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—— A Green Story May 24
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Darkman (1990)

tomatometer

90

Average Rating: 7.2/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 1

No consensus yet.

audience

51

liked it
Average Rating: 3/5
User Ratings: 51,449

My Rating

Movie Info

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 victims. 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

Mar 31, 1998

Universal Pictures

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Cast

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All Critics (48) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (10) | DVD (10)

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

March 28, 2010 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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

June 4, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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.

June 4, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Wild, woolly and occasionally wondrous.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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 strange mutation.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comments (2)
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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

May 12, 2001
Rolling Stone
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Bridging the gap between action and science fiction, Darkman was groundbreaking and ahead of its time.

July 31, 2012 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures
7M Pictures

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. [Blu-ray]

July 8, 2010 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews
Groucho Reviews

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 cake.

June 10, 2010 Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com
DVDTalk.com

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.

March 28, 2010 Full Review Source: Film4
Film4

A wild and fun ride from Sam Raimi.

April 19, 2008
Moviehole

It's all very colorful and pulpy and (thanks to Raimi's mega-slick direction) a real treat for the senses.

August 13, 2007 Full Review Source: FEARnet
FEARnet

It's a darkly amusing treat.

June 4, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A wild ride in dumb escapist sci-fi hokum.

March 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment (1)
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Fourteen years later, I'm still talking about this dark and amusing film. Sam Raimi is a magnificent filmmaker and deserves far more credit than he receives.

October 15, 2004

Audience Reviews for Darkman

Probably my favorite 'alternative' superhero movie so far. It's Sam Raimi back when he was allowed to do his own thing, Batman mixed with The Phantom of the Opera in a noir comic book style, a cult classic. I love it. Like Evil Dead and Crimewave, Raimi does horror/thriller/action with a brilliant undercurrent of humour like no other director. It's cheesy and it's fun, not really what you expect from a horror/thriller but it's thoroughly entertaining and saddens me that films like this aren't made anymore. I'd watch this over Spiderman any day! Only gripe - not enough Bruce Campbell!
July 24, 2012
SirPant

Super Reviewer

A classic revenge story that features some awesome Liam Neeson overacting. I think Darkman is an extremely interesting character. It sure does pack some awesome B-movie style punches due to Sam Raimi's great direction. The Bruce Campbell cameo is just the icing on the cake. Letter Grade: A-
June 7, 2012
Dr114
Chris Miele

Super Reviewer

    1. Peyton Westlake/Darkman: Take the fucking elephant!
    – Submitted by Jakob S (3 months ago)
    1. Peyton Westlake/Darkman: [after he drops Strack] I'm learning to live with a lot of things.
    – Submitted by Raisul I (5 months ago)
    1. Peyton Westlake/Darkman: I'm everyone - and no one. Everywhere - nowhere. Call me... Darkman.
    – Submitted by Raisul I (5 months ago)
    1. Peyton Westlake/Darkman: The pink elephant, if you please.
    2. Carnival Booth Attendant: No way.
    – Submitted by Curtis Da Wolf M (6 months ago)
    1. Rick: Oh, god! Don't! I've told you everything!
    2. Peyton Westlake/Darkman: [softly] I know, Rick. I know you did. [furiously] But let's pretend you didn't!
    – Submitted by Nick S (17 months ago)
    1. Peyton Westlake/Darkman: Don't look at me...
    2. Julie Hastings: I want to look.
    – Submitted by George B (17 months ago)

Discussion Forum

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Latest News on Darkman

January 30, 2007:
Sam Raimi Has Been Discussing "Hobbit" Plans
At first it just seemed like a smart fanboy's best-case scenario: If Peter Jackson can't (or won't)...

December 7, 2006:
Sam Raimi to Direct "Doc Savage"?
Yes, there were superheroes before the Golden Age of DC and Marvel, and it looks like director Sam...

December 6, 2004:
Evil Dead 4 Still a Priority for Sam Raimi

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