Improved version of "Daredevil"
A marked improvement over the previous version of the film, "Daredevil" (Director's Cut) allows director and co-writer Mark Steven Johnson to adjust his film to the darker aspects he originally wanted to portray on screen. I won't be reviewing the previous edition in this review at all (since amazon.com inadvertently combines all editions into one pool this may end up under the previous theatrical DVD release), but will focus on what makes the "Director's Cut" unique and worth picking up for fans of the movie and the comic book.
Sometimes "Director's Cuts" are a mere attempt by the studio to make more money or the director to create something successful out of a disaster. That isn't the case with "Daredevil"(Director's Cut). Director Johnson originally intended to focus as much on Daredevil as he did on Matt Murdock and his career as a crusading lawyer fighting for the underdogs. The 30 minutes of additional footage adds an important subplot about the murder of a hooker...
Big improvement over theatrical release
Don't get me wrong, I like the theatrical version of this movie. But, as a lifelong fan of Daredevil in the comic books, the Director's cut is not just more faithful to the source material, it's also a more cohesive film.
The added storyline with Coolio puts more focus on Matt (Ben Affleck) as a man, and how precariously he balances his life as a lawyer and as a vigilante. The toning down of the Matt/Elektra romance makes the the love affair all the more tragic. Jennifer Garner comes off much more believable as Elektra this time around because the love is unfulfilled. The subplot with Fisk's lawyer lends more depth to how insulated Wilson Fisk (Michael Clarke Duncan) really is, and some added footage, really lends to the Kingpin's cruel and violent nature. The fight sequences have a much better flow now, Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano) is more fleshed out as a character, and Foggy (Jon Favreau) Nelson's sense of humour is given more room.
All in all, this is a...
I Kinda Liked the Original Version, but I Love This One!
This Director's Cut improves on the original in almost every way. The plot holes are filled in, the fight scenes are more violent, and the romance is trimmed down a bit. And believe it or not, former rapper Coolio was actually quite funny, especially in the court scene when he mentions he uses only shotguns (you'll know what I mean when you see it). If this was the version released in theaters I think most people would have this one at the top of the Superhero film lists right beside Batman, X-Men 2, and Spider-Man 2. This version is worth buying and I will never watch the theatrical cut again.
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