Malaysia bans Affleck's Daredevil

Affleck plays the superhero Daredevil

Ben Affleck's latest superhero movie Daredevil has been banned in Malaysia for being too violent.

Censors banned the action film because editing out what they thought was unsuitable would have made it meaningless.

The film's studio, Twentieth Century Fox, is appealing to the Film Censorship Board to change its decision.

But the ban is unlikely to have a great impact as pirate video and DVD copies have already flooded the market.

Daredevil, which is based on the Marvel Comics character, opens in the UK and US this weekend and was due for release in Malaysia on 27 February.

Colin Farrell plays Bullseye

Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said the majority of films were passed by the censorship board.

He said films were only banned if they contained "excessive violence and sexual material or elements which can create chaos in the community".

"Most of the time, censorship is adequate if only some portions of the film require censorship, but if too much censorship is required, making the film meaningless, it is best banned," he told the country's Star newspaper.

Radioactive

The board was unhappy about"excessive violence" in Daredevil and scenes which feature vigilante acts.

Malaysia has a history of banning US television and films as it cracks down on sex, violence and obscenity.

It has censored Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Steven Spielberg's animated epic the Prince of Egypt and two episode of US sitcom Friends.

Daredevil also stars Irish actor Colin Farrell and Alias actress Jennifer Garner.

In it Affleck plays a man blinded by radioactive material while saving a man's life.

When he discovers his other senses are heightened he becomes a crime-fighter by night, battling against evil in New York.