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

[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.