Movies - Darkman

	Movies - Darkman

Darkman is the title of a 1990 film directed by Sam Raimi, starring Liam Neeson.

Darkman

Scientist Peyton Westlake (played by Liam Neeson) is developing a new type of synthetic skin to aid burn victims, but is frustrated because the skin only lasts for 99 minutes before disintegrating. His girlfriend, attorney Julie Hastings (played by Frances McDormand), uncovers a crooked real estate plot by corrupt developer Louis Strack, Jr. (played by Colin Friels) and mobster Robert G. Durant (played by Larry Drake). In retaliation, Durant and his minions attack and injure Westlake then blow up his lab. The blast throws Westlake clear of the lab; he survives but is hideously burned. He is brought to a hospital and subjected to a radical treatment in which the pain centers of his brain are destroyed. Removing this sensory input gives him increased strength due to adrenal overload and keeps his injuries from incapacitating him, but it also destabilizes his moods and mental state. He escapes the hospital and sets out to get revenge on Strack and Durant, and to try to re-establish his relationship with Hastings. To hide his scarring and blend into crowds, Westlake rebuilds enough of his equipment to make his synthetic skin, but is unable to overcome the 99-minute window of integrity. Thus, he can only appear in public briefly, and otherwise wears bandages and a trenchcoat in his identity as "Darkman."

Darkman II: The Return of Durant

In this 1994 direct-to-video sequel, Scientist Peyton Westlake (now played by Arnold Vosloo, more widely known for portraying the titular character in The Mummy) continues to work on his synthetic skin, whilst fighting crime as Darkman.

Despite looking as if he had been killed in the first movie, Robert G. Durant was in fact comatose in the time since the helicopter explosion that occurred during the first film's climax, and returns to take over organised crime in the city.

Trying to perfect his synthetic skin with the assistance of Dr. David Brinkman (Jesse Collins), Durant turns up, and in a scene reminiscent of the first movie, Brinkman is tortured and killed, leaving the work in ruins. It is up to Darkman once again to disguise himself as members of Durant's gang and he ultimately manages to destroy them from within.

Whilst Westlake is infiltrating Durant's gang, reporter Jill Randall tries to prove that Peyton Westlake is still alive.

Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die

In the second direct-to-video Darkman sequel, released in 1996, Peyton Westlake (again played by Vosloo) steals a crate of money from drug lord Peter Rooker (Jeff Fahey) to continue his research.

Rooker is determined to find out how Darkman has his superior strength, and enlists the aid of Dr. Bridget Thorne (Darlanne Fluegel), a new character retroactively put into Darkman's origin as one of the doctors who first treated Westlake body after he was burnt in the first movie. Obtaining a sample of Westlake's adrenaline, Dr. Thorne develops a designer steroid which enhances a person's strength at the cost of their mental agility.

Learning of what has happened, Darkman plans his revenge against Rooker by impersonating him while in the company of his family and colleagues in order to bring him down. It is up to Darkman to destroy the formula to the steroid and seek vengeance against Rooker, but not at the cost of Rooker's wife and child.

This film shifts some of the focus from action to drama, during Peyton's scenes with Rooker's wife (played by Roxanne Biggs-Dawson), and his child, reminding him of how life could have been for him.

Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die was originally intended to be the first sequel to the original Darkman, but when Larry Drake became available to reprise his role of Durant, this entry was moved back until Darkman II: The Return of Durant had been finished and released.

The unused Darkman television pilot

Universal Television financed a 30-minute television pilot based on Darkman, which was made sometime in 1992. The pilot retold the origin of the character (with some alterations) and introduced several new characters. Christopher Bowen starred in the role of Peyton Westlake/Darkman and Larry Drake reprised his role of Robert G. Durant. As in the film, Westlake is attacked and left for dead by Durant and his gang.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Darkman ]

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Movies - Darkman

Darkman

Darkman II: The Return of Durant

Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die

The unused Darkman television pilot

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