When asked to think of a scene that is cinematically innovative or noteworthy, I need not look any further than my favorite television/streaming series; Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix is something that I frequently revisit for creative inspiration, but it also provided inspiration for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as well as the streaming, television, and even the movie-making industries. The series starring the man without fear was the first to tackle the concept of the one-take hallway fight scene with a mainstream IP/brand while also on a shorter budget and schedule. This feat of filmmaking only got two days worth of rehearsals before one long shooting day, which consisted of 8-12 recorded takes. It required collaboration between lead actor Charlie Cox, stunt double Chris Brewster, stunt coordinator Phillip J. Silvera, director Phil Abraham, director of photography Matt Lloyd, script writer Drew Goddard, showrunner Steve S. Deknight, and a team of stuntmen and crew to succeed - especially since there were no wipes/cuts throughout the shot. The end result became one of the most talked about technical achievements in TV, a game-changer that sparked a trend of Daredevil featuring a one-take fight scene in its sequel seasons, as well as Hollywood making the idea into a new movie selling point.
This iconic Daredevil scene occurs at the end of S1E2 - after an ambush by the Russian crime syndicate leaves him half-dead in a dumpster, Daredevil spends the episode's duration recovering and preparing for a rematch, in order to save the life of a young boy they kidnapped.
The scene itself reflects the visual style and story of the entire series and protagonist. Through technical elements, it captures a noir aesthetic in a gritty and grimy atmosphere, focusing on a hero rooted in realism and vulnerability - unlike many that viewers frequently encounter on-screen. The compositional elements of the set - a single hallway with three rooms, one on each side wall and one at the end of the hall - factor into how the rest of the scene components work. The lighting style only provides the bare minimum necessary to see the actions of the fighters unfold in the small space, with the light sources coming from fixtures in the hall and rooms. The color scheme is largely influenced by the yellow glow from the lights, bringing out the ugly green of the location, emphasizing the greed of the Russian criminals who dwell in the hallway. The only contrast in this color scheme coming from the lighting style would be two red lights; one emanating from the exit sign at the entrance of the hall where Daredevil enters, and the other being the red light in the room on the opposite side - which marks the distance between Daredevil and his endgame. Since this is a one-take in a tight setting, the shot size or angle cannot change drastically - however, the distance between the camera and the subjects in view allow the scene to shift from close-ups to mediums to wides. There are also no edits or cutaways, so the scene focus is dictated by wherever the camera maneuvers its focus to. The scene rhythm/pacing is determined by the choreo and accompanying musical composition - which uses digital percussion and electric guitar strings at varying volumes and tempos to reflect the speeding up or slowing down of the scene. The acting styles of Cox and Brewster show Daredevil is already disadvantaged by limping and stumbling to the doorways, which mark his progress between the beginning, middle, and end of the fight. His increasing exhaustion becomes a recurring motif, along with his outfit (which starts a bit ripped and gets even worse by the end).
The direction of the scene is immediately immersive for viewers. It begins guiding them through the hall, first showing what and where Daredevil’s objective is (the boy in the red room). It then establishes what and where Daredevil’s obstacles are (ten russian fighters, five in each of the other two rooms). Finally, it shows what and where Daredevil’s starting position is (the other end of the hall, and he is barely in any condition to fight). This clearly sets up the stakes for the fight as an uphill (or uphall) battle for Daredevil - this is made worse if viewers recall the state Daredevil was in at the start of the episode, which was shown after an off-screen altercation. When Daredevil engages the men behind the door, leaving viewers unable to see anything, this showcases Daredevil going in blind (literally and metaphorically), and makes them question if he has the upper hand. When the door gets smashed off its hinges with the goon that the camera followed into the room, as well as when the goon who started the scene gets a microwave chucked at his head, viewers have faith that Daredevil will overcome the odds initially shown. This hope in Daredevil increases and decreases based on his progress going through the hallway. When he has to take a few steps back before he can take a few forward, as well as when he gets sloppy with his technique while his fighting fatigue sets in, it puts viewers anxiously on the edge of their seats. Daredevil finally prevailing is a triumph - but rather than revel in glory, what is shown by the screen and the sound is sincere restraint. Daredevil pulling up his mask so the boy can see his face visually communicates shedding the adrenaline fueled attacker facade he first appeared in the scene with, reminding viewers again that he is more human than he is either a machine or a monster - as if his vulnerable beats during the fight were not enough. Ending with Daredevil carrying the boy through the hall in seconds, after taking minutes to cross it earlier, proves he can (literally) walk away from doing some bad things in order to do some good things.
To view the Daredevil fight scene (if you haven't already), you can click the links above!
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