Darkman (1990)

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

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

Top 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

Variety

Top 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

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Wild, woolly and occasionally wondrous.

January 26, 2006 Full Review

Time Out

Top 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 | Comments (2)

Caryn James

New York Times

Top Critic

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

May 12, 2001

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Top Critic

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

July 31, 2012 Full Review

Kevin Carr

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

Peter Canavese

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

Brian Orndorf

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

Film4

A wild and fun ride from Sam Raimi.

April 19, 2008

Clint Morris

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

Scott Weinberg

FEARnet

It's a darkly amusing treat.

June 4, 2007 Full Review

TV Guide's Movie Guide

A wild ride in dumb escapist sci-fi hokum.

March 24, 2007 Full Review | Comment (1)

Dennis Schwartz

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

Andrew Griffin

Town Talk (Alexandria, LA)

• 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)

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