Riding high: Latest comic strip film adaptation aims to be different..

Not long after recovering from seemingly mortal wounds, Elektra has severed all ties with the world, living only for her next assignment. But in an unexpected turn of events, she is forced to make a decision that can take her life in a new direction or destroy her.

Key players in Elektra's journey are Stick (Terence Stamp), a blind martial arts master responsible for Elektra's resurrection', and Mark Miller (Goran Visnjic of E.R. fame) and Abby Miller (Kristen Prout), a father and daughter on the run from The Hand, a powerful syndicate whose members practice the dark martial art of ninjitsu.

After Jennifer Garner made a brief, tantalising appearance as Elektra in the 2003 movie Daredevil, filmmakers were eager for Garner to reprise the role, but this time in her own picture.

Garner trained long and hard to do justice to the character portrayed in the Marvel comics: a warrior without limits. Already physically fit and skilled in various fighting techniques from her work on the television series Alias, Garner took her martial arts training to a new level under the guidance of Elektra's stunt co-ordinators and fighting choreographers.

Director Rob Bowman wanted Elektra to be a different kind of comics-to-film adaptation. The film may feature spectacular action, state-of-the-art special and visual effects, incredible stunts and martial arts mastery, but Bowman also wanted Elektra to be a character-driven piece.

"I think the difference between this film and other big comic book movies is that we spend some time inside Elektra's head; the true story is really inside of her," says Bowman. "There's so much unspoken reality in her. Sure, I want audiences to experience a big action movie and give them the thrills of watching the character kick some butt. But I also wanted them to root for Elektra to triumph over her own inner darkness."

Elektra gave Jennifer Garner the opportunity to explore a character she had created on screen a year earlier. "At the end of Daredevil, we left Elektra at the beginning of her real darkness," says Garner.

"When we pick her up in this movie, there's a wall of ice around her. She's so isolated from the outside world that she doesn't even know she's isolated anymore."

Terence Stamp, who plays Stick, already had strong ties to the world of big event, comics-to-film adaptations, having played the super-villainous General Zod in Superman and Superman II. At first reluctant to work on another genre project, Stamp ultimately gave in after he was relentlessly pursued by the filmmakers.

The relationship between Stick and Elektra is central to the story. Stick is the puppet-master, setting events in motion and then intervening only when necessary to guide his student's progress.

"Elektra wants Stick to be her sensei, but she doesn't want to do what he tells her to do," says Stamp.

"Although he often appears to be giving up on her, he has a kind of overview, a way of getting her to do what he wants by hook or by crook, so to speak. In the East, they say that the guru needs the great pupil even more that the great pupil needs the guru. So I think there's a kind of symbiosis in their relationship."

Jennifer Garner trained hard before and during shooting. Her days often started before dawn, when she would squeeze in a 4am training session before getting set-ready. "Elektra is a consummate martial artist, and I've poured my heart, body and soul into my training," says Garner. "Luckily I had Daredevil and three years of Alias under my belt."

Garner's excitement about bringing to cinematic life a beloved comic character is palpable. "I think the audience will be carried along on Elektra's emotional ride.

"You're going to see why she is the way she is and why it isn't working anymore. You're going to see a friendship forged and a little bit of romance. You're going to see some great action. I know I worked on this role as hard as I could. I promise it'll be a ride,"she says.