And the director's cut is DEFINITELY a huge improvement. If you liked the first version, you may just love the DC. I'd recommend watching it on your computer through er... questionable means and then deleting it after youve finished watching it. And if you do actually like it then you could import it or something like that.
there are some annyingly dumb adds to the Dc though, it's not perfect and spoils a couple of scenes that were perfect in the theatrical cut.
when the thug in the subway has his gun to DD's head, in the theatrical cut, we see DD react with blinding speed to the fact he has just heard the bullet enter the chamber, and takes the thug out, so it's a good moment of his super-hearing saving his life.
But in the Dc MSJ adds the thug saying 'See you in hell diablo', *after* the bullet has entered the chamber, and even DD replying 'Not if i see you first', and *then* taking him out, it's so dumb, why did DD wait for him to say that, and then reply before taking him out when he just heard the bullet entering the chamber?!
Also, he added a terrible line delivery from Affleck that kind of ruined the end part of the Josie's bar scene, 'when he says ..'Time to give the Devil his due!', it's about the only line delivery by Affleck that I would say was outright bad, and it spoils the effect of him being a silent avenging angel type, which worked so well in the theatrical cut.
Also, there is a scene that breaks up the sequence when DD has just taken down Bullseye and is going after Kingpin, in the theatrical cut, it goes staright from one battle to the other, but in the Dc there is an unnesesary scene that breaks up the vibe, and the time scale of when and how it happens is wonky. when the Kingpin's aide meets up in the bar with Detective Manolis. now, the Detective was just at the scene with Dd and Bullseye, and the aide was just with Kingpin, and in the time they have taken to arrange that meet up, what has Dd been doing in between taking down Bullsye and going after Kingpin? Stopped in at an arcade to play pinball for a couple of hours? Even apart from the time scale wonkiness, it just breaks up the vibe that was so good in the theatrical.
Another stupid add.
edit: Also, the subplot with Coolio is not up to the drama of teh rest of the movie, it is a little slapstick-y, not very funny, and it being Coolio, a famous celebrity cameo, who just looks exactly like Coolio, no effort in making him look any diifferent, can take you out of the reality of the movie, well, it did for me anyway.
The best cut of DD lies somewhere between the theatrical and the DC.