|
"Time Heals All
Wounds" |
 |
Directed by Sam Raimi - Written
by Sam Raimi, Chuck
Pfarrer
Starring Liam Neeson,
Frances McDormand, Colin
Friels, Larry Drake
Distributed by
MCA/Universal - 1990 -
96mins - Rated R |
| |
|
Now, crime has a new enemy, and justice has a new face! |
| |
Director Sam Raimi, a lifelong comic book fan, wanted to make a movie
based on "The Shadow." His proposal was shot down. Without faltering,
Raimi decided to create his own superhero, and make a movie about him.
With his brother's help, he created Darkman. Like many superheroes, he
was once a scientist (Liam Neeson). He is close to perfecting
artificial skin when mobsters storm the lab looking for a document
that will incriminate them. They torture him and blow up his lab. He
is thought dead, but surfaces in an experimental research hospital.
Almost all of the skin on his body has been burnt off, and in an
experimental procedure, the doctors have severed a nerve in his brain,
so he can't feel the pain of his burns. This also increases the flow
of adrenaline to his brain, so his strength triples and his emotions
grow to have a stronger effect on him. He escapes from the hospital,
wrapped in bandages like a mummy. He also acquires his soon-to-be
superhero uniform from a dumpster: a fedora and an overcoat. He finds
an abandoned building and continues his work on artificial skin, now
using it to disguise himself as his enemies to get revenge.
"Darkman" is like a combination of several characters, both comic book
and not. He has the motives of the Punisher, the dark mood of Batman,
and the tragic flaw of the Phantom of the Opera. The character, as
unbelievable as he is, works because of the casting. This is further
proof that actors make better superheroes than movie stars. Neeson is
a great actor, and he makes his character sympathetic and interesting.
Frances McDormand is also good as his girlfriend, who thinks he is
dead.
Although officially classified as an action film, "Darkman," in true
Raimi style, has a little bit of everything. The action is well shot,
and very bloody. There are some moments of pitch dark comedy and
horror, similar to that off his "Evil Dead" films. What really makes
his direction special, is the tone of the film. It is the only movie I
have ever seen that actually, truly FEELS like a comic book come to
life. The only film that comes close to feeling this way is the
"Spider-Man" films, which Raimi also directed.
While on the subject of comics: Parents! Just because this is a
superhero movie, that doesn't make it okay for children! This is R
rated, and extremely violent. Many reviews I have read of this film
always say: "superheroes shouldn't be this violent because it'll
bother the children." This was a box office bomb because of people
like that.
Despite a few technical flaws (face it, this is a low budget movie),
this is a fun and original film. Whether you are a fan of comics,
Raimi, or action films, this is a keeper...that is, if you can stomach
it. |
| |
|
© Written by Jacob Hall -
Email
Me! |
TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Richard Propes' Comment
I really
should revisit this film, but I just can't get
myself motivated to do so. It struck me as a
tremendously run-of-the-mill film with nothing
unique to offer. Neeson usually elevates his
film, but there was only so much he could do
here.
|
