Let’s Get Reel: “Daredevil” Season 2

 

 

Photo provided by: denofgeek.us
Photo provided by: denofgeek.us

Darick T. Earney
Associate Editor

Hell’s Kitchen’s most loyal vigilante, Daredevil, sprung back into action on Netflix, as of March 18, with an even bloodier, revenge driven, and romantic second season.

Daredevil stars Charlie Cox as its titular character, Daredevil, as well as his alter-ego, Matt Murdock, a defense attorney who runs a small law firm with the help of his friends. Also in the show is Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson, played by Elden Henson, and Karen Page, portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll.

This season, Murdock stood face-to-face against some new foes, including Frank Castle, better known as ‘The Punisher,’ depicted by Jon Bernthal, and Elektra Natchios, adapted to screen by Elodie Yung.

Following the events of season one, Daredevil season two finds our main character, Matt Murdock, up to his neck with customers, begging to be represented by he and Foggy.

However, when a notorious motorcycle gang called the Dogs of Hell are drenched in bullets by a mysterious gunman, Murdock has no choice but to put his clients on hold, and don the Daredevil persona, once again, to protect his home city from harm.

Review: 3 out of 4 Reels.

Daredevil season 2 is one violent, philosophical rollercoaster of a show from beginning to end. It’s got plenty of memorable scenes of intense bloodshed and plot devices where we see some nice character building, but like a rollercoaster, it also has its downs.

Kicking off the season premiere with a gruesome episode titled “Bang,” the elusive Frank Castle murders an entire gang of bikers, before having a showdown with the Daredevil himself in the episode’s conclusion.

While I think this made up for an arguably stronger opening episode than season one’s premiere, I feel like the battle between The Punisher and Daredevil is at it’s peak during the third episode of the season, entitled “New York’s Finest.”

It is this episode that the audience gets a taste of not only how far Castle is willing to go in combat, but we also learn of Frank’s troubled past and his lust for revenge against the man who murdered his wife and children.

I found The Punisher central episodes, “Penny and Dime,” “Regrets Only,” “Semper Fidelis,” and “Guilty as Sin,” to be quite unique this season, because they often make it a challenge for both the audience and characters to decide whether his reasoning is right or wrong.

I also enjoyed seeing Elektra Natchios appearance in the series, namely in episodes “Kinbaku” and “The Dark at The End of the Tunnel.” These two episodes explore through Elektra’s romantic past with Murdock, and give viewers the exposition necessary to understand her nature as a born-to-kill mercenary.

Overall, Daredevil season 2 lends a decent amount of high octane action sequences, grittier characters, and quotes that could either haunt or inspire its audience. I feel like there was just a little too much going on between the Punisher and Elektra story arcs.

However, the finale was satisfying enough to keep me guessing, hence, why I give this a solid 3 out of 4 reels.

dearney@lc.edu

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