Darkman Trilogy 1990

About

Darkman is a 1990 American superhero horror film directed and co-written by Sam Raimi. The film stars Liam Neeson as scientist Peyton Westlake, who is brutally attacked, disfigured, and left for dead by ruthless mobster Robert Durant (Larry Drake), after his girlfriend, attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand), runs afoul of corrupt developer Louis Strack Jr. (Colin Friels). An experimental treatment gives Westlake super-human strength and resilience, with the unintended side-effect of rendering him mentally unstable and borderline psychotic. Consumed with vengeance, Westlake continues his research with the new goal of hunting down those who disfigured him.

Based on a short story Raimi wrote that paid homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s, and influenced by his desire to adapt The Shadow, Raimi struck a deal with Universal Studios to make his first Hollywood studio film. It was produced by Robert Tapert, and was written by Raimi, his brother Ivan, Chuck Pfarrer, and brothers Daniel and Joshua Goldin. Makeup effects artist Tony Gardner designed and created the elaborate makeup effects required to turn Neeson into Darkman.

Neeson's first action film in the main role, Darkman received generally positive reviews by critics and was commercially successful, grossing $48 million, above its $14 million budget. This financial success spawned two direct-to-video sequels (sans Neeson or Raimi) – The Return of Durant and Die Darkman Die – as well as adaptations including novels, comic books, and video games.

Darkman 1990

Dr. Peyton Westlake is a scientist developing a prototype for a new "synthetic skin" to help burn victims, but cannot overcome a flaw that causes the skin to disintegrate after 99 minutes. His girlfriend Julie Hastings discovers an incriminating document called the "Belisarius Memorandum" which proves her boss, real estate developer Louis Strack Jr., has been bribing members of the zoning commission. When she confronts Strack, he confesses to the bribery because it aided in his plans for designing a new city and creating countless jobs. He also warns her that the document could potentially be sought after by high-ranking criminals for its value.

Following a breakthrough, Westlake realizes that the synthetic skin is photosensitive, and that light causes the material to break down. However, vicious crime-boss Robert G. Durant and his armed thugs suddenly invade Westlake's lab searching for the "Belisarius Memorandum", which Julie had left behind. Westlake is brutally tortured, while his lab-assistant Yakitito is murdered. Durant rigs the lab to explode and escapes with the document; Westlake is horrifyingly disfigured by the blast and thrown from the building.

As a John Doe, Westlake is brought to a hospital and subjected to an experimental nerve procedure to eliminate the physical pain from his burns. However, as a side effect of the procedure, his emotions are amplified, also triggering an adrenal overload that gives him enhanced strength. Westlake awakens from a coma, escapes from the hospital and discovers his plight. Realizing Julie believes he's dead, he re-establishes his lab in an abandoned building, hoping to perfect his synthetic skin to fix his scarred face and body.

Overcome with anger at his circumstances, Westlake decides to seek revenge against Durant and his thugs. Westlake finds and tortures Durant's associate Rick for information before murdering him. Westlake begins using his synthetic skin to create masks of Durant's associates, while also developing a talent for impressionism. He is successfully able to pose as the various criminals, creating distrust amongst one-another that eventually leads them to killing one of their own, Pauley.

Westlake is eventually able to recreate his own face as a mask and goes to Julie. He convinces her that he was in a coma, and keeps his disfigurement from her, making up excuses to leave before the synthetic skin breaks down. However, during a date at a carnival with Julie, Westlake loses his temper and assaults a worker before fleeing. Julie follows him to the abandoned building and realizes that his face was only a mask. After tearfully confessing that she still loves him, she leaves.

While later talking to Strack, Julie reveals to him that Westlake is still alive. She then discovers the "Belisarius Memorandum" on his desk and realizes he was in-league with Durant the entire time. When Julie leaves, Strack tells Durant to deal with both her and Westlake. Durant kidnaps Julie and has his remaining cohorts storm Westlake's new laboratory. Westlake manages to take them out, blowing up his own lab to murder the final thug. Durant flees in a helicopter with Westlake dangling from an attached cable. Westlake manages to attach the cable to a semi-trailer, which pulls the helicopter into an explosive collision, seemingly killing Durant.

Impersonating Durant, Westlake meets up with Strack and a captive Julie at the top of an unfinished building. Strack sees through Westlake's ruse and pulls his mask off, revealing his disfigured face to Julie. A brawl breaks out, and though injured during the fight, Westlake gains the upper hand and drops Strack to his death. Julie tries to convince Westlake that he can still return to his old life, but he refuses, having been changed by his quest for revenge and new vicious nature. He slips away from Julie, pulling on a mask and running into a crowd of pedestrians. As Julie searches for him, a disguised Westlake watches her for a moment before walking away. In his mind, he declares himself to be "Darkman".

Darkman II - The Return of Durant

Archive

Internet Archive, in Science fiction films

Licence or status

The Internet Archive states none for this item.

Credit

Chuck Pfarrer, Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, Daniel Goldin, Joshua Goldin

Language

English

Who can watch

The archive gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from its collection and subjects. How films are placed