feel like Cox relies on his mostly calm portrayal to put the fear into his enemies until he really has to turn up the heat. The fact that he can put this across while only having half of his face visible half the time is fantastic, although I don't feel it works as well when he gets his proper costume later on.

I also really enjoyed Elden Henson as Foggy, I believe he works so well as a comedic relief and as a close friend to Murdock, the way they bounce off one anther is great and the emotion between the two during episode 10 where Foggy finds out Daredevils identity really shows how close they really are. We see a friend worried about his 'blind' business partner and best friend along with the state he has found him in after an intense battle with Nobu. I felt the flashbacks to when the characters first met in this episode were hilarious at times and a nice change of pace to the violence and more action orientated scenes of the series.

Now Vincent D'Onofrio as Fisk is an overall amazing presence in the show and quite possibly one of the best representations of a Marvel villain we've had on our screen in some time. Fisk is presented quite well at first as this charismatic guy who loves art and even the odd flirt with the right woman, but we soon see a much more darker side to him when he begins to cave in the head of a man who 'embarrassed' him while he is on a date. We slowly see why this man is so revered and respected in the criminal underworld as well as seeing how manipulative he can be when he begins to play other gangs off against Daredevil by making them believe he was the one to kill certain members.

D'Onofrio plays both the respectable and the villainous sides of Fisk so incredibly well and while his attempts at romance can be a little cringe worthy at times overall we see a complex man with a motive not dissimilar to Daredevils, the cleaning up of the city, it's just the way in which the characters attempt to do it that differs.

Moving back to the brief flashback aspect of the show I feel like a lot of flashbacks in some series feel forced and are just used to eat up time but in this series they really matter to the overall development of the characters, such as Matts training, his time with his father and his opening up to Foggy. I feel that because these are split in to different episodes it honestly makes me care more about the character, I would hate to have all this spill into one origin episode.

This show in many ways does feel like Marvels take on Batman in that it focus' on a man with pretty basic 'powers' who wants to turn his city into a positive place free from the crime that has become rampant over time, both will do whatever it takes to combat these crimes but also stick to a strict code that they will not kill a criminal, which in Matt's case is more due to him being a man of the law. Both seem to go by the 'this is my city' mentality in that they are a lone protector, which is strange in Daredevils case seeing as he shares the city with not only some of the Avengers but soon the likes of the Defenders.

The more I think about it this series is almost like Batman Year One, in which we see the beginnings of Batman but more so his training and first few attempts at becoming a vigilante, in this comic there are no real villains other than common criminals and a few key characters surrounding the situation This series is the same, it's the beginnings of Daredevils career and doesn't delve to deep in to his rogues gallery, choosing to focus more on common criminals and a few gangs. Now while I have never read a Daredevil comic in my life I do read a lot of Batman and I'm aware that Frank Miller, who did some of the best Batman stories including Year One but before this he worked on Daredevil so perhaps this is why there are a lot of similarities between to two over the years.

What I really enjoy about the Daredevil character is that he is a lot more grounded, he doesn't have a power on the level of the likes of the Hulk or Thor and he doesn't deal with the threats they do and I feel this makes him a lot more human, even more so than the likes of Tony Stark. He can't easily take out a bunch of enemies, he even has a lot of trouble against some of them and when he gets hurt, he really gets hurt which we can see an example of during episode two when he fights against a large number of enemies whilst being highly fatigued.

We see this character progress both mentally and physically throughout the show but what I really enjoyed was how he progresses visually. In a world where people are already aware of these flashy superheroes and their eye-catching outfits it was quite funny to see people comment Daredevils first costume saying it sucks or even leaves him open for certain attacks. Towards the climax of the show we see him take on this advice and don a costume a lot more similar to what we'd expect although it is a little more practical with some armour plating here and there.

During the beginning of his career we see Daredevil become quite sadistic in the way he deals with criminals, he really doesn't seem to give a shit what happens to them as long as they live, it's almost as if he enjoys the pain he gives to criminals, which he shows by throwing people off of buildings or even impaling them. This is one of the aspects of the show that makes it stand out more compared to the rest of the universe it's set in. The show really does not shy away from brutal beatings and some gore, especially when Fisk is involved.

Honestly there was not too much I did not enjoy about this series, but this is not to say it is perfect. I did find some issue with the character of Karen Page, I thought she was alright in the first few episodes but slowly found her annoying over time, I felt like she could be removed altogether and have Foggy fill her role somewhat and it wouldn't take anything away from the series, she just felt like our bridge into the Ben Urich Character.

As much as I enjoyed Vincent D'Onofrio in his portrayal of Fisk I did find the focus on him and Vanessa a bit much, I understand it's to show everyone has a weak point and that he could be this nice guy on the outside but remain the same man he has always been on the inside but I just found the scenes with them both in to be almost like a goofy nerd who has never spoken to a woman in his life just falling over himself, desperately trying to impress. I found myself laughing at him in these scenes more than anything, but again I don't know much about the character outside of the old Spiderman cartoon so perhaps I'm just not informed enough about how he usually acts around Vanessa in the comics.

In all, Daredevil is a fantastic series that delves into the darker tones of the Marvel universe and is not something you'd really expect given the track record of the other Marvel TV series Agents of Shield. While this does rely on the cinematic universe for its setting it quickly becomes its own thing which doesn't need to rely on goofy references every few minutes like Gotham. In fact id argue this could be a great starting point to that universe as you really do not need to know anything before going in to it, perhaps this would be perfect for those who dislike the movies but still like the characters.

Having the show avalible on Netflix you could easily watch the entire series at any point you wish and with a second series announced already for 2016 it's clear these new batch of shows being produced are on the right tracks and may even begin to rival the cinematic universe itself in terms of popularity, I really cannot wait to see where they go next with Jessica Jones which I believe is being filmed at the moment, it's clear the bar has now been set high.