Darkman

R

Released Aug 24, 1990

1 hr. 35 min.

Action

Mystery & Thriller

List

83%

65 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When thugs employed by a crime boss lead a vicious assault on Dr. Peyton Wilder (Liam Neeson), leaving him literally and psychologically scarred, an emergency procedure allows him to survive. Upon his recovery, Wilder can find solace only by returning to his scientific work developing synthetic skin, and seeking revenge against the crime boss. He assumes a phantom avenger persona called Darkman, who, with malleable facial qualities, is able to infiltrate and sow terror in the criminal community.

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Critics Consensus

Gruesome and deliciously broad, Sam Raimi's Darkman bears the haunted soulfulness of gothic tragedy while packing the stylistic verve of onomatopoeia springing off a comic strip page.

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Jamie S

Corny and camp. Such a stretch to entertain the premise and quite a hard watch 30 or so years after it’s release, at the time it might have felt like a homage to 30’s horror, now it feels like a cheap B movie done badly. Don’t bother!

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/22/24

Full Review

B P

Great movie from Director Sam Raimi!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/05/24

Full Review

TWMax65

years later in the Spider-Man movies (which isn't a bad thing necessarily, good Easter eggs). I enjoyed the cheesy yet wild action sequences and it was intelligently crafted with its plot and writing. Plus in a few scenes it has noir imagery that stands out and looks like an actual comic book! One could point out obvious problems with some scenes, sure. However, for the time it came out it's impressive work and Liam Neeson did a great job! Frances McDormand actually looked really good as a younger actress and love interest too! Bottom line, Sam Raimi never makes a bad movie in my opinion!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

Full Review

Gaming U

Underrated movie honestly

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Over 30 years old and still so much fun! I saw it a few years back on tv. Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand directed by Sam Raimi. Dr. Peyton Wylder is working on a formula to replace human flesh. But a mob boss has him nearly killed in an explosion resulting in his body being all but burnt. He manages to get synthetic skin on himself but it doesn’t last as long as it should in the sunlight. Peyton attempts to reconnect with his love, Julie. But he also dons the persona of Darkman to infiltrate the criminal underworld. However the mob boss is onto him and Peyton has to hide his identity while protecting Julie but also worrying about how he can fit into the world again. A lot of people forget this was Sam Raimi's first comic book movie pre-Spider-Man. Shame though he doesn't want to revisit it since it was a tough time for him as a director. Liam Neeson does a great job playing a man who takes on many faces using synthetic skin. Amazing makeup effects, crazy camera angles, great score by Danny Elfman, and great bloody violence. It has that classic monster movie tragedy angle going for it too particularly Phantom of the Opera. The interesting thing is Universal actually snuck behind the filmmakers backs and edited the final product down. Thankfully the movie still worked and made no. 1 at the box office. The success spawned many books, video games, action figures, even an unaired tv pilot. I'm very happy without this movie and Spider-Man the Marvel Cinematic Universe would never have come about. Just do yourself a favor and skip the sequels!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/25/23

Full Review

Tony M

Darkman is a good movie that I remember watching as a kid and loving. Rewatching it in 2023, it seems a little dated but I still love the story and the action. Liam Neeson plays the part well. Well worth seeing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/22/23

Full Review

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Sam Raimi

Director

Liam Neeson

Peyton Westlake

Frances McDormand

Julie Hastings

Colin Friels

Louis Strack Jr.

Larry Drake

Robert G. Durant

Nelson Mashita

Yakitito

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Darkman: Official Clip - Chopper Ride

2:56

Darkman: Official Clip - Call Me... Darkman

2:33

Darkman: Official Clip - Darkman Battles Strack

2:59

Darkman: Official Clip - Darkman Impersonates Pauly

2:51

Darkman: Official Clip - Escape From the Burn Ward

2:59

Darkman: Official Clip - Playing in Traffic

1:30

Darkman: Official Clip - The Pink Elephant

2:30

Darkman: Official Clip - Durant Sees Double

1:53

Darkman: Official Clip - You Have Been a Bad Boy!

1:10

Darkman: Official Clip - See the Dancing Freak!

1:45

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Chris Bennion

Times (UK)

Raimi’s visual flair papers over most of the cracks.

Apr 22, 2024

Full Review

Noel Murray

The Dissolve

Darkman is funny, but it's no joke; it's the work of a man who underlines the conventions of adventure stories and horror because he enjoys them, and knows that even when rendered tongue-in-cheek, they're timeless.

Rated: 4.0/5

Feb 20, 2014

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Darkman is a thrillingly demented pop spectacular: a grade-B movie made by a grade-A lunatic.

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Raimi’s first studio picture is first and foremost a director’s showcase.

Rated: 2.5/4

Feb 26, 2024

Full Review

Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

That the comedy, horror, and drama from a performance, narrative, and technical perspective still holds up, providing lessons on what could or should be done in film today, is noteworthy.

Feb 19, 2024

Full Review

Warren Sonbert

Bay Area Reporter

Because nothing in the movie builds, or is placed, or is set off against any other switch position than "Full Throttle," it's exhausting in a not exhilarating way.

Oct 17, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

When thugs employed by a crime boss lead a vicious assault on Dr. Peyton Wilder (Liam Neeson), leaving him literally and psychologically scarred, an emergency procedure allows him to survive. Upon his recovery, Wilder can find solace only by returning to his scientific work developing synthetic skin, and seeking revenge against the crime boss. He assumes a phantom avenger persona called Darkman, who, with malleable facial qualities, is able to infiltrate and sow terror in the criminal community.

Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Sam Raimi, Chuck Pfarrer, Ivan Raimi, Joshua Goldin
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us], MCA/Universal Home Video
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Renaissance Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 24, 1990, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $32.8M
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround

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