Born again: “There are not as much daredevil as you might expect: NPR

Here is the thing of the new Disney + series by Marvel, Daredevil: born again. There are not as much Daredevil as you could expect.

This is because a good part of the story focuses on our hero, Matt Murdock by Charlie Cox, turning his back on the life of superheroes, convinced that he caused as much trouble as well in charge around Hell’s Kitchen in Red Body.

I have never been a fan of these kinds of stories, because you know that events will eventually force our hero to return to the vigilance game (the series is not called Matt Murdock: born again). And the more time it takes, the more it can be frustrating for an audience to look at an intelligent and talented guy twelves in knots to avoid what each mouth in the audience already knows: you have to adapt and kick a bad guy, already.

But I also think that the initial reluctance of the show to embrace the Daredevil superhero reflects an ambivalence on comic stories that have spread through industry-even if 2025 promises to be the year of superhero in cinema and television.

Bring back superheroes, a television show and a film at a time

Already this year, we had the film Captain America: Brave New WorldWith Sam Wilson by Anthony Mackie as a black man who becomes a superhero wrapped in flag. In May, Marvel is the point of view of the bad guys trying to do good, Thunderbolts *Beginnings. In July, we obtain the new version of director James Gunn SupermanAlongside a new version of the most revered franchise in Marvel, The Fantastic Four: First steps.

Regarding television, we have already seen new seasons of Invincible on the privileged video and the DCs Harley Quinn on max. Ironheart, A Black panther fallout with nuances of IronMake his Disney + debut in June, while the second season of the Gonzo series by Gunn Peacemaker is scheduled for Max in August. For DiesYahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Manta of recent Aquaman films) plays the Hollywood stuntman superpowing Simon Williams on Disney + in December.

There are also other things inspired by comics. But it’s a lot of people who fly with spandex and laser eyes at a time when the public seems more ambivalent than ever.

Rebuild superhero stories when the public is wary

And, as with any story of superheroes that shake the world, the stakes could not be higher. Marvel is trying to bounce back from recent and disastrous trebows – where the difficulty of following 10 years of success was, UM, complicated when the actor key Jonathan Majors was found guilty of having attacked her ex-girlfriend And a series of poorly designed films followed.

Gunn puts his buffer on DC, hoping to bring the explicit and wise explicit sensitivity that propelled his Galaxy goalkeepers Films to save characters from brown classic superheroes in gloomy films like Steel man And Batman c. Superman: Dawn of Justice. So all the eyes are turned to his own Superman With a simple question: how can you make this character convincing for the moment?

Daredevil: born again Answer this question for the wonders by once again pouring a hero in the street conflict in Matt Murdock – the orphan blinded by radioactive elements which acquired an extraordinary hearing and power powers in return. Working as a lawyer in principle, he finds it difficult to manage his anger and channel his vigilance pulses, all in the universe created at the origin for the three seasons of Netflix Daredevil series.

A good part of this new series can look a little like a bait and a switch for longtime fans: a key support dies at the start of the series, and several others from the “scooby gang” of Daredevil aids only arise in the season. All this is added to a program which is a bit like the Netflix version and not – never fully committed to echoing the old scenarios or to head for a new story with new people.

THE Again born The series was delayed by Hollywood strikes and then, according to an interview in Screen,, completely revised To show the death of this character, I indicate on the screen. (This overhaul also brought a costume daredevary in the photo earlier, according to The Hollywood Reporter.) The result is a continuation of the history of the Netflix series strewn with new characters and situations – as well as its sometimes bloody and opposite violence, reinforced by better special effects and a larger production.

Convincing action – with a socket

The first episode offers an exciting action in this vein, while Daredevil faces a classic villain, a leading character is killed, then Matt Murdock of Cox meets the boss of the crime of Vincent d’Onofrio, Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin. But then, as often happened on the Netflix version, the story is lagging behind and we see less Daredevil.

I felt several times that I was looking at the hesitation of the producers to become too “comic” – causing scenes with a lot of words and not much moving forward or excitement. In particular, perhaps because the actor Kamar of Los Reyes died in 2023 after filming his scenesHis work by Hector Ayala (White Tiger) ends with disappointing brutality.

I have always appreciated the moments when Murdock uses his powers in the form of a civilian – there is an episode when he is caught in a banking robbery, which is super entertaining – but too much time without Daredevil leads you to ask you why they did this series, if they hesitate to show the hero in his center.

As usual, the most convincing performance comes here from Onofrio as a pivot. While the season begins, Fisk also seems to try to behave differently, renouncing its criminal past and the race for the mayor of New York.

Finally, the working ankle is at the center of a story that echoes some of the changes we see President Trump adopting in real life, while he tries to consolidate the presidential power during his second term. These changes constantly raise the question: does that improve things, or simply empower and enrich people who direct everything?

Is the future of superhero and television film less great?

Given the success of past series as Andor – who served a Star Wars Story Sporn of Jedi Magic or Laser Sabers – I see the value of offering a lighter show on superhero stuff to hang viewers who can have a visceral reaction to costumes and superpowers.

But in the end, the stories of superheroes focus on the thrill to see someone virtuous cross the nonsense to do justice. Along the way, we need complex and convincing heroes, bad guys who have an understandable point of view – if it is twisted – and stories that resonate beyond an elegantly choreographed combat scene or dazzling special effects.

I’m not sure of the first season of Daredevil: born again Completely provides all these necessities – after looking at the spinners, I was less impressed than I hoped. But that is better than a lot of recent efforts of recent films and television. If this year of the superhero must really take off, the storytellers must show the public that they know how to make these stories entertaining and relevant again.

Or it will not be the ankle or the lex Luthor who kills superheroes on television and cinema. It will be a disinterested audience, demanding something better.