The primary beneficiary of the extended runtime is the character of Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) and Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson). The theatrical cut stripped away much of the mundane, humanizing interactions between the vigilantes. The Director’s Cut restores scenes depicting Dan’s impotence outside the suit and Rorschach’s investigation methods, grounding the superhero fantasy in a gritty noir reality.