• Better on DVD: The director's cut reinserted 30 minutes with an R-rating, improving the film significantly.
  • Complete Monster: Bullseye, as befitting for a psycho who gets a kick out of murdering people on a whim.
  • Cult Classic: The 2004 director's cut has helped improve the reputation of the film, making it have a decent following.
  • Crowning Music of Awesome: Bullseye being introduced with House of Pain's "Top o' the Morning"
    • Drowning Pool & Rob Zombie's "Man Without Fear"
  • Hilarious in Hindsight:
    • The psychotic criminal that Matt faces down in the film's first act is named Jose Quesada. At the time of the film's release, it was merely one of several Shout-Outs that referenced the names of creators who'd worked on Daredevil's comic book, but in hindsight, after the massive fan revolt against Editor Joe Quesada's ill-received "Civil War" and "Spider-Man: One More Day" storylines, a lot of the Quesada-haters (and even a lot of people who don't mind Quesada) probably find this sequence hilarious (and the fact that Daredevil hunts him down is probably a considered a Moment of Awesome by the Quesada-haters).
    • Ben would play Batman in the DC Extended Universe, with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League also having superior director's cuts.
  • Genius Bonus: At the end of the movie, Bullseye hits a fly. In Brazil, the expression "na mosca", which roughly translates into "at the fly", is used for the same meaning Americans say "bullseye".
  • Seinfeld Is Unfunny: Whatever the film's faults, it does do something rare for a comic book film in that, unlike Spider-Man and the X-Men, it can make you forget you're watching a comic book adaption. Some scenes feel like they're from a different film (in the best possible sense). It's only when Bullseye shows up it starts to slip (It's not easy to make a realistic film involving a man who can go on killing sprees with paper clips and peanuts). Since other films, most notably Christopher Nolan's Batman films and the Snyderverse, have done this more successfully, Daredevil is unlikely to get credit for trying it first.
  • Took the Bad Film Seriously: Ben Affleck did a respectful portrayal of a blind person.
  • Vindicated by History: Many fans and critics left cold by the theatrical cut were far more receptive to the Directors Cut which reinstated a lot of the classic elements of the comics (Matt's catholic faith and his legal skills). It is now considered one of Marvel's better pre-Cinematic Universe films.
  • What the Hell, Casting Agency?: All-American Jennifer Garner as a Greek? Indian-American Erick Avari as her father? Hm? At least Micheal Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin makes sense: even if he's black, he's huge and intimidating, and that's what's important (Fun Fact: In the comics The Kingpin was originally supposed to be black before Marvel changed it at the last minute, fearing accusations of racism).