Ben Affleck as Daredevil

[sluggo]

I've seen a lot of people in here say that Ben is not a good choice for Daredevil, hes a pretty boy, he can't do action etc... I disagree. Ben has been good in serveral of his movies (true, some have sucked) but he can act. Second Kevin Smith has said that Ben nailed the role. Yes I know the two of them have been friends for a long time but Smith is a long time Daredevil fan and has writen for the character, he knows daredevil as well anyone. And when you see Kevin talking on DVD commentarys you see he isn't above saying his friends did a bad job when they did. Last, and this is the most important, Ben is a fan of daredevil. Unlike Toby, Hugh, Patrick, Ian etc... Ben knew the character long before he was even considered to the role and is going to do something many actors don't do when playing a superhero - play Daredevil seriously. He has a passion for the character and that will come across on the screen.

This is part of his forward to the trade paperback of Smiths run on Daredevil. "I was fascinated by this man, this red-suited saint who always seemed to end up a martyr. I read and re-read the panels where Elektra staggered down the street, wounded by her own weapons at Bullseyes hand, and died in Murdocks arms. I still remember the panel where, hanging from a clothesline Daredevil let Bullseye drop. For the first time hero didn't save somebody. He actually let Bullseye die (or get paralyzed). It was my own personal induction into the world of personal ambiguity. It was a dark corner, a place where my sympathies were uncertain(am I the only one who ever rooted for Bullseye?). It was a strange and wonderful place where true love was always tragic, heros had a dark side, villains were roguishly likable and the best one could hope for was some sliver of redemption."

Ben Affleck wrote this in 1998 or 1999, long before he was even considered to play Daredevil. Who else would better to play a character then someone who cares that much about him? Would you rather have someone who looks excatly like Murdock in the books and isn't a "pretty boy" but has never read a comic in his life, or Ben who may not look perfectly the part as hes drawn and who 14 year old girls tend to like but LOVES the character and going to give him the respect us (the fans) know it deserves?

[KaiserSelroc]

You're right, of course. DD is gonna rock.

But I still say his head looks weird when he's in the costume.

[JoeyTheButt]

wow, sluggo, I can't find a single thing I disagree with in your post:D

[Ramplate]

Even with the unusual costumes - the shiny DD outfit, and the lack of a real bullseye costime - they still look pretty darn good and I can't wait to see it. From the clips I have seen - they do a darn good job of characterization.

[four_winds]

Sluggo you hit the nail on the head!You just used the same argument I use with my friends (to no avail of course since none of them have ever read a DD comic) to convince them that Ben will do a great job with the character.Thank you for posting a thoughtful message in defense of this movie wich could be the best comic adaption to date.

[TheFreak]

you know four_winds, i've been having the EXACT same fight with a guy I know. he has clue ZERO about who DD is, how he reacts, everything. his whole arguement is "i don't like Affleck" now, i am by no stretch of the word a fan of affleck. i'm a fan of some of his movies, but not him. ok, the kevin smith ones. but still. he loves daredevil. he's gonna give him respect. he's gonna do the best job that he can possibly do.

i say, watch first, and if he pooches it, we hang him by his baton :D

[four_winds]

YEAH!Hang all DD haters while we're at it!Seriously though,I feel the same way,this movie is going to be another one of the few affleck movies I like and I'm dying to see it.I'm taking my wife out to dinner for valentines day and she's taking me to DD after.Hehe.

[sluggo]

MCD (Kingpin) said that at first he couldn't picture Ben Affleck playing a superhero, but then he said this

"Then after I started working with him, seeing how hard he was working, he was the only person that could play this. He was so much into it and when you have a passion for something like he does, you can't go wrong."

There are serveral reviews of the movie online, all of them say that Ben Affleck is susprisingly very good as Daredevil and Matt Murdock.

[Gator]

I saw DD on Monday night and I can tell you, he does pull it off

[four_winds]

I knew it,the movie is gonna rock.Gator,can you tell me if Stick is in it or any Hand ninjas?

[sluggo]

No Stick, and no Hand Ninja's were featured in any trailer, write up or review - so I would GUESS no ninjas either.

[four_winds]

Dang,I was really hoping for stick,maybe a cameo?

[sluggo]

No stick. Two reviews have made a point of saying no stick. Though they did say that Bullseye kills two people - one with paperclips and another with a peanut - which will be very interesting to see.

[Gator]

There is no Stick and no Hand Ninjas. Bullseye does his share of killing and does it very well. I can't velieve that Colin Farrell is the same guy that was in Minority Report. He steals every scene he is in

[rabbidgerbal]

What about the guy who played mr. furious on mystery men and the guy in Zoolander. (what's his name? Is it stiller?)

He should be DareDevil. He's got alot of potential yet untapped, you'll see once someone gives him a real break.

[USAgent]

First off, Affleck is a comic book fan himself, thats why he begged for this role and took a massive pay cut for it, second Affleck wore contacts all through production making him blind so he could get the way a blind person moves and acts down. Also he is athletic and another thing ppl dont seem to remember, he has to play Matt Murdock as well as DD, alot of ppl only look at how well actors will play the character in costume, the actor has to play both the costumed character as well as their alter ego, example, keaton was an amazing Bruce Wayne and Batman, Val Kilmer was awful as both, George Clooney was a good Wayne, wouldve been a better Batman if Joel Shumacer wasnt in charge.

It matter alot that the actor plays both roles, not just flipping around and looking cool. which is way Toby Mcguire was great as both Parker and Spider-man, he acted the perfect girl shy geek and the wise crackin web slinger.

[skeevo666]

(Saw it tonight at a sneek preview!)

USAgent, you took the words right out of my mouth (or keyboard, technically) The costumes are so iconic that almost any one can play the hero, but to do the alter-ego/secret identity, that's what takes the acting chops :D

I just popped in the 2nd disc of "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back" to watch the gag reel to kill some time waiting for a tape to rewind and d@mn if it's hard to look at Affleck now and NOT think of him as Matt Murdock


So now, in addition to "Phantoms", he's The Bomb in DD too!

[trust7]

Originally posted by Gator
I saw DD on Monday night and I can tell you, he does pull it off


Uhh thats an understatement, I saw it at the premier tonight and I can say with a resounding H E L L yes. He not only pulled it off, he one upped the acting skill I thought he didnt have for this role. I am very impressed Ben, GREAT JOB!!!!!!

[skeevo666]

but rabbidgerbal, I think if I was gonna cast Ben Stiller as a super-hero it would be Northstar :D