Daredevil (2003) parents guide: Bring your Marvel fandom to life with the Affleck/Garner flick

When it comes to superhero movies, there is one that we tend to prefer to forget about: the 2003 version of Daredevil starring Ben Affleck. But Netflix never forgets, and the OG Man Without Fear is now streaming on the service in all its Evanescence-fueled glory.

To be clear, the movie isn’t good. In fact, it’s hilariously bad. But it's also a great look back for your Marvel-obsessed teens who grew up with the MCU and don't know how hard we superhero fans had it back in the day.

Daredevil parents guide: Explaining the PG-13 age rating

Just a quick note up top here. While Daredevil is rated PG-13 for "action/violence" and some sensuality, there's also a Director's Cut, which is rated R. Be aware that version is not suitable for younger teens.

Nudity: The theatrical version is the one that’s rated PG-13. This one had no nudity in it. The sex scenes aren't graphic at all, with really just a passionate kiss shown. The director’s cut is the one with nudity, although that’s just women’s breasts on the screen and no full-frontal nudity.

Violence and gore: This is why the age ratings are set for the two different versions of the movie. The theatrical version had the basic violence that you would expect when it comes to a superhero movie. Daredevil is a vigilante who has some excellent fighting skills despite being blind. The movie showcases those fighting skills with some well-choreographed fight scenes. We do get a rather graphic scene to see how Matt Murdock becomes blind due to the toxic chemicals that are thrown at his face. Most of the bloody and gory scenes are in the director’s cut, giving it the R rating, including the breaking of people’s necks and a knife being thrown at a person’s forehead, which is rather bloody.

Language: The theatrical version of the movie only uses words like “hell” and “goddamn.” There is the use of the word “bloody,” but this word is the F-bomb in the director’s cut. If you do end up watching the director’s cut, you’ll hear a lot more F-bombs throughout. This is another reason it’s given the R rating.

Alcohol and drugs: Matt Murdock smokes a lot of cigars throughout the movie. This is something regularly shown. It’s part of who he is. There is also a scene with a party, where there is a lot of drinking and smoking going on. There is no drug use shown on the screen.

Overall verdict: Who is Daredevil (2003) appropriate for?

The theatrical version is great for teens are who getting to know the world of superheroes. The movie is hilariously bad, and it’s a fun way to bring teens into this world.

When it comes to the director’s cut, you’ll want to watch out! This is for older teens rather than the teens and tweens. Take a close look at the version you’re watching on Netflix.