Daredevil arrives on Blu-ray in a “Director’s Cut” that looks great and improves on the joke of a theatrical release.
The film is still a bit of a chore to get through and could have been done better, but this version makes it watchable – thanks to the extra footage and a harder edge.
Blu-ray’s crystal clear 1080p picture helps the movie’s mood by making the background colors and dark images pop, and making the grime of Hell’s Kitchen believable.
An example of the quality of the picture can be seen in several of the characters’ costuming and the film’s bigger action sequences (such as Daredevil facing down Kingpin).
Marvel Comics and Fox took a bit of a misfire with Daredevil thanks to a PG-13 friendly take on a vigilante that roams New York’s Hell’s Kitchen beating up the bad guys and sending them to the hospital or morgue.
It has been a while since I saw the theatrical cut of Daredevil, but this version (which was released on DVD in 2004) does have noticeable differences to the storyline. This is not a cut that just adds a few minutes here and there of characters walking through a door or background shots.
The “Director’s Cut” scraps that friendly feel of the theatrical release, and puts back in the scenes that adds some texture to the story (it seemed to have more scenes with a young Matt Murdock and his father), more screen time for supporting characters (such as Jon Favreau’s Franklin P. "Foggy" Nelson), and amps up some of the action.
Daredevil’s story is a somewhat familiar one in superhero tales. Matt Murdock is a kid growing up with a retired boxer father who is blinded by a toxic waste accident. Although the accident takes away his sight, it also gives him heightened senses and abilities.
Not willing to give up on life, Matt and his dad decide to face challenges head-on as the dad gets back in the ring and Matt begins to explore his new ability. Although things looked to be on the way up, tragedy would take Matt’s father, and start him on a mission to protect the innocent and punish the guilty.
The movie then shifts its story to an adult Matt (played by Affleck) who spends his days as a lawyer fighting for the little guy, and his nights as the crime fighter Daredevil. We are also quickly introduced to his love interest, Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner) and crazed assassin Bullseye (Colin Farrell).
With all the characters in place, the film moves at a fast pace and keeps the story action packed. Bullseye’s been hired by Kingpin to kill Elektra’s father, but Daredevil gets in the way. Elektra blames Daredevil and vows to kill him.
This sets up a showdown between Daredevil, Elektra, and Bullseye – which is then followed by another showdown between Daredevil and Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan).
Simply put, Daredevil is not a good movie. It has moments where it is good, and the Director’s Cut is better than what hit the theaters. Still, the movie fails to live up to the quality stories that are found monthly in the comic (yes I am a fan of the Daredevil comic) or break out of the formulaic feeling of the film’s plot.
Affleck (who simply looks bad in the suit) is tolerable as Matt Murdock, but just comes off goofy as Daredevil. Garner is actually pretty good as Elektra, but seems to be not straying too far from her “Alias” character. Duncan brings a level of cool to the Kingpin character, but it isn’t enough to save the film.
If the film has one glaring error, it is the performance of Farrell – which comes across almost as bad as Jim Carrey’s take on The Riddler in Batman Forever. His performance is constantly over the top with wide-eyed expressions and badly delivered lines.
The Blu-ray arrives with lots of special features that will keep fans of the film (and I am sure there are some) happy, and makes it worth buying. They include commentary with writer/director Mark Steven Johnson and producer Avi Arad; and an enhanced viewing mode that takes you behind the scenes while the film is playing.
There are also several documentaries about the Daredevil character; his history and place in the Marvel Comics universal; and the character’s journey to the big screen. The Blu-ray also includes Garner’s screen test, music videos, and photo galleries.
Releasing Daredevil on Blu-ray also doesn’t solve any of the film’s problems – which are mostly in the casting and some pacing issues. Although the Director’s Cut of the film is better than the theatrical release (mostly thanks to a grittier feel and more character development), the movie still is pretty bad.
If you enjoyed the theatrical release of the film, you will like what you see on the Director’s Cut, and the quality of the Blu-ray picture and sound does make the film worth taking a second look.
Daredevil - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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