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Daredevil

Daredevil

When the streets have gone to Hell, have faith in the devil.

2003103 minPG-13Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Director
Mark Steven Johnson
Starring
Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell, Michael Clarke Duncan

By day, blind attorney Matt Murdock toils for justice in Hell's Kitchen. By night, he's Daredevil, The Man Without Fear - a powerful, masked vigilante stalking the dark streets with an uncanny "radar sense" that allows him to "see" with superhuman capabilities. But when the love of his life, fiery Elektra Natchios, is targeted by New York City's ruthless Kingpin of crime and his deadly assassin Bullseye, Daredevil may be about to meet his match.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Daredevil?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Daredevil streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Daredevil?

Daredevil earns 5 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Daredevil worth watching?

Daredevil's Midcredits score is the 18th percentile of all films, from 498K ratings across 6 sources. 28% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

18th percentile

Better received than 18% of films

29th percentile among Action18th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)19th
Approval (how many liked it)20th

51 /100

19th percentile of all films

31st percentile among Action19th percentile among 2000s

Critics 42 · Audience 52

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

28% liked it

20th percentile of all films

32nd percentile among Action18th percentile among 2000s
28% rated it 7–1072% rated it 1–6

Critics 42% · Audience 35%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 17 noms overall

98th percentile

498K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$78M
Opening weekend$40M
Domestic gross$103M
Worldwide gross$179M

Returned 2.3× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a dark, stylish comic-book movie with a strong cast and ambitious action, but its uneven script, dated effects, and over-stuffed plot keep it from fully succeeding.

Fans praised

  • Stylish dark visuals and moody atmosphere
  • Surprisingly witty script with crisp dialogue
  • Engaging cast: Affleck subdued, Farrell delightfully unhinged, Duncan menacing

Detractors panned

  • Over-the-top stunts defy Daredevil's human limits, destroying tension
  • Awful CGI and dated special effects break immersion
  • Thin, formulaic story with clumsy character introductions

What stands out

Acting6

Cast performances praised by fans; detractors call them terrible, especially Affleck and Garner

Atmosphere6

Dark, moody tone praised by fans; detractors find it high-gloss and pretentious

Cinematography6

Stylish, dark visuals compared to The Crow; detractors find them poorly lit

Sound and music6

Excellent surround sound design; dated nu-metal soundtrack divides opinion

Characters4

Fans find character depth improved in Director's Cut; detractors see cardboard cutouts

Dialogue4

Fans praise witty script; detractors say it's cheesy and full of blind jokes

Plot and story3

Thin origin story with too many villains; Director's Cut somewhat fixes coherence

Effects and spectacle3

CGI dated and unconvincing; some action still holds up for fans

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Daredevil like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something dark and affecting.

It leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its comic-book material straight with a dark, brooding edge and heightened emotion, taking itself seriously.
The rideThe film sustains a moody, high-stakes atmosphere with action spikes and emotional undercurrents, peaking in the middle as the conflict escalates.
StructureTold in conventional order with flashbacks to the protagonist's childhood origin, but the main plot follows a three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with Matt's love lost but hints at her possible return, leaving a bittersweet longing.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA blind lawyer becomes a vigilante to fight crime after his father's murder, targeting the crime lord Kingpin who controls Hell's Kitchen.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Matt Murdock's dual life as a blind lawyer and masked vigilante, exploring how his disability and powers define who he is and what he must do.
StanceThe film frames vigilantism and justice as heroic virtues, endorsing Matt Murdock's fight against crime even as it acknowledges personal cost.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernRockSupportive music · hybrid · Graeme Revell
SettingHell's Kitchen, a crime-ridden urban neighborhood in New York City
MusicA brooding, action-oriented score blending orchestral drama with rock edge.

Content guide

Is Daredevil okay for kids?

PG-13

Daredevil is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for action/violence and some sensuality” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (63/100), sexual content at mild (34/100), language at moderate (45/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at moderate (54/100). Overall it is heavier than 69% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Belgium18
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreecePG
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway18
  • Poland16
  • RO18
  • Russia18+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 43% of all filmsHeavier than 69% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 61%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 59%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 49%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 63%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Daredevil have?

MovieCove's classifier found 4 depicted content warnings in Daredevil: Death of a parent (moderate), Gore or body horror (moderate), Gun violence (moderate), Self-harm (mild). 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateDeath of a parentGore or body horrorGun violence
MildSelf-harm

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Daredevil?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Ben Affleck
as Matt Murdock
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jennifer Garner
as Elektra Natchios
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Colin Farrell
as Bullseye
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Clarke Duncan
as Wilson Fisk
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Joe Pantoliano
as Ben Urich
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Jon Favreau
as Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson
Scott Terra
as Young Matt
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ellen Pompeo
as Karen Page
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Leland Orser
as Wesley Owen Welch
Lennie Loftin
as Nick Manolis

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Daredevil?

Movies like Daredevil include Elektra (2005), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and Batman Forever (1995). Of the 12 closest matches, all are superhero films, and several are martial-arts films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 12 share its world: New York. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Daredevil?

388 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: hitman. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.