by Sari "Killer" Krosinsky, Angela "Mad Dog" Williams and Marisa "The Judge" Demarco
Daily Lobo
Here's the debate: "Daredevil" -- a kickass comic book movie for the unpretentious, or "Daredevil" -- a poor clichÇ and destroyer of sacred comic book code?
The Daily Lobo, never blanching at controversial topics, addresses this issue. Angela Williams, editor in chief, and Sari Krosinsky, design director, face-off on this all-important dilemma of quality film.
Round 1: Hollywood sucks souls, which is better, comic books or movies about them? ("Daredevil" case in point)
Con: Angela "Mad Dog" Williams
Comic books must win hands-down. It's all about the writing, the art, the fascinating characters . . . the art. A movie can be a visual masterpiece and have madly cool-looking special effects, such as in "Spiderman" and less so in "Daredevil," but the comic books have unearthed a whole genre of amazing pop art.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
It's not an either/or proposition. Movies and comic books are each good in their own way. Of course, I'm not really a comic book connoisseur, so comic book-based movies are a great boon to such lazy members of the populace as myself.
The Judge: Mad Dog takes this round. Laziness is no excuse and I will never forgive Hollywood for the "X-Men" debauchery. Williams 1, Krosinsky 0
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
Round 2: "Daredevil," a.k.a. "X-Men Strike Back" or "Spiderman's Offspring," was "Daredevil" too formulaic? Could Hollywood have done more with this film, or should we just accept it as an appropriate "action flick"?
Con: Angela "Mad Dog" Williams
To quote a friend, "Hollywood needs to take some freaking risks!" "Daredevil" was completely formulaic. In fact, it took its entire formula from "Spiderman," which was a great risk-taking venture that worked. "Daredevil" had so much potential to be way darker and more involved, but it bombed by trying to be a Hollywood blockbuster.
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
I'll concede that "Daredevil" could have been darker, but Ben Affleck definitely had that evil guy who wants to be a good guy thing going on. Other formula breakers include: The love interest kicks the hero's ass and the hero is not wealthy. I am so sick of superheroes that are only tough because they can afford neat toys.
The Judge: Let's hear it for the Killa'! A movie should not take risks just for the sake of doing so. Williams 1, Krosinsky 1
Round 3: Hotness Factor, in this round, our opponents will pick apart famous people with a hostile attitude they can't imagine inflicting on regular people.
Con: Angela "Mad Dog" Williams
In "Daredevil," Affleck needs to discover the wonders of hair gel. I don't care if he is blind. Also, the chest-hair thing is a turnoff. Don't even ask me what Jennifer Lopez sees in this dork.
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
Hair gel is icky. It doesn't matter that I won't actually get to run my fingers through Affleck's hair -- if I see it, I can feel it. I'm just glad they didn't stick giant fake muscles in his costume, because he's hot all by himself, especially wrapped around a church steeple in purple leather. And Jennifer Garner's pretty sexy, too, even more so when she's kicking Affleck's ass.
The Judge: I'm giving this one to the "Krosinskinator" too. Mostly for the purple leather/ church steeple line. Williams 1, Krosinsky 2
Round 4: Let's Hear it for Voiceovers, how was the acting? Good or bad? Overdone or appropriate?
Con: Angela "Mad Dog" Williams
Can we say "mediocre?" I think Affleck used up all his acting power in "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma." It didn't help that Affleck's pathetic voiceover was in every other scene in "Daredevil." Note to future directors planning to let Affleck star in their movies: never let Affleck do a voiceover ever again.
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
Okay, the voiceovers were a bit much, but that's not Affleck's fault. Mark Steven Johnson must've been feeling a bit whimsical when he wrote that part. But Affleck has a knack for conveying emotion nonverbally, so his acting made up for the admittedly silly soliloquies.
The Judge: Mad Dog redeems herself here. Affleck sans Kevin Smith equals "Ben Whofleck?" or "Ben Can't-Make-Flicks," his Christian name. Williams 2, Krosinsky 2
Round 5: The Elektra Complex, is this character a strong female who could whomp on her boyfriend, or just another pushover babe superhero?
Con: Angela "Mad Dog" Williams
Now this point makes me mad. Elektra, Daredevil's lover, has her own comic book. She's a deadly ninja assassin whom nobody messes with. Now, while Elektra, played by Jennifer Garner, does kick Daredevil's butt twice during the movie, she is killed by the very-annoying Bullseye, who is overplayed by Colin Farrell.
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
Not only does Elektra kick Daredevil's ass twice, but he can't even put up a fight when she isn't holding back. It does suck that Bullseye beat her, but the mysterious appearance of the brail good luck charm is a pretty strong hint that he didn't actually manage to kill her. And who knows, maybe instead of a sequel they'll do an Elektra movie and she'll come back kicking even more ass.
The Judge: Doesn't it seem like our battle-ready opponents have found something to agree on? Give peace a chance. You guys suck. I win. Demarco 1
Round 6: Daredevil, just another cracked-out elf, should/does Daredevil have superpowers?
Con: Angela "Mad Dog" Williams
In the comic book, Daredevil's powers are his super-enhanced hearing, touch and smell. This does not mean that he can hop all over the place like one of J.R.R. Tolkein's elves. The moviemakers obviously felt that having super-senses weren't cool enough, so Affleck's Daredevil is a new lame, cross-version of Superman and Batman.
Pro: Sari "Killer" Krosinsky
There's nothing elvish about Affleck's hopping. It's not super-strength that enables him to bound up, down and across buildings, but the way he is able to anticipate surfaces with all his super-senses. The movie isn't surpassing Daredevil's abilities from the comic book, just adding a neat new way of using them.
The Judge: As a Daredevil comic fan, I don't think he should be hopping. Still, I like Sari better, so this match goes to . . . Sari "Killer" Krosinsky! Let this be a lesson to you all.
