DARKMAN
Darkman
Region: 2
Movie:
 
Disc: Director:
Sam Raimi
Writers:
Chuck Pfarrer,
Sam Raimi,
Ivan Raimi,
Daniel Goldin,
Joshua Goldin
Stars:
Liam Neeson,
Frances McDormand,
Larry Drake,
Colin Friels
Length:
91 minutes
Distributor:
Columbia TriStar Home Video
Chapters:
16
DVD/Region: 2
Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0
Extra Features: Scene selection, production notes, cast and crew
biographies and filmographies, trailer, multiple languages, subtitles,
English for the hearing impaired.
Darkman is the Last 'Eighties Movie: it takes the darkness of Tim Burton's Batman movies and adds to it the
ultra-violence of the original Robocop. Its
hero (of sorts) is a scientist played by pre-Phantom
Menace Liam Neeson. After a misunderstanding, he is left for dead in a
lab explosion by a group of viscous thugs led for some reason by the retard
from the 1980s LA Law TV show. The explosion leaves him horribly
mutilated and unable to feel any physical pain. Like DC Comics' Unknown
Soldier (decked out in the Phantom of the Opera's wardrobe) he
becomes a master of disguise and infiltrates the group of thugs to exact his
revenge.
Interestingly enough the movie is directed by Sam Raimi (Evil Dead,
Army of Darkness) who would score a huge hit a
decade or so later with another superhero character, the more recent Spider-man
movies.
Needless to say the two movies couldn't be more different: Darkman
is, well, dark. And violent. It is quite visceral, fast-paced with typical
swirling Raimi camera movements and features some over-the-top action
sequences.
WORTH IT? The movie is presented in its original aspect ratio, but
the transfer is very mediocre: colors seem drab and at times there is a bit
of grain. Not bad, just mediocre. Despite the trailer, it has cast and
production notes. So not much in the extras department then.
RECOMMENDATION: Worth a rental if you feel like a bit of late
1980s mayhem. Back then they knew how to do violent. Not really suitable for
kids if you haven't caught on yet . . .
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