Darkman

---

Tools:
Recommend review to a friend »

---

In recent years, the name Sam Raimi has become closely tied to the "Spider-Man" franchise. The series director is an important cog in the films' continuing success. Prior to 'making it big' in Hollywood, Raimi was best known for another trilogy. He was the creator and director of the cult horror series "The Evil Dead." Between these two series, Raimi created and directed another little film; one that is a cult hit in its own right and certainly helped pave the way for his venture as the helmer of the superhero webslinger. Sam Raimi penned and directed his own superhero movie, "Darkman."

Vintage Universal monster movies and a love of comic books were the inspiration for Raimi's "Darkman." The director had previously attempted to secure movie making rights to the Batman character and The Shadow. However, deals had already been struck for those characters. Instead of giving up hope to create a superhero movie with one of the famous non-superpower enabled heroes, Raimi sat down and created his own hero. Combining many similar elements from both Batman and The Shadow with a mix of the pathos of the old Universal monsters, Raimi's "Darkman" became a successful franchise in is own right, earning nearly fifty million dollars and spawning sequels, comic books and action figures.

Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) is a scientist who has devoted his life to manufacturing replacement skin for burn victims and providing digital imaging technology that can accurately replace a burn victims face with a perfect facsimile of their previous appearance. He is very close to making the breakthrough he needs, but the skin breaks down at an atomic level after an hour and a half of light exposure (99 minutes to be exact). The artificial skin does last in darkness, but Westlake cannot get the liquid-based skin to stabilize under natural lighting. He is a driven man and passionate about his work, but he still maintains enough time for his girlfriend Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand).

Julie is a lawyer and has dealings with a wealthy real-estate tycoon, Louis Strack, Jr. (Colin Friels). While reviewing her documents one day, she realizes she has come into possession of a memo detailing payoffs to a crime boss named Robert G. Durant (Larry Drake). She approaches Strack about the payoffs and Strack requests she return the document to his possession and that he is trying to protect her from the ruthless Durant. She tells him that she may not be able to turn a blind eye to what is happening and Strack suggests that she simply leave it sitting where he can take it without her knowing. She refuses.

That night, Peyton is visited by Durant. Durant and his thugs destroy Peyton's lab, they kill his assistant and leave him horribly burned and scarred in the aftermath. Peyton is presumed dead and Julie mourns for him. However, Peyton was not killed and his horribly burned body was recovered, although he is believed to have been an anonymous vagabond. Subjected to experimental surgery to alleviate the pain of the burns, Peyton can no longer feel pain and has superior strength due to enhanced levels of adrenaline. From Durant's vicious attack, Darkman is born.

Peyton is tormented by the loss of his face and of his hands. He yearns to make his presence known to Julie. To do this, he must reconstruct his face from a damaged photograph and rebuild his destroyed lab. Peyton must also enact revenge upon Durant and those that brought an end to the happy existence he was accustomed to. To do this, he monitors and photographs Durant and his men. This allows Peyton to use his technology and assume their identities to infiltrate the organization and bring about Durant's end. The problem lies in the ninety-nine minute deadline that Peyton has for each identity because of the rapid atomic breakdown of the artificial skin.

Julie and Peyton finally begin to rebuild their lives, although she does not realize that Peyton is burned beyond recognition under his artificial skin. Making his presence known to Julie turns out to be a bad decision on Peyton's part as Durant and Strack find out that Darkman is indeed Peyton and they once again turn their evil doings towards the scientist and his lab. Peyton slowly comes to terms with his new identity as a monstrous hero and forces his energies away from rekindling his love with Julie and more towards bringing down the evil empire of Robert G. Durant. Eventually, a climactic battle ensues between a scientist and a real estate tycoon.

I point out the vocations of the protagonist and antagonist for good reason. The final fight between villain and hero is more anti-climactic than climactic. Although I found Strack's ability to outpunch Darkman a little humorous, I reminded myself that he wasn't a fighter, but a scientist. While it isn't an exciting pugilistic confrontation, it is nicely done. This is two 'normal' people duking it out. Neither has super hero skills and neither is a trained fighter. "Darkman" is a hero that was given strength and durability, but uses his mind and ability to take another's identity to fight crime. He is not a warrior. Strack is a weasely business man who can jump handedly on steel girders.

---

---