David-Keith Movie Reviews

Volume 4 of "Star Trek: The Animated Series" presents another pair of episodes from the cartoon show's first season. "One of Our Planets Is Missing" (Episode #2, September 22, 1973) finds the crew of the Enterprise trying to find a way of stopping a killer cloud from destroying planets. Another sequel of sorts to a classic "Star Trek" episode is "Mudd's Passion" (#9, November 10, 1973), with Roger C. Carmel returning as the voice of Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd in a story that finds the cosmic con artist selling a love potion that Kirk assumes must be a fake. However, there seems to be some compelling evidence to the contrary. Actually, I sort of like this Mudd episode a bit more than either of the live action episodes.

** I first saw part of this movie about 2 years ago but was interrupted about a third of the way through. I'd been looking for it to be shown again ever since but had little success, until just recently when I did see it again.
I don't know what it is about this film -- perhaps it's the plummy Southern drawl of the Swinburne-quoting Hollis Deitz (Dean Stockwell); perhaps it's his proficiency as a computer hacker. Or it could be the bedeviled Tim Matheson who plays the object of Stockwell's very unwanted attentions. In any event, if it kept me looking to find it again for more than two years, which is a thing that pretty rarely happens with me, it must have something.

The original is written and directed by Michael Cohn, clearly inspired by The Silence of the Lambs, with a heroine (Ally Walker) being an outsider brought in to a resentful police team to track a serial killer, with some touches added from Psycho. The title of course refers to the children's lullaby Rock a Bye Baby which is appropriate since the story involves a killer of children with an odd fetish for their hands. The fact that this profiler from Texas' Criminal Division makes the case breakthroughs is reason enough to practically dismiss Martin Sheen and his Houston detectives from the investigation. And like Clarice Starling, she gets a solo confrontation with the killer. What makes the narrative so intriguing is the connection Walker makes with a mute child in an asylum, who is used the same way Clarice used Hannibal Lector. Cohn directs superbly, with minimal use of music, and provides 2 noteworthy edits - one from the mention of a psychiatric hospital to a tooting train, and the other from a police mug shot to a face in a door hole viewer. Walker gives her character an appealing oddness, speaking softly, and she doesn't play too much with her hair, and though Sheen isn't around much, his presence is welcome. In the sequel, Walker is replaced by Kelly McGillis, and Cohn has also left. Whilst it is pleasing to see a sequel which adds to character rather than simply give the same character another killer to track, ironically it is this focus that lessens the film. And whilst this development provides an explaination for Ally Walker's character behaviour in the first film, having it spelled out changes eccentricity to a disappointingly clinical diagnosis. The profiler is now working for the Texas Rangers, but she has been suspended because of a perceived psychological breakdown, seemingly unrelated to the incidents of the first film. The treatment then makes a connection between McGillis' past and a new serial killer, this one leaving his victims sitting in doll-like poses. This investigation seems have days where nothing is done except McGillis reflecting on the photos she has pasted on her hotel room walls. Once again the detectives are resentful of her being brought in, but as a result of this inactivity, (it takes forever for them to work out something obvious to the audience from the beginning) we get another victim. Unlike the first film however, here the identity of the killer is given, which actually works for David Keith who plays him, in one of the best performances I have seen him give. Although McGillis' mental condition is relevant, a romance subplot reads as padding, and though she is good at nervous anger McGillis overdoes the pouting. Once again the heroine is given a Clarice Starling face-off to recall Silence of the Lambs again and also the original film. Director Howard McCain lacks Michael Cohn's skill, even if he occasionally provides a nice edit - the throwing of a pack of cards onto a table and a cut to lights coming on in a morgue. Doing Martin Sheen this time is Bruce Dern who brings depth to his small role, and in spite of the empathy Joely Fisher has from her TV Ellen appearances, she is wasted here.

There's Something About Mary (1998) Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, Chris Elliot, Lin Shaye, D: Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Brace-face softy/nerd Stiller finally gets the confidence of asking the girl of his dreams-a friendly knockout named Mary (Diaz)-to go to the prom, but an accident that leaves him incapacitated-physically and mentally-keeps him from seeing her again. Thirteen years pass, and he hires a sleazy undercover agent (Dillon) to track her down, who falls for her as well. Overly hyped moron-comedy, a Farelly Brothers collaboration that crosses DUMB AND DUMBER turf, is outrageous for two hours (having characters not trying to be funny but encountering embarrassments), and definitely hits the "gross guardrails". Diaz is more appealing than most as she smiles as much as possible, and Stiller and Dillon are very funny. Don't forget the unforgettable "hair-gel" gag ("Is that hair-gel?") and the zipper scene ("Is it the frank or the beans?"). Running Time: 119 minutes and rated R for nudity, crude sexual humor and language.

The Farrelly Brothers strike again with this gut splitting, knee slapping comedy that is sure to become a comedy classic. Cameron Diaz stars as Mary, the all around special girl that every guy is immediatley drawn too. As the title says, there's just something about Mary. Ben Stiller plays an old high school friend who was to take Mary to the prom, when an unfortunate zipper accident occurs in her house. We jump forward years later and Stiller enlists the help of private eye Matt Dillon to find Mary for him. While he does this, Dillon falls in love with her himself. Ben Stiller is a master at this. Look at all his work and you'll see why. Matt Dillon shines in a hilarious role that shows his not much seen comedic side. Cameron Diaz is funny, but not the funniest. She also needs to eat something. Fast. The real standout was Earl Brown as Mary's retarded Brother, and Lin Shaye as Magda, Mary's apartment manager. The film goes from one hysterical joke to another. I couldn't stop laughing. It's also always nice to see Chris Elliot on the screen. This is a non-stop gas that is sure to entertain all. Watch out for that hair gel scene. You've been warned. Go ahead and have a good laugh.

This movie is absolutely a sid splitter! The farrely brothers are the perfect people to do a slap-stick comedy! This moive almost made me die of laughter when I saw it in theaters. The things that they did to Ted was just hilarious!
In highschool, Ted lost a chance at happiness with Mary when he got his....junk...stuck in his zipper and now has to be in councling for it, and the doctor doesn't even care...so he hires a detective to find Mary so he can be wiht her. It turns out the guy it a real sleeze and lies to Ted telling him Mary is fat, has many kids and has just been shiped to Japan for a mail order bride. So Ted takes matters into his own hands and goes to Miami to meet her. And so the story unfolds Ted trying to win Mary over while other off the wall lovers of Mary come out and confess love for her.
A truely funny movie that will have anyone and everyone in stitches byu the time the movie is over and this edition as so many features that you can go even deeper into the comedy of this timeless movie!

There's Something About Mary (1998) Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, Chris Elliot, Lin Shaye, D: Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Brace-face softy/nerd Stiller finally gets the confidence of asking the girl of his dreams-a friendly knockout named Mary (Diaz)-to go to the prom, but an accident that leaves him incapacitated-physically and mentally-keeps him from seeing her again. Thirteen years pass, and he hires a sleazy undercover agent (Dillon) to track her down, who falls for her as well. Overly hyped moron-comedy, a Farelly Brothers collaboration that crosses DUMB AND DUMBER turf, is outrageous for two hours (having characters not trying to be funny but encountering embarrassments), and definitely hits the "gross guardrails". Diaz is more appealing than most as she smiles as much as possible, and Stiller and Dillon are very funny. Don't forget the unforgettable "hair-gel" gag ("Is that hair-gel?") and the zipper scene ("Is it the frank or the beans?"). Running Time: 119 minutes and rated R for nudity, crude sexual humor and language.

The Farrelly Brothers strike again with this gut splitting, knee slapping comedy that is sure to become a comedy classic. Cameron Diaz stars as Mary, the all around special girl that every guy is immediatley drawn too. As the title says, there's just something about Mary. Ben Stiller plays an old high school friend who was to take Mary to the prom, when an unfortunate zipper accident occurs in her house. We jump forward years later and Stiller enlists the help of private eye Matt Dillon to find Mary for him. While he does this, Dillon falls in love with her himself. Ben Stiller is a master at this. Look at all his work and you'll see why. Matt Dillon shines in a hilarious role that shows his not much seen comedic side. Cameron Diaz is funny, but not the funniest. She also needs to eat something. Fast. The real standout was Earl Brown as Mary's retarded Brother, and Lin Shaye as Magda, Mary's apartment manager. The film goes from one hysterical joke to another. I couldn't stop laughing. It's also always nice to see Chris Elliot on the screen. This is a non-stop gas that is sure to entertain all. Watch out for that hair gel scene. You've been warned. Go ahead and have a good laugh.

This movie is absolutely a sid splitter! The farrely brothers are the perfect people to do a slap-stick comedy! This moive almost made me die of laughter when I saw it in theaters. The things that they did to Ted was just hilarious!
In highschool, Ted lost a chance at happiness with Mary when he got his....junk...stuck in his zipper and now has to be in councling for it, and the doctor doesn't even care...so he hires a detective to find Mary so he can be wiht her. It turns out the guy it a real sleeze and lies to Ted telling him Mary is fat, has many kids and has just been shiped to Japan for a mail order bride. So Ted takes matters into his own hands and goes to Miami to meet her. And so the story unfolds Ted trying to win Mary over while other off the wall lovers of Mary come out and confess love for her.
A truely funny movie that will have anyone and everyone in stitches byu the time the movie is over and this edition as so many features that you can go even deeper into the comedy of this timeless movie!

In 1998, with "Saving Private Ryan," Steven Spielberg raised the bar for all that would follow in the genre of "War" films (just as his colleague, George Lucas, had done some years earlier for Science Fiction with the original "Star Wars"). Spielberg put the reality into war on the silver screen, and since then nothing less has been acceptable. Not to say that "reality" alone makes for a successful film; other elements must be factored in, and in the final analysis, each film will succeed or fail on it's own individual merits, reality aside. One that does succeed, and for a number of reasons, is "Behind Enemy Lines," directed by John Moore, which delivers that expected reality, but offers a lot more along the way, as well.

On a Christmas Day routine recon flight over Bosnia, Navy pilot Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht), and his navigator, Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson), notice some activity in one of the "demilitarized" zones (which also happens to be a "no-flight" zone), and summarily take it upon themselves to investigate. Their efforts immediately cause more than a little consternation in certain quarters, however, and very quickly their mission goes south with dire results. Having seen (and photographed, no less) things not meant for their eyes, they find themselves on the wrong end of hostile missile, and their plane goes down.

Having ejected in time, Burnett finds himself on the ground, alone, and in hostile territory. He manages to call in his position, but due to the muddled and convoluted politics of the moment, Admiral Leslie Reigart (Gene Hackman) is prevented from sending help in straight away, which leaves Burnett for a time to his own devices for survival in unknown terrain while in harm's way. But Burnett, a seven year veteran, is determined to make it, and to make this mission mean something-- which it will, if only he can get the proof of what he's seen back safely. And that means beating the enemy at their own game, and on their turf.

Initially, Moore's film seems destined to become just one more of the brutally realistic and action packed war stories that have evolved since Spielberg's "Ryan," albeit a good one, from all indications early on. The story is solid and there's plenty of action, all of which is carried off nicely by star Owen Wilson, but by the half-way point there's nothing much that sets it apart from the usual action/drama survival film. It plays out, in fact, like a cross between "Enemy At the Gates" and "Black Hawk Down." Then something happens-- and it takes a turn that kicks it up a notch and takes it beyond anything those other films offered and/or delivered.

Once the action surrounding Burnett's dilemma is established, Moore sharpens his focus on the more personal aspects of the story, and it suddenly becomes more than just a quest for survival; it becomes the study of a man on a mission, a man with a goal and a purpose, an individual against whom the odds are decidedly stacked. And by infusing that decisive human element into the story, it elevates the film to a higher level and achieves the kind of success never realized by either of the aforementioned films, in part because of their failure to effect that very same level of human drama that sets this film apart.

As Burnett, Owen Wilson is very effective, turning in a performance that is quite natural and affecting. Wilson has something of a quirky appearance and a rather mesmerizing tone and manner of speaking that gives him a charismatic screen presence and makes him extremely accessible and convincing. He manages to avoid the trappings of the stereotypical "fly-boy" character, checking his ego and machismo at the door, and it makes Burnett very real and believable. It also makes the development of his character-- his actions, reactions and attitudes-- convincing as the story progresses, as well as lending credibility to the overall film.

Hackman, on the other hand, falls directly into stereotype with his portrayal of Reigart; this is a character we've seen time and time again in just about every war film to come down the pike. But to his credit, Hackman does it extremely well, which is the beauty of watching an actor of his caliber perform. He's the consummate professional, and even when covering familiar ground, he has the ability to make it seem fresh and, most importantly, entertaining. Hackman is a gifted actor with a tremendous range; this character-- by it's inherent nature-- simply has nothing to offer by way of a challenge. Reigart is merely a character that serves a purpose, and Hackman realizes that intent to the fullest.

The supporting cast includes Charles Mark Whitfield (Rodway), Joaquim de Almeida (Piquet), David Keith (O'Malley), Olek Krupa (Lokar), Vladimir Mashkov (Tracker) and Marko Igonda (Bazda). A film that offers some insights into politics, as well as the human condition, it manages to be thought provoking while delivering some terrific action, drama and solid entertainment. Worthy to be called one of "Ryan's " more successful offspring, "Behind Enemy Lines" is the watermelon of war films; it takes some doing to get through the rind, but once you get to the good part, it's pretty sweet, and more than worth the effort. And that's the magic of the movies.

The only reason I gave this movie 3 stars instead of 2 is because of the early movie flight sequences. Usually whenever this movie is on HBO, I watch this part and then turn something else on. The rest of the movie really sucks. And I, personally, am getting tired of Gene Hackman playing the same roles over and over.

Basically, the flight sequence is probably the coolest air scene ever in a movie. Top Gun can't even compete really. The fireball is hokey, but overall the sequence is done pretty well. The rest of the movie is boring. Nothing to do with flying at all. It's one man versus an entire army, and guess who wins? It's a good old patriotism movie (This movie came out like a few months after 9/11, if I remember correctly).

After spending several months at sea, the Navy is preparing to return home. Flight
navigator Lt. Burnett (Own Wilson) and pilot Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht) are on their
last reconnaissance mission in their F-A18 Super Hornet fighter jet. It's Christmas day,
and the airmen are taking photographs over the Bosnia region when they pick up an
unidentified signal on their radar. They decide to venture off into the "no fly zone"
without knowing that all hell would soon break loose.

Sit down Top Gun. All I can say about Behind Enemy Lines is WOW! My jaw was on
the floor during the opening scene and the first thirty minutes. The special affects blew me
away watching the fighter jet try to avoid the heat seeking Surface to Air Missiles. Behind
Enemy Lines is pure fun and entertainment.

A well known cast including Gene Hackman fill the roles of Navy officers who find
themselves battling the enemy and higher command. Hackman, who plays a hard headed
Admiral is trying to bring home the pilots who were shot down on their mission. I have to
say that Owen probably wasn't the best pick for the lead role. His history of comedies
made him even less convincing, but mediocre acting didn't take away from intensity of the
movie, however it was probably bad enough to be scorned by the critics and ultimately not
make it as one of the best films this year. Regardless, I can't wait to add this to movie to
my collection.

Director John Moore is a wicked man who uses several unique approaches to Behind
Enemy Lines. Every gruesome scene reappears again somewhere in the form of a
flashback. There are several panning shots, and he even freezes the frame entirely at the
most climatic part of a particular scene. His aggressive approach may irritate some, but I
enthusiastically enjoyed it. It coincided with the dramatic aspects, and added to the
seriousness to Owen's role. Several closeups of actors and weapons bring you close to the
action.

Despite all the action and suspense, Behind Enemy Lines is not ruined by a usually ignored
plot. While often you'll think to yourself that one person could never survive some of the
things these characters went through, but for the most part Enemy Lines is believable.

The music was loud, especially the suspense trumpet noises that happen in every scene do
exaggerate the movie, while a pumped up soundtrack keeps the pace quick at the same
time.

You'll enjoy Behind Enemy Lines. The fighting scenes are graphic and provides the
audience with an overall good time. It's better than Spy Games, and probably the best
movie this year so far in respect to the action genre.

The final hour of this film is filled with more over-the-top action, suspense and impending disaster than any other film in history, and this alone is worth the price of admission, but...it's also ridiculously unrealistic. Try these on for size: 1) An astronaut's face shield is shattered in space and some 10 seconds later he decides to let out an audible scream in the vacuum of space! I guess his head didn't explode either! 2) Space shuttles swiftly dodging chunks of asteroid with the agility of X-wing fighters. 3) A mining vehicle pulls an Evl Knievel-style jump over an asteroid canyon, landing safely after being put into orbit for a bit. There are plenty of other groaners. The blatant flag-waving patriotism and balls-to-the-wall machoism is laughable. Aerosmith music gets plenty of screen time (surprise!), and at times you think you're watching a music video. The scenes toward the end depicting various countries of the world looks so much like some telecommunication commercial it's disgusting. And the hyperkinetic edits during the action sequences are truly a statement on how low Hollywood is willing to stoop to entertain the ferret-on-a-double-espresso (thank you Dennis Miller!) attention spans of the younger generations. Oh yeah, the movie has its humorous moments (Steve Buscemi helps out immensely), but the "tragic" sequences had me weeping crocodile tears.

Normally, the "Criterion Collection" is reserved for only the very best and most brilliant films but their additions of the Michael Bay blockbusters, "The Rock" and this, a big loud apocalyptic joy ride would indicate that even they need to make ends meet. I label Michael Bay films as a "guilty pleasure". They are often big, dumb, and loud movies with predictable crowd-pleasing endings and plot holes big enough to hold "an asteriod the size of Texas". Anyways if you too are a fan of these movies then you will no doubt want to add this to your collection.

"Armageddon" is everyone's favorite disaster flick gone wild with a romantic subplot tacked on to please everyone. It seems that after a violent meteor shower destroys major sections of New York that high-level NASA officials have discovered that the worst is yet to come. We've got a giant asteroid (described as a "global killer") on its way here and it's up to the world's greatest deep-core driller (played by who else but Bruce Willis) to stop it. NASA seems to have pinpointed down to the last second how much exact time we have before it hits us but only Willis the hillbilly driller knows how to truly stop it.

After an hour of training mission montages, Willis and his group of slack-jawed sidekicks are off to do battle with the asteroid. Along the way, they lose about half of the crew and pick up a very annoying Russian astronaut. They end up landing a few miles outside of their planned destination and trouble ensues. The boys back home don't seem to have too much confidence in our heroes and want to remote detonate and call it a day. Bruce isn't having it though as he takes control of the mission and declares to anyone listening that he "promised his girl he was coming home". It seems that the satellite hook-up only works when Bruce has a cheesy overwritten line to perform.

If you're a fan of movies that boast action and special effects over any type of sensical plot then this is your movie. This particular DVD features "The Director's Cut" of the movie with alternate scenes. There are some scenes that have been omitted to make way for the new stuff but hey, you can't win them all. Lawrence Tierney shows up as Bruce's dad in this new version and gives him a cheesy speech about the joys of parenthood for him to use in the "alternate version" of his goodbye speech to Liv Tyler. The movie also comes with a hilarious "gag reel" and equally-entertaining audio commentaries. Well, the actor one is good but there is one with a bunch of real-life NASA folks that just goes on and on.

If you enjoyed "Armageddon" as much as I did then you'll probably want to own this double-disc collector's edition. If not, it's only a matter of time before the good people at Criterion decide to give "Con-Air" it's just due.

Bruce Willis soars leap years above his stereotypical action hero image and delivers a blockbuster performance. This move kept me on the edge of my seat from the opening scene! Any father with a daughter who can watch his final scene without getting caught up in it is emotionally dead. If you haven't seen it, just buy it!

The final hour of this film is filled with more over-the-top action, suspense and impending disaster than any other film in history, and this alone is worth the price of admission, but...it's also ridiculously unrealistic. Try these on for size: 1) An astronaut's face shield is shattered in space and some 10 seconds later he decides to let out an audible scream in the vacuum of space! I guess his head didn't explode either! 2) Space shuttles swiftly dodging chunks of asteroid with the agility of X-wing fighters. 3) A mining vehicle pulls an Evl Knievel-style jump over an asteroid canyon, landing safely after being put into orbit for a bit. There are plenty of other groaners. The blatant flag-waving patriotism and balls-to-the-wall machoism is laughable. Aerosmith music gets plenty of screen time (surprise!), and at times you think you're watching a music video. The scenes toward the end depicting various countries of the world looks so much like some telecommunication commercial it's disgusting. And the hyperkinetic edits during the action sequences are truly a statement on how low Hollywood is willing to stoop to entertain the ferret-on-a-double-espresso (thank you Dennis Miller!) attention spans of the younger generations. Oh yeah, the movie has its humorous moments (Steve Buscemi helps out immensely), but the "tragic" sequences had me weeping crocodile tears.

Normally, the "Criterion Collection" is reserved for only the very best and most brilliant films but their additions of the Michael Bay blockbusters, "The Rock" and this, a big loud apocalyptic joy ride would indicate that even they need to make ends meet. I label Michael Bay films as a "guilty pleasure". They are often big, dumb, and loud movies with predictable crowd-pleasing endings and plot holes big enough to hold "an asteriod the size of Texas". Anyways if you too are a fan of these movies then you will no doubt want to add this to your collection.

"Armageddon" is everyone's favorite disaster flick gone wild with a romantic subplot tacked on to please everyone. It seems that after a violent meteor shower destroys major sections of New York that high-level NASA officials have discovered that the worst is yet to come. We've got a giant asteroid (described as a "global killer") on its way here and it's up to the world's greatest deep-core driller (played by who else but Bruce Willis) to stop it. NASA seems to have pinpointed down to the last second how much exact time we have before it hits us but only Willis the hillbilly driller knows how to truly stop it.

After an hour of training mission montages, Willis and his group of slack-jawed sidekicks are off to do battle with the asteroid. Along the way, they lose about half of the crew and pick up a very annoying Russian astronaut. They end up landing a few miles outside of their planned destination and trouble ensues. The boys back home don't seem to have too much confidence in our heroes and want to remote detonate and call it a day. Bruce isn't having it though as he takes control of the mission and declares to anyone listening that he "promised his girl he was coming home". It seems that the satellite hook-up only works when Bruce has a cheesy overwritten line to perform.

If you're a fan of movies that boast action and special effects over any type of sensical plot then this is your movie. This particular DVD features "The Director's Cut" of the movie with alternate scenes. There are some scenes that have been omitted to make way for the new stuff but hey, you can't win them all. Lawrence Tierney shows up as Bruce's dad in this new version and gives him a cheesy speech about the joys of parenthood for him to use in the "alternate version" of his goodbye speech to Liv Tyler. The movie also comes with a hilarious "gag reel" and equally-entertaining audio commentaries. Well, the actor one is good but there is one with a bunch of real-life NASA folks that just goes on and on.

If you enjoyed "Armageddon" as much as I did then you'll probably want to own this double-disc collector's edition. If not, it's only a matter of time before the good people at Criterion decide to give "Con-Air" it's just due.

Bruce Willis soars leap years above his stereotypical action hero image and delivers a blockbuster performance. This move kept me on the edge of my seat from the opening scene! Any father with a daughter who can watch his final scene without getting caught up in it is emotionally dead. If you haven't seen it, just buy it!

I can't say I thought this would be good. Especially with the lousy actor Ben Affleck playing the lead. It has a terrible plot and really lame script. The acting.....well Ben affleck is terrible but all the other actors "seem" pretty good up next to him. As far as special effects go, They're either good or really cheesy. The only real reason I saw this in the first place was because it's one of the movies that "Scary Movie 4" is supposed to parody....I can't wait for that. So if you want a good superhero movie, I'd suggest Spiderman or the X-men movies.

Matt Murdock lost his sight to a chemical accident as a child. But the chemicals that blinded him also heightened his other senses, especially his hearing, which became so acute that he could distinguish objects by the sound that bounces off of them. After his father was murdered by local gangsters, Matt vowed to use his preternatural senses in the cause of justice. He grew up to become a lawyer who refuses to defend any guilty person. But by night, Matt (Ben Affleck) watches -or listens- over his neighborhood as Daredevil, clad in a red devilish suit, ready to intervene should any citizen be victimized and to meet out justice when the court system fails. One day, when he tries to talk to a pretty woman on the street, Matt meets his match. She is Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner), the daughter of a prominent and very wealthy man, and nearly a match for Matt's fighting skills. Matt is taken with her at once. But the man behind all of the city's crime and corruption, the Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan), has targeted Elektra's family. And he has called upon an assassin named Bullseye (Colin Farrell), to do the job. Matt is determined that Daredevil will protect his new love, but things don't go entirely as planned.

"Daredevil", the movie, is based upon Marvel's "Daredevil" comic book series. I am not familiar with the comic books, so I came to this movie without any preconceived image of the characters in my mind. I can't comment on how faithful it is to the original, but the movie definitely won me over. "Daredevil" is somewhat reminiscent of Tim Burton's "Batman" and "Batman Returns" movies in its dark themes and visuals that harken to comic book roots. James Tocci's art direction and Ericson Core's cinematography are fantastic and quite beautiful. They establish the film's mood, place, and suck the viewer in in the film's first couple of minutes. The fight sequences are surprisingly original considering the abundance of recent martial arts action movies. Daredevil is the most convincingly human superhero that I've ever seen. He's scarred and in pain and pops painkillers like tic-tacs to get through the day so that he can exact more "justice". He is also morally ambiguous. Daredevil is a vigilante who presumes to know who deserves to be punished and how. The irony of killing and wreaking havoc in the pursuit of justice is not lost on him, and Ben Affleck does a really good job of communicating Matt Murdock's pain and moral turmoil. The cast is terrific all around. Michael Clarke Duncan is a pleasure to watch as the very large and violent, but somehow almost jovial, villain Kingpin. Colin Farrell is wonderfully entertaining as the colorful and gleeful killer Bullseye. "Daredevil" is one of the best "comic book" movies I have seen. Director and screenwriter Mark Steven Johnson is to be commended for his ability to extract the essential elements from the comic books and pack them into a 1 hour and 45 minute movie. Please note that this movie contains graphic violence which may disturb more sensitive members of the audience. I advise caution in showing the film to children under 12.

I think the negativity exhibited towards this movie is misdirected.
This is a fine superhero action movie. Period. The opening "origin" vignette actually is one of the best of its' type put to film. From casting to cinematography to editing...it's a beaut.
Yes, Ben Affleck is a bit smug, but as a serious longtime comic geek, my big beef was that his hair wasn't red. That's it. That's all. No big deal.
Jennifer Garner, as Elektra, is luminous. Perfect casting. They shoot her in a manner that elevates her from "very pretty" to "absolutely stunning". Her intro works perfectly within the plot, and Murdock's "superpowers" are creatively and often poetically demonstrated.
Colin Farrell joins the list of simply awesome movie villains. With a few quick scenes, you know all you need to know about Bullseye. His psycho-manic performance electrifies the screen.
The story neatly encapsulates a chunk of the Elektra saga from the Frank Miller era in the comics. The winks toward the comic book audience were greatly appreciated. There are hundreds of not-so-subtle nods to the significant creators of Daredevil...Stan Lee's cameo, DD's dad fighting John Romita, name-dropping "Miller, Mack and Bendis" as fighters, "Joe Quesada" as a bad guy, Kevin Smith showing up as a guy named "Kirby".
But I particularly loved the angles and shots that recall specific classic images from those old books, especially the ending of the fight between Bullseye and Elektra (Frank Miller covers come to life), and the swirling cable around a plummeting Daredevil, evoking the cover of the most recent relaunch of the series.
It's a "dark" movie, emotionally and cinematographically. The former didn't bother me, but the latter sometimes had me squinting trying to discern details.
I have read many of the other reviews about this film, but I have to say I was totally satisfied when it was over. I really did want more.

I can't say I thought this would be good. Especially with the lousy actor Ben Affleck playing the lead. It has a terrible plot and really lame script. The acting.....well Ben affleck is terrible but all the other actors "seem" pretty good up next to him. As far as special effects go, They're either good or really cheesy. The only real reason I saw this in the first place was because it's one of the movies that "Scary Movie 4" is supposed to parody....I can't wait for that. So if you want a good superhero movie, I'd suggest Spiderman or the X-men movies.

Matt Murdock lost his sight to a chemical accident as a child. But the chemicals that blinded him also heightened his other senses, especially his hearing, which became so acute that he could distinguish objects by the sound that bounces off of them. After his father was murdered by local gangsters, Matt vowed to use his preternatural senses in the cause of justice. He grew up to become a lawyer who refuses to defend any guilty person. But by night, Matt (Ben Affleck) watches -or listens- over his neighborhood as Daredevil, clad in a red devilish suit, ready to intervene should any citizen be victimized and to meet out justice when the court system fails. One day, when he tries to talk to a pretty woman on the street, Matt meets his match. She is Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner), the daughter of a prominent and very wealthy man, and nearly a match for Matt's fighting skills. Matt is taken with her at once. But the man behind all of the city's crime and corruption, the Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan), has targeted Elektra's family. And he has called upon an assassin named Bullseye (Colin Farrell), to do the job. Matt is determined that Daredevil will protect his new love, but things don't go entirely as planned.

"Daredevil", the movie, is based upon Marvel's "Daredevil" comic book series. I am not familiar with the comic books, so I came to this movie without any preconceived image of the characters in my mind. I can't comment on how faithful it is to the original, but the movie definitely won me over. "Daredevil" is somewhat reminiscent of Tim Burton's "Batman" and "Batman Returns" movies in its dark themes and visuals that harken to comic book roots. James Tocci's art direction and Ericson Core's cinematography are fantastic and quite beautiful. They establish the film's mood, place, and suck the viewer in in the film's first couple of minutes. The fight sequences are surprisingly original considering the abundance of recent martial arts action movies. Daredevil is the most convincingly human superhero that I've ever seen. He's scarred and in pain and pops painkillers like tic-tacs to get through the day so that he can exact more "justice". He is also morally ambiguous. Daredevil is a vigilante who presumes to know who deserves to be punished and how. The irony of killing and wreaking havoc in the pursuit of justice is not lost on him, and Ben Affleck does a really good job of communicating Matt Murdock's pain and moral turmoil. The cast is terrific all around. Michael Clarke Duncan is a pleasure to watch as the very large and violent, but somehow almost jovial, villain Kingpin. Colin Farrell is wonderfully entertaining as the colorful and gleeful killer Bullseye. "Daredevil" is one of the best "comic book" movies I have seen. Director and screenwriter Mark Steven Johnson is to be commended for his ability to extract the essential elements from the comic books and pack them into a 1 hour and 45 minute movie. Please note that this movie contains graphic violence which may disturb more sensitive members of the audience. I advise caution in showing the film to children under 12.

I think the negativity exhibited towards this movie is misdirected.
This is a fine superhero action movie. Period. The opening "origin" vignette actually is one of the best of its' type put to film. From casting to cinematography to editing...it's a beaut.
Yes, Ben Affleck is a bit smug, but as a serious longtime comic geek, my big beef was that his hair wasn't red. That's it. That's all. No big deal.
Jennifer Garner, as Elektra, is luminous. Perfect casting. They shoot her in a manner that elevates her from "very pretty" to "absolutely stunning". Her intro works perfectly within the plot, and Murdock's "superpowers" are creatively and often poetically demonstrated.
Colin Farrell joins the list of simply awesome movie villains. With a few quick scenes, you know all you need to know about Bullseye. His psycho-manic performance electrifies the screen.
The story neatly encapsulates a chunk of the Elektra saga from the Frank Miller era in the comics. The winks toward the comic book audience were greatly appreciated. There are hundreds of not-so-subtle nods to the significant creators of Daredevil...Stan Lee's cameo, DD's dad fighting John Romita, name-dropping "Miller, Mack and Bendis" as fighters, "Joe Quesada" as a bad guy, Kevin Smith showing up as a guy named "Kirby".
But I particularly loved the angles and shots that recall specific classic images from those old books, especially the ending of the fight between Bullseye and Elektra (Frank Miller covers come to life), and the swirling cable around a plummeting Daredevil, evoking the cover of the most recent relaunch of the series.
It's a "dark" movie, emotionally and cinematographically. The former didn't bother me, but the latter sometimes had me squinting trying to discern details.
I have read many of the other reviews about this film, but I have to say I was totally satisfied when it was over. I really did want more.