Watch Now
Where To Watch
| Stream On |
|
Critic Reviews
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
The show is at its most potent when Murdock is very visibly struggling to solve a problem the right way when the easy one — being Daredevil — is right there. Its commitment to brutal action remains intact, with intricate fights that feel like genuine life-or-death struggles. But Born Again definitely loses something as it strays from the ethical dilemmas of its more episodic first half, and indulges in the catharsis of a more action-packed second half.
-
Murdock and Fisk – or Cox and D’Onofrio if you prefer – are great in key scenes together, the former fleet and dancing, the latter giving off a dark, heavy energy that has you backing away from the screen as you watch. .... Whether the MCU team has done enough to take the comic adaptation crown from its current holder, DC’s dark, clever, critically acclaimed ratings smash The Penguin, however, remains to be seen.
-
“Daredevil: Born Again” is uneven, but the ambitious nine-part series lands plenty of punches if you go in knowing that it positions comic-book fare not as escapist entertainment but as bloody, political commentary.
-
Too often draggy and predictable, this Disney+ endeavor, premiering March 4, appears to have learned little from its prior missteps.
-
Though this series proves more eager to address social issues than typical MCU projects, such as the flaws of prison incarceration or rampant police brutality, very little of it adds up to more than a passing thought. As well-intentioned as these storylines are and as entertaining as they can be in the moment, the haphazard construction of these nine episodes (all of which were screened for critics ahead of time) constantly holds them back.
-
The result is a show that’s fitfully stylish and broadly watchable while never totally coherent.
-
"Born Again" can't find that greatness. In the producers' desire to replicate something beloved they have ended up plagiarizing themselves: Too much of "Born Again" feels like something we've already seen.
-
Daredevil: Born Again starts to hit its stride about eight episodes in. That’s a problem, because this is a nine episode season. .... Approach it with patience and maybe you’ll stick around long enough to see it work out its issues. That’s a lot to ask of an audience, though—maybe too much.
-
Daredevil: Born Again is a hodgepodge of ideas. Whether it's too many cooks in the kitchen due to its production woes or a desperation to recapture lightning in a bottle, in trying to revive Daredevil, all Disney accomplishes is giving us a watered-down Matt Murdock who neatly fits into the mold of all MCU stories.
-
It has some exciting moments, and strong performances from Cox and several other Netflix alums, including Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin of crime, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, aka the Punisher. But as a whole, it’s a Frankenstein monster of a season, with various parts stitched together in ungainly fashion.
-
The lack of narrative shaping takes away any force the themes of vigilantism might have had, reducing them to limp excuses for the sometimes stomach-turning violence. Among the cast, Bernthal is about the only performer who demonstrates a real pulse.
Awards & Rankings
There are no user reviews yet.