Daredevil: Born Again
With Charlie Cox once again donning the mask of Hell’s Kitchen’s blind vigilante, Daredevil: Born Again marks the highly anticipated return of Matt Murdock. Under showrunner Dario Scardapane – whose writing on The Punisher proved his talent for intense, character-driven storytelling – the Disney+ series digs deep into the murky ethics of street justice. Yet, while the emotional weight remains intact, Born Again strays from the visual grit that made its predecessor such a standout among its peers.
Charlie Cox returns as the titular superhero, bringing the same captivating mixture of vulnerability and intensity as the lawyer-turned-vigilante seven years later. The action sequences continue to impress with their precision and power, reflecting Daredevil’s iconic, brutal choreography seen throughout the comics and cinematic adaptations. The return of Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk comes with the all-too-familiar ominous presence; the Kingpin is once again scheming from the shadows. But while the emotional and narrative beats remain strong, the show’s aesthetic choices tell a different story.
Where Netflix’s Daredevil wrapped itself in shadow, its dimly lit corridors and rain-slicked streets, Born Again opts for a cleaner, brighter visual language. The noir sensibilities that once defined Daredevil have been softened, making for an easier watch but at the cost of the oppressive, immersive atmosphere that once set it apart. An uneasy meeting between Murdock and Fisk in a pristine, cool-lit diner feels as though it belongs in the MCU’s broader, glossier universe rather than in the claustrophobic, crime-ridden streets of Hell’s Kitchen.
The city feels less like a character in itself and more like a polished backdrop – this shift may render Born Again more appealing to a broader crowd, but it is not without the expense of the original’s intensity. While its cinematographers, Hillary Spera and Pedro Gómez Millán, do incorporate certain nods to the shadowy palette and minimalism that Frank Miller employed in the Born Again (1986) comic panels, the show never quite reaches the same levels of grit and despair. The atmosphere is too polished and contained, lacking the raw, unsettling edges that characterised Miller’s timeless artwork.
Yet, despite these aesthetic changes, Daredevil: Born Again retains its core – Cox’s performance ensures Murdock’s struggle is as gripping as ever, and the show still captures the essence of a man torn between justice and vengeance. Whether the series can truly recapture the uncompromising spirit of its predecessor remains to be seen, but for now, Born Again walks a fine line between reinvention and nostalgia.
Christina Yang
Daredevil: Born Again is released on Disney+ on 4th March 2025.
Watch the trailer for Daredevil: Born Again here:
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