2003, 1 hr 35 min., Rated PG-13 for action/violence and some sensuality.�Dir: Mark Steven Johnson. Cast: Ben Affleck (Matt Murdock/Daredevil), Jennifer Garner (Elektra Natchios), Michael Clarke Duncan (The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk), Colin Farrell (Bullseye), Jon Favreau (Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson), Joe Pantoliano (Writer Ben Urich), David Keith (Jack Murdock), Scott Terra (Young Matt Murdock), Erick Avari (Nikolaos Natchios).

Once again, me here, the guy who never reads the comics, but enjoys the motion pictures. In this case, I had never even heard of the comic, let alone skim through it before I saw the trailers last spring.

I hear ya, "Do I know anything about anything?" Nope. I wouldn't know pop culture if Joe Millionaire hit me on the head with one of Michael Jackson's kids off a balcony.

But I do know what I like in movies.

I like action. I like drama. This softy even likes romance. And I like guys in red devil suits who are blind and fight guys with bullseyes on their foreheads.

Okay, so that's a niche market. But it'll do for this Valentine's weekend. Hey, there's a love story, so the estrogen crowd won't be left out.

Actually, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have a good chemistry. Both work their action mojo well -- Affleck as the Daredevil, Garner as Elektra -- and look appropriately smitten when they're touchy-feely.

Yep, Daredevil should be a hit, especially since the crowd who does know a lot about the comic won't have dates this lovey-dovey weekend, anyway.

Yeah, who am I kidding? I won't, either. I wish I had a geeky girlfriend who'd want to see the movie with me. That's why I went to a special Thursday screening; no pressure on Valentine's Day.

Hmm, am I missing something? Wasn't there a movie I was discussing?

Anyway, if you want drama, we've got it by the newstruck-load. The backstory to Daredevil, plus the angst amongst our hero and heroine is convincing. Give the 'devil his due, but he won't be proud because he can't figure out where justice ends and vigilante-ism begins.

This is a violent film. Though it's a comic, and the look conveys that for the most part, there aren't any cartoonish deaths. People die bloody, and with oomph.

Not that Daredevil is completely serious. There's plenty of humor, and it fits snugly in all the right places. Jon Favreau supplies a bounty as Affleck's law partner, and Affleck himself allows a chuckle now and then.

But Colin Farrell as Bullseye steals every scene he's in. The guy kills indiscriminately, and creatively. Farrell has a nervous tic that leaves no doubt that this guy is insane, but you enjoy every minute, even guiltily as he dispatches innocent people in surreal ways.

Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile) is the ultimate bad guy, Kingpin, but he really doesn't have much to do but smoke fat stogies and use that deep voice to inform people that he means business.

Elsewhere in support, Joe Pantoliano is underused as the reporter covering the story of Daredevil, but David Keith is magnificent as young Affleck's father, a washed-up boxer who finds redemption in the unconditional affections of his little boy.

I do wish the fight scenes weren't so herky-jerky. It's easy to lose sense (no pun intended) of where each competitor is on the playing field (which usually means being on rooftops or the rafters of buildings). I'd like to pull out and hold a shot of the fighters for at least five seconds, something that no modern filmmaker can seem to accomplish.

As for visual effects, I liked the "sight" of Daredevil (he's not handicapped, he's handi-capable!). The imaging of how he uses sound to reflect waves for a sonar sight looked good, although it's hard to get a sense (again, no pun intended) of how he manages to fight so well and react so quickly using it. During fight sequences, there's a little too much obvious wire-work and computer generated images.

Still, in the end I have a sense (yep, this time, pun intended) that this movie will do bofo business at the box office, and you'll see - though he won't see you - Daredevil again.