When I saw Daredevil on the big screen in February of 2003, I gave it a lukewarm review. Now, seeing it again for the first time since in the DVD format and as a Director’s cut, I have to say I like it a lot better. I’m not sure if it’s really due to the added, padded scenes (there is more character development in the new version) — I think it’s just because I didn’t have any expectations. Prior to seeing the movie, I covered the press conference (read the cast and filmmakers interviews here [1]), and the pre-trailer that they showed made the movie look very dark and somewhat scary…

It’s not. But that doesn’t mean horror fans won’t like it — in fact, both the horror and the comic book movie genres often share the same traits (death-defying fights, shadowy scenes, characters fighting evil, evil being very… well… evil). If you gave it a pass in theaters, you might find the new DVD at least worth the price of a rental.

Cute and bland Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner play the in the lead roles in Daredevil —  they both look very wholesome, even while clad in skintight leather outfits and in possession of various sharp and deadly weapons. The peripheral cast is somewhat spicier; particularly Colin Farrell as the nemesis, Bullseye, and Michael Clarke Duncan as the bad guy behind it all, Kingpin.

Based on the popular Marvel Comics character, Daredevil tells the story of Matt Murdock, the son of a boxer who was killed by criminals for refusing to throw a fight. This drives Matt to fight crime, despite a childhood accident that took his sight and left him scarred physically and emotionally. That same accident, however, also granted Matt heightened senses of hearing, touch, taste and smell. When he grows up, Matt is a defense attorney by day and a vigilante by night. He finds himself entangled in a fight with the Kingpin, as fronted by the dangerous, murderous Bullseye — and in a sticky romance with the daughter of the Kingpin’s latest victim (Electra, played by Jennifer Garner, who will have her own spin-off movie in 2005.)

The dark, shadowy cinematography is expert, the fights are fun, and the costumes and frills are pretty — with the newly added scenes, the characters are fuller and more interesting. The death scenes are still PG-13 but they’re reasonably edgy (particularly when the remorseless Bullseye is involved).

The added scenes are a mixed blessing; a subplot involving a character played by the thoroughly unlikable Coolio is now in (he’s supposed to be a likable character) but it does add depth to the Matt Murdock character.

Existing fans of Daredevil will delight in the brand-new commentary by director Mark Steven Johnson and producer Avi Arad. There’s also an interesting featurette called "Giving the Devil His Due: The Making of Daredevil Director's Cut" — but it pretty much just covers the same ground as the commentary.

Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson [2]