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Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand, Colin Friels, Larry Drake, Nelson Mashita ... see more see more... , Jenny Agutter , Jesse Lawrence Ferguson , Rafael Robledo , Dan Hicks , Theodore Raimi , Dan Bell , Nicholas Worth , Bruce Campbell , Andy Bale , Carl Bresk , Said Faraj , Cliff Fleming , Phillip A. Gillis , Carrie Hall , Julius Harris , Bridget Hoffman , Craig Hosking , Nathan Jung , Aaron Lustig , Neal McDonough , Maggie Moore , Frank Noon , Prof. Toru Tanaka , Arsenio "Sonny" Trinidad , Cary Tyler , Karl Wickman , John Lisbon Wood , Charles W. Young , Stuart Cornfield , Sean Daniel , William Dear , John Landis , William Lustig , Scott Spiegel , John Cameron

Neglecting Julie (Frances McDormand), his lawyer lady friend, Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) works feverishly to perfect his latest invention -- artificial skin that could be used to treat burn vic... read more read more...tims. Peyton himself falls victim to an explosion when one of Julie's crooked clients sends his henchmen to sniff out an incriminating document that's been left in Westlake's lab. Hideously disfigured and left for dead, the good doctor receives an experimental medical treatment that renders him super-strong, impervious to pain and prone to heightened fits of rage. Rebuilding his lab into an underground hideout, Westlake begins using his synthetic skin to impersonate various characters and engineer his revenge against those who destroyed his life. Reconnecting with Julie, however, becomes the unsightly vigilante's biggest challenge. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

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50% liked it

49,771 ratings

Critics

79% liked it

47 critics

R, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Release Date: January 1, 1990

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DVD Release Date: March 31, 1998

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Flixster Reviews (1,632)

  • garyX
    February 9, 2012
    garyX
    A scientist hideously disfigured during an attack on his lab utilises the synthetic skin he was working on to wreak bloody vengeance on the criminals responsible. Batman meets The Phantom Of The Opera in this superhero-horror hybrid from Sam Raimi that can be seen as the stepping... read more stone from Evil Dead 2 to Spider Man. This is clearly where he learned the ropes of making the modern superhero film and although lacking the slickness exhibited by the Marvel franchise, Darkman still has plenty to commend it. It has a rather blacker heart than the usual masked avenger movie, Raimi exploring the idea of a "hero" that is more borderline psychotic than a brooding loner and far more interested in pure revenge than justice. It's a little rough around the edges and Liam Neeson was a slightly odd casting choice but it has a lot of Raimi's trademark B-Movie flourishes and although less humorous than a lot of his other projects, still has some real laugh out loud moments. I think more could've been made of the character and his state of mind but it cracks along at breakneck pace with come nice action set pieces and compared to its contemporaries (namely the Crow and Batman) it has dated rather well.
  • WrenchLT
    December 15, 2011
    WrenchLT
    Before Sam Raimi relaunched the surprisingly good Spider-Man for the big screen he dabbled with another comic book hero themed film in the form of Darkman - the story of an horrifically scarred scientist who reeks revenge on the gangsters responsible for his disfigurement. A sadl... read morey overlooked film that has all the typical ingredients to please fans of superhero films. It didn't quite have the budget of other movies of its type and some of the visual effects look a little dated, but Raimi's stylish trademarks are there throughout. The action sequences at the end are awesome too with the helicopter pursuit stealing the show for me. The Darkman make-up effects look brilliant and suitably horrific with Liam Neeson doing well with the character overall. Definitely worth a watch, thoroughly entertaining.
  • CloudStrife84
    November 2, 2011
    CloudStrife84
    Phantom of the Opera meets The Mummy and The Elephant Man. Only far less brilliant than any of those films. It's hard to imagine that the same man who made Spider-Man 1 & 2, also made this cringe-inducing cheese-fest. The villains are really lame, the plot thinner than toilet pap... read moreer, and the directing an outright mess. Yet, somehow - despite its numerous faults and horrid esthetics - I still found myself sufficiently entertained. Maybe because it's one of those "so bad, it's good" films, but all in all, it was decent enough to be worth my time. Thankfully, however, the comic book genre has come a long way since its B-movie days in the 90's. Because who wants to watch semi-crap like this when we got quality action like The Dark Knight and X-Men: First Class? Not me, that's for sure. And what an accomplished actor like Liam Neeson is doing in it, God only knows.
  • deano
    March 9, 2011
    deano
    Director Sam Raimi's film is a highly entertaining and energetic combination of sci-fi, action and thriller! It has a decent story and great special effects.
    The performances are good, especially Liam Neeson is really believable as the revengeful and crime-fighting figure hero.
    ... read moreThe villains in the movie are over-the-top, leading with Larry Drake's character Durant. There also is some outrageous Rambo action which stretches way past credibility, such as people shooting from five feet away and missing our hero!
    And I was surprised what I saw the final scene of an actor appeared cameo in this film was Raimi's longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell.
  • Chiefilms
    January 12, 2011
    Chiefilms
    The cheese outweighs the good, Liam Neeson looks real young.
  • ythelastman89
    May 8, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Next to the Evil Dead trilogy, this is Sam Raimi's greatest descent into the land of crazy. In many ways it is an anti-superhero movie because Dr. Westlake really has no interest in saving anyone, just getting revenge on Durant. There were some really interesting aspects of his m... read moreovie that seem to go unnoticed like the human masks and the demented comedy that almost borders on pure insanity. If you've learned one thing from watching this, it's to "Take the fucking elephant".
  • 366weirdmovies
    December 22, 2009
    366weirdmovies
    After being immolated in an explosion set by gangsters, a hideously burned scientist undergoes an experimental treatment that gives him super strength and fits of uncontrollable rage, and seeks revenge using a synthetic skin that allows him to mimic the facial features of anyone ... read morehe chooses (and also changes his height, build and eye color). Completely preposterous and not meant to be taken seriously; the hammy acting by Liam Neeson is somewhat entertaining, but otherwise its full of action movie cliches that aren't funny enough to count as parodies.
  • stormyweather980
    August 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    "Darkman" is a good action movie and features a great performance from Liam Neeson. Scientist Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) and his partner are trying to create an antidote in the form of recreated skin from a model, for people with damaged skin, such as burns or scars. Some crim... read moreinals kill Peyton's partner and blow up the whole lab, and Peyton gets injured so severely that everybody thinks he is dead, even his girlfriend, Julie (Frances McDormand). Peyton will do anything he can to get his hands on the criminals that destroyed his life and made him into this unknown madman.
    "Darkman" has some great special effects, a good plot, and best of all, great acting. After he's injured, Peyton becomes a totally different person by developing a flaming temper. Liam Neeson does so good of a job that it will make you wonder who the real criminal is, Peyton or the men that destroyed everything he had.

    "Darkman" is like many kinds of movies wrapped into one. It's mainly an action movie, but it has both sci-fi and horror characteristics involved in parts. If you like great action movies, I would recommend getting "Darkman." The two sequels to the movie are also good, but this one is the best. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000 - loved this movie from the first time I saw it and still a good watch from time to time! Should be more popular.
  • DrZeek
    June 22, 2009
    DrZeek
    Peyton Westlake: Take the fucking elephant!

    When Sam Raimi couldn't get a job directing the superhero movies he wanted to do, he made up his own, and god dammit, it worked. Of course he went on to make "SpiderGold" a decade later, but here he still makes this kick ass R-rated s... read moreuperhero movie, with a neat premise, a fun score, and plenty of Raimi-style humor.

    Liam Neeson stars as Dr. Peyton Westlake. He is developing a synthetic skin process in his laboratory, when one day a group of mobsters brake into his lab, wreak his stuff, torture Westlake, and then attempt to blow him up.

    This beating was partly caused by his girlfriend, played by Frances McDormand, who has stumbled across some problems involving the boss of her big company.

    Westlake, some how survives the explosion and is treated to some kind of experimental process that effects his physical strength and abilities, but also ruins his temper.

    Now mutilated, he finds a new area in a condemned building to continue his work, learning how to create masks that last for a certain amount of time, and eventually engages in a tricky plan to get revenge on those who harmed him.

    The story follows most outcast superhero stories involving a tragic hero, in this case Westlake is similar to the Phantom of the Opera. Basically Raimi has made a superhero/monster movie in the style of Evil Dead, with plenty of dark comedy running throughout.

    Darkman: [to conference attendees after crashing through a skyscraper window] Excuse me.

    The main draw of this movie is its style. Made on a modest budget, anyone who knows the Evil Dead films knows that Raimi is a wild man with the camera when the time calls for it, and it provides some zany sequences. The whole film resembles a pulpy kind of afternoon matinée from way back in the day. It is not afraid to go over the top with the melodrama or the action and the movie is better for it.

    It also helps that this movie whips by. It's a lot of fun throughout, and was able to spawn a decent following with its to direct-to-video sequels, comics, toys, and even a Bruce Campbell cameo.

    Rick: Oh, god! Don't! I've told you everything!
    Darkman: [softly] I know, Rick. I know you did.
    [furiously]
    Darkman: But let's pretend you didn't!
  • kiriyamakazou
    June 15, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    Raimi's first jump into superhero land was as dark and humorous as you might expect. It is somewhere between Batman, Spider-Man and Evil Dead. With Elfman providing the score just one year after Batman, the music is all too familiar. You can see many scenes that are Raimi would u... read morese later. The credits and inside the mind/dream sequence/transformation scenes are very similar to Spider-Man, the final fight is on a construction sight, just like Spider-Man 3, and the "doctor turning a bit bad ass" angle was used for the first two Spidey villains. The balance between gruesome and slapstick is handled with intentionally awkward hands. The make-up is fantastic and the effects are heartwarmingly retro. It's an enjoyable, if dated, film.

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Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss
March 28, 2010
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

Raimi isn't effective with his actors, and the dialogue lacks smart menace, but his canny visual sense carries many a scene. Full Review

June 4, 2007
Variety

Despite occasional silliness, Sam Raimi's Darkman has more wit, pathos and visual flamboyance than is usual in contemporary shockers. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
June 4, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Raimi's flair for jazzy visual effects and extravagant action sequences, combined with direction that's full of punch and energy, makes this the best pop roller-coaster ride around. Full Review

Caryn James
May 20, 2003
Caryn James, New York Times

Darkman sustains mild interest throughout, but it never takes off, partly because a real-estate scam, gangland shootouts, city corruption and a love story clutter up the sad story of Westlake's strang... Full Review

Peter Travers
May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Raimi's live-action comic book aims to deliver scares spiked with laughs. That it does.

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

A fiendishly stylish journey that links the classics of transfiguration to the terrors of our times. Full Review

Joe Brown
January 1, 2000
Joe Brown, Washington Post

A frenetic funhouse ride that has you laughing and screaming at the same time. Full Review

Peter Canavese
July 8, 2010
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

The wild pulp adventure that prefigured Raimi's eventual direction of the Spider-Man franchise...If you've a taste for Hollywood-funded outré, Darkman is one of those rare films that fits the bill. [B... Full Review

Brian Orndorf
June 10, 2010
Brian Orndorf, DVDTalk.com

Darkman remains a powerful picture, isolating a pitch of superhero sadness while amplifying the rest with a comforting church-bell clang of violence. A sly Bruce Campbell cameo is merely icing on the ... Full Review

March 28, 2010
Film4

While the film hardly works as a dramatic whole, the director's gallop through the horror sub-genres is oddly entertaining, and some of the setpieces are truly inspired. Full Review

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    • Rick: Oh, god! Don't! I've told you everything!
    • Peyton Westlake/Darkman: [softly] I know, Rick. I know you did. [furiously] But let's pretend you didn't!
    • Peyton Westlake/Darkman: Don't look at me...
    • Julie Hastings: I want to look.
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  • Which movie was Liam Neeson's first superhero movie?  Answer »
  • The Gift Evil Dead 2 Darkman Spider-man  Answer »
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