Daredevil

Cert: 15

By PETER MAGILL

YOU always take a chance when putting your faith in superheroes . . . Will their big screen exploits tingle the spine in gothic blockbuster style, like the first and second Batman films?

Or will they prove to be profoundly daft but enjoyable, a la last year's Spiderman. Pray they don't end up suffering the fate of poor Captain America, The Shadow and The Flash at the hands of the Hollywood machine.

Which leads us to Daredevil - blinded following a freak accident he develops extraordinary powers to compensate for his sightless state.

Lawyer by day, crimefighter by night. So far so ludicrous.

Given the prospect of Ben Affleck as our hero - maybe trying to steal the thunder of close pal Matt Damon who turned his hand to action man capers with The Bourne Identity - the omens were not good.

But if you can get over PVC-clad Affleck there's a number of plus points.

Arch-villains Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan) and his sidekick Bullseye, the deadly assassin (Colin Farrell) work well, especially the latter as he uses everything from peanuts to paper clips to dastardly effect.

Film noir

And Daredevil's partnership with the ever-dependable Jon Favreau, in his daytime incarnation as legal eagle Matt Murdock, raises a few laughs.

Even NYC itself is a minor star in this flick, thanks to the film noir treatment by director Mark Steven Johnson

Okay the story isn't going to win any Booker prizes - Daredevil meets and falls in love with the gorgeous Elektra (Jennifer Garner), whose father is killed by Kingpin.

Somehow Daredevil is implicated in the death, leaving him torn between the love of his life and his well-guarded anonymity.

Affleck is surprisingly adept in this more robust role, which is not always easy when you're donning a superhero's tights for the first time.

When the only alternative, review-wise, is the very dodgy crime caper Undercover Brother, you have to be grateful for small mercies.

Still much rather wait for the Incredible Hulk film to materialise though.

Verdict: 7/10

Hold out for this (super)hero