Darkman (1990)

From Sam Raimi, the acclaimed directer of the Evil Dead Trilogy AND Spider-Man Trilogy comes this action thriller which FEELS as if it was based upon a comic book though was actually an original concept developed by Raimi when he was unable to land the rights for The Shadow back in the late '80's.  Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson (Schindler's List, Taken) stars as Payton, a mild-mannered scientist trying to develop synthetic skin.   Oscar-winner Frances McDormand (Fargo, Nomadland) plays his attorney girlfriend Julie who uncovers a real estate scam, and Emmy-winner Larry Drake (LA Law, Dr. Giggles) plays Durant, the mob enforcer who comes along with his goons to rough up Peyton for the evidence, brutalize him, and leave him for dead after dipping much of his body in acid leaving him burned all over....only Peyton isn't dead.  And what results is a wild, crazy, and quotable revenge thriller which came out 35 years ago this summer and developed into a cult hit.

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE PORTRAYED VIA MOVIE CLIPS

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

Transcript

DARKMAN – 1990

Directed by Sam Raimi

Starring Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand, Colin Friels, Larry Drake, Nelson Mashita, Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, Rafael Robledo, Dan Hicks, Dan Bell, Nicholas Worth, Arsenio, Aaron Lustig, Jenny Agutter, and Ted Raimi

Genre: Superhero Revenge Thriller (Audio clip)

Despite some laughably over-the-top performances (including Liam Neeson's who's still enjoyably going for it) and dated effects shots, this movie remains a bat-shit good time! Director Sam Raimi was right in his freaky, almost mainstream wheelhouse here as this feels very much a bridge between his Evil Dead movies and his eventual Spiderman blockbusters.

The concept behind this is actually pretty clever if a bit derivative as this was basically Raimi's more twisted version of The Shadow after he couldn't get the rights to that property at the time. Neeson plays Peyton who's a scientist trying to develop synthetic skin, Frances McDormand plays his attorney girlfriend Julie who uncovers a real estate scam, Larry Drake (Bennie from LA Law!!!...if you remember that show) plays Durant the mob enforcer who comes along with his goons to rough up Peyton for the evidence, brutalize him, and leave him for dead after dipping much of his body in acid leaving him burned all over....only Peyton isn't dead. :o

And that kicks off a Punisher/The Crow-like revenge tale of a vengeful Peyton wreaking havoc on his would-be killers while almost always in disguise...to not only infiltrate their organization but also to hide his disfigurement. It's all played very melodramatic and but it's still generally engaging with loads of POV shots, goofy transitions, and montages with stuff flying around the screen to keep it interesting....as only Raimi could at this time, also helped by a bombastic score from Danny Elfman who was hot off delivering similar scores for both Batman and Dick Tracy at the time.

As I said above, Neeson is positively bug-eyed for most of the movie but his performance works for the movie as he brings some genuine pathos to the proceedings. Drake's also fun to watch as a very self-satisfied thug with a short fuse...as is Colin Friels who just goes full-on '80's Spader in the third act, he actually carved a nice niche for himself in the early '90's playing corporate douchebags in both this and Class Action.

Most of the makeup effects are actually pretty well done though there are more than enough horrid green screen shots to almost leave this a wash. The action is still creatively filmed especially a late sequence featuring our cape-covered protagonist dangling from a helicopter around downtown LA as Durant tries to shake him loose - this being about nine years before a similar sequence in The Matrix, it's pretty fun thanks to some canny stuntwork and cheeky humor. Strong recommend for any one seeking an entertaining comic book movie not actually based on a comic book. ;)

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

If when first seeing this in a movie theater back in 1990, you found the music for this film to sound VERY familiar….well no one would blame you as it DOES in fact sound quite reminiscent of the gothic orchestral score from the year before for Batman.  Because it does in fact come from the SAME composer….LA-born and bred, Four-Time Oscar-nominee DANNY ELFMAN and yes he was undoubtedly in the middle of a STERLING run around this time including not only Batman but previous episodes Midnight Run, Batman Returns, AND a comic book film which had come out earlier this SAME summer….Dick Tracy.  And yes his music to kick off this film and throughout DOES sound quite familiar but it works!  His main theme is a fun mix of bombastic horns and strings, LOVE those pronounced clarinets which add some more mood… (Audio clip) 

For me, the highlight of this playful, moody score occurs about 35 minutes into the movie in the middle of a HIGHLY memorable montage taking us through Peyton’s tireless efforts to CREATE skin….so that he can not only cover up the parts of him where it was burned off but ALSO to disguise himself.  And his first test subject is the imposing PAULY who is one of Durant’s main bag men.  I can’t be 100% but if I’m not mistaken, this might very well be THE first on-screen portrayal of 3D printing and it looks pretty cool!   And never cooler when the camera takes us from the image of a hologram of a hand to the now-pressed result of the printed hand center-frame….and then as the music kicks in, PEYTON’S hand now covered reaching up for the ceiling….just hearing Eflman’s horns BLARE as that hand comes down into the frame….well it’s not QUITE a fist-pump moment as the hand is fully open but you get the gist.  This track is of course called, “Creating Pauley.” (Audio clip) 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

As for Frances McDormand...well let's just say this performance was likely never considered in her lead-up to winning three Oscars. She's basically playing a pretty thankless girlfriend role though she has a few wacko moments herself, especially in that carnival scene. 🤫From all accounts, she was pretty uncomfortable playing this part and it shows – she’s just one of those actresses who you can never quite pulling off the hapless damsel in distress, like a Jodie Foster or Sigourney Weaver.  It’s a compliment to her for sure but she was just miscast plain and simple. 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

Now back to Colin Friels playing Strack who ends up becoming the final villain in the climax – I STILL think Drake’s Durant is the more compelling villain overall as Friels is just REALLY going for it suddenly high atop this unfinished skyscraper.  (Audio clip) 

However….his hammy acting through this final fight DOES lead to what I think is Neeson’s BEST acting moment in the movie….just a fantastic, measured reaction too which hasn’t really been the case with his performance either.  After a lot of back-and-forth involving bolt guns, narrow beams, and some conveniently placed ropes….Peyton FINALLY has the drop on Strack.  He’s dangling him off a beam….so Strack brazenly attempts to convince him that sorry…Peyton’s just NOT a murderer, he doesn’t have it in him to just drop this man.  Now we have seen moments like this in TONS of action films and superhero movies….TWO Batman movies where he’s considering doing this to the Joker….Rise of the Planet of the Apes with Caesar holding on to Koba atop that spire…previous episode For Your Eyes Only where Roger Moore has a rare GRIM moment as he drops The Dove atop that cliff…..it’s a trope for sure, will he or WON’T he?  But I have to say that despite the hammy acting on Friels’ part which leads up to it….this is ONE of THE best versions of this.  The music builds up…. we see Peyton’s gnarled face FULLY exposed as he’s holding this guy by one hand….then the music goes quiet and he CLOSES HIS EYES….and then drops Strack.  And Neeson’s mournful line delivery right after this is just pitch-perfect, even with the exposed teeth! Truly sublime and a great lead-in to his closing conversation with McDormand’s Julie… (Audio clip) 

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

Definitely the most iconic and likely MEMED scene of the movie occurs about 2/3 in RIGHT before the eventual climax….at the carnival of course, where Peyton’s pressed for time while on a “date” with Julie….he just wants to win that elephant for his gal….that STRANGELY laid dude manning the booth just isn’t having it….things are getting tenser as the camera keeps panning back between Peyton, Julie, the guy….and that stuffed elephant of course. (Audio clip) 

And then this Carnival Booth Attendant – that’s how he’s credited – played by John Lisbon Wood makes the mistake of poking his fingers into Peyton’s chest while calling him a “weirdo”….and all hell breaks loose as the camera zooms in and out of Neeson’s eyes as he just explodes with flames and lightning all around him…..he CRUSHES that attendant’s hand as if it’s made of rubber…and then the camera quickly pans to Peyton, Julie, and the attendant’s faces as they ALL scream in unison before Peyton THROWS the guy through the back of the booth.  The capper of course being ONE line of dialogue which I can very much remember causing the opening day audience I was seeing this with to just ERUPT… (Audio clip) 

Just crazy stuff which on paper – and even on-screen – seems pretty ridiculous.  But you watch a nutso scene like that and you immediately know two things: you’re watching a Sam Raimi movie AND it’s being presented as 100% sincere.   And no he’s not EVERY ONE’S cup of tea – I’m personally mixed overall on his Spider-Man trilogy – but when it comes to bringing a bravura go-for-broke flair to mainstream genre filmmaking whether that be the superhero genre or horror genre OR the Western genre as he did for previous episode The Quick and the Dead, there are FEW better.  For delivering his own UNIQUE vision – even if it was borrowing tropes from older IP – the MVP is undoubtedly Sam Raimi. (Audio clip)   

Final Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 

Happy 35th Anniversary to a true gem of a movie and no I haven’t seen any of the direct-to-video sequels but I HAVE to admit that I am a bit curious based on their titles….the subtitle for the third one is “DIE DARKMAN DIE???” Sounds different….

Streaming on Prime Video & philo

And that ends another EVERY ONE AND NO ONE….EVERYWHERE…NO WHERE review!