Product Details

• Actors: Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand, Larry Drake, Colin Friels, Nelson Mashita
• Directors: Sam Raimi
• Writers: Sam Raimi, Chuck Pfarrer, Ivan Raimi, Daniel Goldin, Joshua Goldin
• Producers: Robert Tapert
• Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: June 15, 2010
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003CRM6QE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,936 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand) uncovers corrupt city real estate dealings, evil thugs attack her scientist boyfriend, Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson). Left for dead after his lab is detonated, he miraculously survives when the ensuing blast hurls him into the nearby harbor. Treated as a John Doe at a city hospital, he is unknowingly submitted to radical therapy which numbs his nerves to feeling--but which heightens his strength and his emotions. Once conscious, Peyton escapes from the hospital and builds a ramshackle lab in an abandoned industrial plant. Horribly burned and scarred by the lab explosion, he uses synthetic skin to impersonate his would-be murderers and seek retribution for their evil deeds. Peyton also tries to reunite with Julie, who believes him to be dead. While the film has an average script, it is overcome by the flashy cinematography of Bill Pope, the bombastic score by Danny Elfman, and the well-choreographed direction of Sam Raimi. The director confidently walks the line between suspense, action, comedy, and romance as he examines a bitter, victimized antihero who risks becoming as monstrous on the inside as he appears on the outside. --Bryan Reesman

Product Description

Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand star in this explosive, action-packed thriller from director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man). Dr. Peyton Westlake (Neeson) is on the verge of realizing a major breakthrough in synthetic skin when his laboratory is destroyed by gangsters. Having been burned beyond recognition and forever altered by an experimental medical procedure, Westlake becomes known as Darkman, assuming alternate identities in his quest for revenge and a new life with a former love (McDormand).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Horrific And Awesome Action Movie With Heart And Rage January 5, 2006

By Stephen B. O'Blenis

Format:DVD

Years before moviemakers really starting getting comic book adaptations right with films like "Spider-Man" and "Batman Begins" came "Darkman", a brilliant action-horror movie that came closer than any show before it to capturing the darker, more developed comics of the modern era. It's a gory and action-packed - and intelligent, emotional and quite often humorous - tale as Peyton Westlake (superbly played by Liam Neeson) becomes the Darkman after barely surviving an attack by mob thugs employed by the crimelord Durant (Larry Drake), who Westlake's attorney girlfriend Julie (Frances McDormand) is trying to bring down. A scientist researching the development of a perfect synthetic skin to aid burn victims, it's being immersed in this liquid in its unstable corrosive state and then left for dead following the explosive destruction of his lab that is largely responsible for Westlake's metamorphis into Darkman.

Unable to feel physical pain but constantly assailed by emotional and mental anguish. Enhanced strength due to the maximum adrenaline now coursing unchecked through his system constantly, 24 hours a day. Serious rage problems. Severely altered, scarred physical appearance. Westlake/Darkman can create perfect masks of any human being (and mimic their vocal patterns precisely) but the masks break down after a finite period in sunlight, and thus he most frequently appears in his new identity's trademark garb of bandages and black trenchcoat and hat. I realize typing that that it sounds like a dopey outfit but it's actually a striking and intimidating look onscreen thanks to the great effects and costuming. Hellbent on a path of revenge against Drake's crime empire, and on protecting his love Julie from the shadows, the violent and vengeful reign of the Darkman begins. A movie that possibly could only have been made by a man capable of directing such diverse films as the "Spider-Man" epics, the "Evil Dead" trilogy and "The Gift". Highest recommendation.

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive HD! What All HD should look like! August 2, 2007

By M. Daneker

Format:HD DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

After being sorely disapointed by HD releases of Excalibur and Army of Darkness, I was extreamly happy when I saw the opening menu for Darkman.

As soon as the clips began to roll behind the menu I knew they'd done the job right here. This film was largely missed in theaters and the home video and DVD versions where grainy, washed-out presentations that greatly diminished the style of director Sam Rami.

This is a must for HD DVD players. The pitcture is fully restored, crisp, clear, vibrant and devoid of all film flaws such as dust and scratches. Where some HD DVD versions are nothing more than the original DVD digital masters transfered to the new format (much the way many early DVD's where really Laser-disk copied to the then new format) this is not!

Darkman is a great, twisted peice that blends the ultra-violent comic-book styles seen in now in films like Sin City with the breakneck actions sequences of films like Spiderman.

See it again for the first time on HD DVD! This is the sound and fury of Home Theater and one of the best restorations I've ever seen!

BTW, if you have a smaller HD set (1280X720p max)that only accepts up to 1080i, then set your HD DVD player only to output 720p, it reduces the pixelation in the dark grays and blacks and reduces motion blure. I use this with my Toshiba Player and 42" sony grand wega through HDMI and the picture is flawless. Remember, if your set is 46" or under, 720p is mostly likely it's native resolution and outputing at that resolution can cause major improvement.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Before Spider-Man, there was Darkman June 27, 2002

By N. Durham HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Sam Raimi, brilliant director of the cult classic Evil Dead trilogy and the current blockbuster Spider-Man, directed this entertaining action yarn hot on the heels of 1989's hit Batman. While many saw Darkman as a Batman rip off (sort of), Raimi's talented directorial skills gave Darkman a personality of its own. Liam Neeson (before he hit it big) stars as scientist Peyton Westlake, who has developed a synthetic skin, only problem is, it can only hold for 99 minutes before it deteriorates. When his lab is destroyed by Robert Durant (Larry Drake), Peyton is blasted into a nearby harbor. He is left horribly scarred, but when he recovers he uses the synthetic skin to get his revenge on his would be murderers while trying to get back with his girlfriend (Frances McDormand). Darkman is really entertaining and is a great twist on superhero movies, Neeson shines as the tortured soul hero, while McDormand is great as his girlfriend. Recommended to those looking for a comic style movie with a twist. A little side note, since this is a Sam Raimi movie, Evil Dead hero Bruce Campbell has a cameo as the "final shemp" in the film.