Attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand, Fargo) has the dirt on the bribes big time developer Louis Strack Jr.(Colin Friels, Dark City) has been using to get the job done hassle-free, and this upsets his ass greatly… so much so, he enlists the help of gangster/psychopath Robert G. Durant (Robert G. Durant, Dr. Giggles) to destroy those documents with extreme prejudice!
This is shitty news for Hastings’ boyfriend Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, Taken, Next of Kin), a scientist that has invented synthetic skin for burn victims that can be 3-D printed to any specifications… but the material only lasts 99 minutes before dissolving, as he’s around when Durant comes a-callin’ which results in him both getting severely burned, but impervious to pain thanks to the treatment for said burns (even though the world believes him dead).
Naturally, he needs to exact revenge on those that wronged him… and he does just that, because not only has the attempted murder left him disfigured, it has also made him absolutely demented and pretty kill crazy!
Now he stalks the streets, disguising himself as those he hunts in order to destroy them from within their own ranks…
With a flavor reminiscent of the adventures and demeanor of pulp yarn mainstay The Shadow, seasoned with a heady dollop of Universal Monster pictures (with 1925’s Phantom of the Opera, 1931’s Frankenstein, and 1933’s The Invisible Man being the major influences), Sam Raimi’s (The Evil Dead… look, someone may not know… ) Darkman is an irresistible monsterpiece through and through!
Filled with the dynamic camera work, explosive if comic book style heightened violence, and moments of downright delightfully absurd humor (the henchman that is forced to hop around as his prosthetic limb that is secretly a gun is fired by one of his peers is a standout), this is a solid journey through Raimi territory that makes stops at all of the right places!
Making all of this flow are the acting chops of Neeson, McDormand, and Drake, fill the screen with strong, yet incredibly game performances that add moments of emotion and gravitas while being acutely aware of the insanity at hand with tongue planted firmly in cheek throughout.
And while we are jawin’ about actors, this flick features plenty of cameos that will undoubtedly please aficionados of the aforementioned Evil Dead franchise including the likes of; Evil Dead II’s Ted Raimi and Dan Hicks (playing the hoppin’ henchman mentioned previously), as well as The Chin himself, Bruce Campbell… hell even Ash’s Oldsmobile appears… but the cameos aren’t limited to Evil Dead alum, as An American Werewolf in London‘s Jenny Agutter (as well as that picture’s writer/director John Landis), and Nicholas Worth, whom you may remember from Wes Craven’s live-action 1982 adaptation of DC comics muck monster cum antihero, Swamp Thing.
Add in some truly psychotronic visions of the depths to which Westlake’s sanity has sunk, an otherworldly score courtesy of Danny Elfman (Tim Burton’s Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and 2002’s Spider-man from this film’s director to name but a few… ), and some spectacular stunts (which with the 4K transfer utilized here can be dicey at times, since the clarity and crispness while top-notch, really make the cuts to green screen process from the live stunt work becoming super noticeable).
Adding to the overall experience are some solid bonus materials with Disc One featuring Director of Photography Bill Pope and filmmaker/super-fan Josh Ruben in a duo of audio commentaries, with the former a more “nuts n’ bolts” conversation giving first-hand info on the film’s production, and the latter a more lively chat offering an aficionado’s view of the film.
Disc Two includes a Blu-ray edition of Darkman along with the aforementioned commentaries… but there’s more on hand here, including: interviews with Neeson, McDormand, Drake, Hicks & fellow actor Dan Bell, Production Designers Randy Ser & Philip Dagort and Makeup Designer Tony Gardner, the film’s original Electronic Press Kit, vintage interviews with cast & crew (some in a single PR vid, others seperate featuring; Friels, McDormand, Neeson, and Raimi), a lengthy selection of deleted scenes, the film’s theatrical trailer, TV spots, and and multiple stills galleries (including behind the scenes images, posters & promotional artwork, production stills, and storyboards).
Part pulp pastiche, part Universal monster movie, and entertaining as all get out… Darkman is must-see viewing for fans of Burton’s late ‘80s take on Batman and Lon Chaney flicks in equal measure… and this edition is a solid way to do just that!
