Liam Neeson (Taken) and Oscar® winner* Frances McDormand (Fargo) star in this explosive, action-packed thriller from director Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man trilogy). When the laboratory of Dr. Peyton Westlake (Neeson) is blown up by gangsters, he is burned beyond recognition. Altered by an experimental medical procedure, he assumes alternate identities in his quest for revenge. Colin Friels (Dark City), Larry Drake (Dr. Giggles), Danny Hicks (Evil Dead 2), and Nicholas Worth (Swamp Thing) also star.
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Video Quality
Scream Factory presents Darkman with a tremendous 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR approved by Director Sam Raimi and Director of Photography Bill Pope. The film was previously released by the label on Blu-Ray ten years ago in 2014 from a dated master provided by Universal. That release was very poor for the time, and it has aged even more poorly. To put it bluntly, a new restoration was vital for this title. This new presentation is an unbelievable improvement in nearly every respect. Even if you are not yet 4K UHD capable, this new release comes with a new Blu-Ray sourced from the same 4K master which also decimates the previous Blu-Ray.
The deployment of Dolby Vision/HDR for radiant and precise color output elevates things to remarkable levels when it comes to depth and nuance. Highlights are firm with no hint of blooming in the brightest moments. Lighting is very deliberate from scene to scene, and this disc handles every discrete environmental change with ease. Black levels are a lovely sight with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the dark layers the protagonist is hiding within. Audiences can now ascertain much more shadow detail with figures properly defined instead of blending into the murky background. There are no ugly digital anomalies such as compression artifacts or any other such impediments. The special effects are endearingly dated, and they are rendered faithfully.
By far the biggest improvement with this restoration is the presence of vital textures. The previous Universal release was plagued by waxy appearances that did not come close to looking natural. Fans will be blown away by the texture on display in the costumes and within the production design. The level of detail and clarity newly on display is a knockout thanks to the sumptuous amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves impeccably well with nothing ever feeling clumpy even within the shadowy environments. All specks of damage have been eradicated thanks to the restoration. This presentation is a gift for fans from the team at Scream Factory.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track which both serve up a perfectly executed mix. This narrative seems to thrive with a complex sound design that becomes very immersive with the surround mix, but the standard stereo mix will likely be the choice for purists. These tracks provide a considerate soundscape that deftly captures the artistic intent with a fidelity that is flawlessly translated. Environmental sounds such as pouring rain and explosions are rendered effortlessly alongside everything else.
The glorious Danny Elfman score has never sounded more full of life and is used perfectly to establish the unique tone of the story. There is never a moment where it threatens to drown out the competing sounds, and it maintains a respectable balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There do not seem to be any egregious instances of age-related wear and tear. Scream Factory has treated this one with the utmost respect. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who desire them.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary #1: Director of Photography Bill Pope provides a commentary track moderated by Michael Felsher of Red Shirt Pictures in which he reflects on his early entry into cinematography, getting involved with Sam Raimi, the acting sensibilities of Liam Neeson, moments that were accomplished through optical effects, bringing this unique world to the screen, and much more that is very entertaining and informative.
- Audio Commentary #2: Filmmaker and Darkman Superfan Josh Ruben is joined by Justin Beahm of Reverend Entertainment and Shout! Factory’s Jeff Roland for a fun new commentary track that makes you hope that Ruben gets to provide his own spin on the character sometime in the near future.
- Dissecting Darkman: A nearly eight-minute interview with Liam Neeson in which he reflects on landing this role early in his career, other performers up in the role, working with Sam Raimi, how he felt about his character, and more.
- The Name Is Durant with Larry Drake: A 16-minute interview with the performer in which he discusses his penchant for playing creepy characters, leaning into what Hollywood wants from him, why Darkman was such a refreshing experience, the qualities that won over Sam Raimi, playing dual roles, and more.
- The Face of Revenge with Makeup Designer Tony Gardner: A nearly 14-minute interview with Gardner in which he delves into the special effects work of Darkman, working with the strong features of Liam Neeson, softening certain effects to conjure sympathy, the importance of the lighting from Bill Pope, and more.
- Henchman Tales: A 13-minute interview piece with Dan Bell and Danny Hicks who played the henchmen Smiley and Skip in Darkman. They relay some great stories about working with Sam Raimi, their experiences on set, the unique qualities of their characters, their feelings about playing bad guys, and more.
- Dark Design: A 17-minute featurette is provided in which production designer Randy Ser and others discuss the process of creating the world of this film, the challenges of designing in a pre-digital age, the influences from classic movies, how they pulled off the helicopter stunt, and more.
- An Interview with Frances McDormand: An 11-minute interview with McDormand is provided in which she reflects on her friendship with Sam Raimi that led to this role, how the Evil Dead film led to the creation of her character, different choices she wishes she had made in her performance, working with Liam Neeson, and more.
- Darkman EPK Featurette: A seven-minute archival piece in which the key creative figures discuss the film in broad terms.
- Cast & Crew Interviews: A nine-minute archival piece that goes along with the EPK as they discuss what they want to accomplish with the film.
- Vintage Interview Gallery: A selection of interesting older interviews are provided in which the creative figures discuss the movie in great depth including how they got involved with the project, what they are trying to accomplish in their roles, the heightened sensibility of the movie, and more.
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- Colin Friels (12:14)
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- Frances McDormand (20:42)
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- Liam Neeson (28:02)
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- Sam Raimi (23:09)
- Deleted Scenes: There is a 37-minute selection of unused material seen for the first time here in unfinished HD. Fans have been clamoring for years to see some deleted scenes, and they will be thrilled by the quality.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
- TV Spots: A four-and-a-half-minute collection of TV spots is provided.
- Still Galleries
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- Behind The Scenes/Makeup Effects
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- Posters & Artwork
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- Production Stills
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- Storyboards
Final Thoughts
Darkman is a wonderfully looney effort from Sam Raimi that mixes basic comic book sensibilities with the darker genre tendencies of its director. The film very much seems ahead of its time as you look at some of the blending of genres that have occurred in the past decade or so that owe this one for what it accomplished. Having Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand in this one elevates its status even higher, but everyone in the ensemble suits their role. This is pure unhinged fun. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a 5-star A/V presentation and a great selection of new and archival special features. If you have a soft spot for this film, don’t miss the ultimate presentation. Recommended
Darkman (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.