I've been saying this for years. The director's cut was attempting to make a modern David Lean style epic in the vein of Lawrence of Arabia.

The theatrical cut tried to chop it down to be a bog-standard Hollywood action film, at the expense of pacing, plot, and characters.

Director's Cuts aren't alwyas superior though.. I prefer the theatrical releases of Alien, The Shining, Fellowship of the Ring, Amadeus, to name a few..