Every Soul Has A Dark Side!
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
When I was a kid, I really enjoyed playing “Darkman” on my Nintendo Game Boy. I saw the Sam Raimi film in a theater, and when I saw that Game Boy was coming out with a game based on the movie, I had to have it.
The gameplay of “Darkman” on Game Boy was basically “Double Dragon” and “Double Dragon 2.” It was a simple multi-level game where you had to accomplish a different mission in each stage. In a lot of ways, “Darkman” was fun to me because I loved playing “Double Dragon.” The game does import many of the 1990 film’s highlights. The Raimi film was not a huge financial success, but now it has a bit of a cult following on physical media and streaming.
When teachers weren’t snatching my Game Boy out of my hands, I played the game at school. I would play “Darkman” on the school bus home. Sometimes, when I was really into the game, I would miss my stop. “Darkman” was one of my favorite games to play on my Game Boy. And there were a lot of film adaptations on Game Boy. Around that time, I also liked playing the “Hudson Hawk” film adaptation on my Game Boy.
I watched “Darkman” several days ago; I hadn’t watched it in years. I had forgotten how hooky some of the action sequences were. I still had a good time watching it again, but I was surprised by how much slapstick humor was in it. The cast is spectacular. Liam Neeson and Francis McDormand are terrific in the film. They’re so young. Larry Drake is excellent as Robert Durant, the ruthless mobster who leaves Peyton Westlake (who becomes Darkman) for dead. He overacts a little, but he’s very threatening and he has a short fuse. The film feels more like an old 1950s horror film than a comic book movie. Liam Neeson’s make-up as Darkman is gruesome and fantastic. It’s so good it’s distracting during some of the more dramatic scenes. But most of his face is covered with rags throughout the film, giving off an “Invisible Man” vibe.
I wonder if any gaming studio has ever considered making a new “Darkman” game. Sam Raimi would probably have to give his blessing for that. It could be thrilling if it’s a single-player game with an interesting narrative and cool villains.
image source: gamefabrique.com