Loud, buzzy, fast-moving and colourful – if more than a little preposterous – Daredevil compares favourably with other recent comic-book spinoffs such as SpiderMan and X-Men. Though highly unlikely to trouble the Oscars panel next month, it should certainly pass the time acceptably where genre devotees are concerned.

Adapted from the much-loved Captain Marvel series, Daredevil is set in a shadowy underworld where the eponymous blind superhero (Ben Affleck, clad in a ridiculous S&M-type costume) uses his supreme athletic ability and enhanced sensory powers to wage battle with crime-lord Kingpin (The Green Mile’s Michael Clarke Duncan) and assassin Bullseye (Colin Farrell, occassionally seeming to overdo the Oirish accent for comic effect).

Alias’ ace girlfighter Jennifer Garner completes the line-up, finding time en route for romantic entanglement with Affleck’s smug (though not loathsome) hero, with more than a few rip-roaring combat sequences to lift the blood pressure, as well as a vaguely touching romantic subplot. Put it to you this way, it is streets ahead of Batman & Robin.