REVIEW: Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again is a compelling return for the Man Without Fear as the red- costumed superhero makes the leap from Netflix to Disney+ following three critically acclaimed seasons. Blending the gritty essence of the original series with a fresh writing team, Charlie Cox returns as the masked vigilante as he fights against Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk who has now become New York City’s Mayor.
Daredevil: Born Again begins with familiarity. Matt Murdock is enjoying time with his friends including Foggy Nelson and Karen Page and all seems well. An attack from old foe Bullseye leads to tragedy and by the end of the night, the trio is broken and Matt decides to hang up the mask and fight crime the legal way. At the same time, Wilson Fisk is dealing with the fallout from the events seen in Echo. He needs to repair his relationship with wife Vanessa and prove to her that he still has the skills to run their business and do what is best for them whilst running for Mayor of New York and vowing to end the reign of masked vigilantes. It is a simple story that creates challenges for Matt as he struggles to defend his clients in the legal way when there is so much corruption in the city and especially amongst a police force that have started to obsess over The Punisher and his violent methods. He is also dealing with the pain from losing his friends and now also has to keep his eye on growing power of Fisk.
There were worries about Daredevil: Born Again being on Disney+. Fans loved the gritty, brutal nature of the series but those worries were laid to rest within the first episode. The series is just as brutal as fans remember (sometimes more so) and it really puts Matt through hell as he wrestles with his demons and comes to realise the importance of being Daredevil and defending those who are defenceless. The fight scenes are incredible (especially one where Daredevil joins up with an old friend…) and the scenes with Cox and D’Onofrio together make you crave more. It shows that the writing team and the cast truly understand the characters and fans of the comics and the original series will be dying for more. The only part of the season that fell flat for me was the forced relationship between Matt and new love interest Heather. There isn’t much chemistry between the two which is a shame following the dynamic between Matt and his previous loves. Their story feels a bit bland and forced and slows down the pacing in the middle of the season.
Overall, Daredevil: Born Again is a terrific comeback. A brutal, gritty series about corruption and the lengths people will go to protect those around them is just what the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed, and it is always great to see Daredevil back on the screen. Impactful fight scenes, genuine stakes, and great character development mean that Daredevil: Born Again is one of the best superhero series on TV. Fingers crossed we get another season!
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