History Film / Darkman

Years before Creator/SamRaimi brought a certain [[{{Film/Spider-Man}} web-head to the screen]], he created his own superhero in this 1990 film. It stars LiamNeeson as Peyton Westlake, a scientist who has invented synthetic skin that, at this point, will disintegrate after 99 minutes of exposure to sunlight. His girlfriend, Julie (Frances [=McDormand=]), runs afoul of gangster Robert G. Durant and his thugs, who have him nearly killed. Peyton, now horrifically burnt, uses his own invention against the crooks as his new alter-ego, Darkman.

[[quoteright:271:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/darkman-pre-pp_7561.jpg]]

* AntiHero: Type IV, trying to be a Type III

* WholePlotReference: ''Film/{{RoboCop}}'', even down to the locations.

* CaptainErsatz: Darkman is one of TheSpider, TheShadow and Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* EvilLaugh: Westlake tends to emit a villainous cackle whenever he kills gangsters, threatens to kill gangsters or contemplates killing gangsters. It could be because Raimi originally intended to make an adaption of TheShadow, or it could simply be because Westlake hasn't really managed to [[AxCrazy hold on to all of his marbles]], since his trauma.

* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Durant's crew in the first movie. To a lesser extent, his replacement crew in the sequel.

Years before SamRaimi brought a certain [[{{Film/Spider-Man}} web-head to the screen]], he created his own superhero in this 1990 film. It stars LiamNeeson as Peyton Westlake, a scientist who has invented synthetic skin that, at this point, will disintegrate after 99 minutes of exposure to sunlight. His girlfriend, Julie (Frances [=McDormand=]), runs afoul of gangster Robert G. Durant and his thugs, who have him nearly killed. Peyton, now horrifically burnt, uses his own invention against the crooks as his new alter-ego, Darkman.

!!This film features examples of:

* TheCameo: [[spoiler: BruceCampbell]] as the final mask Westlake puts on at the end of the first movie

''Darkman'' was generally well received by critics and performed well at the box office, grossing almost $49 million worldwide, well above its $16 million budget. This financial success spawned two direct-to-video sequels, ''Darkman II: The Return of Durant'' and ''Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die'' (in both of which Darkman is played by [[Film/TheMummyTrilogy Arnold Vosloo]]), as well as numerous comic books, video games and action figures. Over the years, Darkman has become regarded as a cult film.

* CaptainErsatz: Darkman is one of TheSpider, TheShadow and {{Batman}}.

* CrossOver: Dynamite Entertainment produced a four-part mini-series seeing Darkman team-up with [[EvilDead Ash]].

* ExpandedUniverse: There are two [[SoOkayItsAverage decent]] sequels, a very nice {{Novelization}}, which started a short-lived series by the same author, a somewhat lame ComicBookAdaptation, a really great ComicBook miniseries by Creator/KurtBusiek, a television pilot, a [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames crappy]] video game, and a comic book crossover with EvilDead.

* TakeThat: In the ''EvilDead'' comic crossover, the main villain refers to Rooker as not being worth bringing back.

* WholePlotReference: ''{{RoboCop}}'', even down to the locations.

* ExpandedUniverse: There are two [[SoOkayItsAverage decent]] sequels, a very nice {{Novelization}}, which started a short-lived series by the same author, a somewhat lame ComicBookAdaptation, a really great ComicBook miniseries by KurtBusiek, a television pilot, a [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames crappy]] video game, and a comic book crossover with EvilDead.

** And that in itself is a case of DidNotDoTheResearch; everything "superhuman" about Darkman is a result of extensive surgery to his nervous system. That isn't something that would carry over to DNA samples, '''at all'''.

* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Darkman wants to be the one to kill Durant. And he did, [[DeathIsCheap more then once]].

* AmbiguouslyGay: Durant.
* AntiHero: Type II with the methods of a Type IV.

* BadassLongcoat: Darkman.
* BandagedFace

* BerserkButton: Don't call Darkman "freak".
** Or try to cheat him out of a carnival prize. Or... actually, as noted below, the surgery that keeps his burns from being unbearably painful had the side effect of giving him ''a lot'' of these.

* BondOneLiner: Durant is prone to these.

* CoatHatMask: Well more accurately Coat, Hat, Bandages.

* CircusOfFear
* TheCowl

* DarkIsNotEvil
* DisabilitySuperpower: Indirectly invoked -- Westlake didn't get his powers from the explosion, but as a side-effect of the doctors' attempts to treat him.

* FriendToAllChildren: Demonstrated in the first eighteen minutes of the second film.

* GeniusBruiser: Darkman

* KindheartedCatLover: Darkman has a stray cat living with him.

* MasterOfDisguise: Darkman
* MysteriousMiddleInitial: Robert ''G'' Durant

* TragicHero: Darkman is probably one of the best examples.

* VigilanteMan

Years before SamRaimi brought a certain [[{{Film/Spider-Man}} web-head to the screen]]; he created his own superhero in this 1990 film. It stars LiamNeeson as Peyton Westlake, a scientist who has invented synthetic skin that, at this point, will disintegrate after 99 minutes of exposure to sunlight. His girlfriend, Julie (Frances [=McDormand=]), runs afoul of gangster Robert G. Durant and his thugs, who have him nearly killed. Peyton, now horrifically burnt, uses his own invention against the crooks as his new alter-ego, Darkman.

''Darkman'' was generally well received by critics and performed well at the box office, grossing almost $49 million worldwide, well above its $16 million budget. This financial success spawned two direct-to-video sequels, ''Darkman II: The Return of Durant'' and ''Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die'' (in both of which Darkman is played by [[TheMummy Arnold Vosloo]]), as well as numerous comic books, video games and action figures. Over the years, Darkman has become regarded as a cult film.

* DrivenToMadness: Peyton rebirth as a SuperHero is born from a massive trauma induced mental breakdown.

Years before Sam Raimi brought a certain [[{{Film/Spider-Man}} web-head to the screen]]; he created his own superhero in this 1990 film. It stars LiamNeeson as Peyton Westlake, a scientist who has invented synthetic skin that, at this point, will disintegrate after 99 minutes of exposure to sunlight. His girlfriend, Julie (Frances [=McDormand=]), runs afoul of gangster Robert G. Durant and his thugs, who have him nearly killed. Peyton, now horrifically burnt, uses his own invention against the crooks as his new alter-ego, Darkman.

* BadassLongcoat: Darkman.
* BadassNormal: Except his super strength, Darkman has no superpowers.