What I've Been Watching - further on Daredevil

[major_clanger]

Following on from this, we watched episode 3 of Daredevil, after which attimes_bracing opined that it seemed rather repetitive and she was finding the violence wearing. I commented that I could see signs of a plot arc emerging, so we agreed that I'd watch episode 4 and let her know what I felt.

Well, episode 4 ('In the Blood') certainly takes the wider plot forward, and has one of the most interesting and non-stereotypical depictions of a villain I've seen in a comic adaptation. Vincent D'Onofrio portrays Wilson Fisk as intelligent, pensive, socially awkward and bordering on downright shy, whilst also being a monster capable not just of ordering the most horrific violence but of personally dealing it out. And speaking of that, I had to advice S that no, the violence does not let up - indeed, the episode's conclusion is positively Verhoevenesque. I suspect I'll be watching the rest on my own.

Comments

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

It's VERY bloody throughout but I really enjoyed it, I'll be watching the second series next year.

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Indeed, the violence does not let up but the evolution of the characters was worth the investment.

Weirdly, we had a similar issue with the movie John Wick which seemed highly gratuitous early on but redeemed itself with a shockingly wry sense of humour and some excellent camera work.

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

I didn't agree with this on FB and still don't. The violence gets to a definite peak of horribleness in Ep 4 and then settles down to an acceptable level of brutality:-) ( except in one fight in um , ep 8? Which is sufficiently interesting to justify itself I think).
In fact the then showrunner Steven de knight ( ex Angel, natch) gave an interview in which he more or less said " we pushed it as far as we thought we could to end ep 4 and then we thought we'd better stop".

[major-clanger.livejournal.com]

What surprises me is that the BBFC rated 'In the Blood' as '15'!

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

I wonder if what we've got is ye olde violence good, sex bad.. Sigh.. Because it is very chaste!

[bookzombie.livejournal.com]

I really liked it, but at times I did find the violence wearing. I've been debating whether to get pennski to watch it or not: I think she'd like much of it, but she's even shyer of extreme violence than I am.

[a-cubed.livejournal.com]

As others have said, the violence is unrelenting. Some upcoming scenes are verging on torture porn, though they do advance the plot. So much so that for one scene quite late on even the director couldn't bring themselves to just show it in "real time" and shows it in flashbacks. At least I think that's the reason for that scene (ninja fight for those who've seen it, hopefully not spoilers for those who haven't yet) to be presented in that way.

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

No I think it makes very good dramatic sense to show it in flashbacks - I found that a very compelling episode personally.but yes that is the fight I referred to above.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

halloween_jill and I have watched the first couple, but haven't felt a pressing urge to go further. The recurring piss-yellow palette doesn't help.

[ivory-goddess.livejournal.com]

I think episode 4 is the crunch-point, where the show really nails it's colours to the mast in terms of where it's willing to go in terms of violence. But it's also the point where the villain is revealed to be a complicated and flawed human being, as well as a relentless and very dangerous enemy.

Personally I loved the show, but I know I have a high tolerance of tv/film violence (I consider warnings like "the following programme contains scenes that some viewers may find disturbing" to be a positive sales pitch...)

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Reading. the above is interesting. I'm no fan at all of ultra violence and find the whole slasher etc genre unwatchable but I didn't - not , not mind but feel upset by - the violence in DD at all. I think, hoary as it is, it's because the violence is not glamourised but semi realistic ( obviously not really realistic - Matt would have walked away crippled if not actually dead from most these fights) and instead of gloating we see the perpetrator of the violence physically and mentally torn apart by it. To me that's drama not torture porn.

[ivory-goddess.livejournal.com]

It's not that I enjoy watching violence per se, more that it doesn't bother me as much as some other people. Some comments above indicated that certain individuals either would or should not watch the show because of the level of violence, so it obviously is an issue, just not for me.

And yes, I agree that with DD there is, if not exactly complete realism, a strong element of showing the *consequences* of violence, be that serious physical injury, the reaction of the friends/family of victims, or the mental effects on the perpetrators and victims. They don't just hit the reset button at the start of the next episode.