Today,Sam Raimi’slegacy as a superhero movie director is well-established, but what appears to be much less well-known is the fact that he started making superhero movies back in 1990 withLiam Neesonas the star. Raimi had an interesting journey into making movies. A lot of his early efforts were largely small-scale productions where he needed to gather a group of willing creatives to try and put something together. But after getting some traction for hisEvil Deadmovies, Raimi was able to convince a Hollywood studio to bankroll his original idea for a superhero movie.
Thus, Raimi was able to cast Neeson, a notable actor whose star was on the rise, and make the movieDarkman.Darkmanhas a lot in common withfilms likeThe Crow, which came out four years later, crossed withPhantom of the Opera, and it is a perfect representation of Raimi’s trademarks in movie making. But even more interesting, it appears to haveset the course for Raimi’s careerover the next several decades.
Sam Raimi’s 1990 Darkman Movie Casts Liam Neeson As Its Lead
Darkman Was A Huge Moment In Liam Neeson’s Career
Liam Neeson is one of the most well-respected actors in the industry, and considering he also hails from Ireland, I already have a bias and an affinity with the man. However, in 1990, he hadyet to tackle a leading role in an action film.Darkmancast Neeson in the role of the lead, Peyton Westlake, and it afforded the actor the opportunity to really flex his talents, and develop an appetite for appearing in action movies, which would again shape his career going forward.
The 10 Most Shocking Endings In Sam Raimi Movies, Ranked
The horror auteur is best-known known for his shocking cliffhanger twists in the movies' final moments, and that’s bled into his superhero films too.
Today, Neeson is a celebrated actor who has received an Oscar nomination, and has appeared as a hero and as a villain in several films and franchises. But had Raimi not provided him with ashot to take the spotlight inDarkman, it’s interesting to speculate whether his career would have followed the same course as it has. The film does have the trademarks of its era, and may appear slightly outdated for audiences more accustomed tosuperhero movies that cost hundreds of millions to make, butDarkmanplayed its part in popularizing the genre.
Why Sam Raimi’s Darkman Is A More Obscure Superhero Movie
Sam Raimi Created A Completely Original Superhero Story
Unlike most popular superhero movies or shows today,Darkmanwas not based on a comic book. Most superhero stories link back to colorful source material, butDarkmanwas simply an original storyby Raimi. And as such, the film was a blend between superhero action and horror, in the quirky style that became a trademark of Raimi’sEvil Deadfranchise. And yet, with a story of betrayal, suffering, and being rejected by society, the film had some profound and compelling narrative beats that elevated it above either genre at the time.
And this is reflected in theRotten Tomatoesscore for the movie, which gives it an 83% rating. But despite the quality of the story, the performance of Liam Neeson, and thedirection of Sam Raimi, the movie has never gotten the full recognition that it deserves.Darkmanarrived at a time when these kinds of movie were not generally popular, and while Batman was getting a makeover from Tim Burton, the world of superhero stories was a niche that most adults did not approach.
Sam Raimi & Liam Neeson’s Superhero Futures Make The 1990 Movie All The More Noteworthy
This Was Just The Beginning For Sam Raimi & Liam Neeson’s Superhero Careers
However, perhaps the most interesting and wild coincidence to come out ofDarkman, considering the film itself struggled to find its audience, was the way themovie acts as a prediction of both Raimi and Neeson’s future in superhero movies. While Neeson went on to perform in a wide range of roles, some of Liam Neeson’s very best performances come from his time in Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knighttrilogy. In addition to playing Ra’s al Ghul, Neeson displayed heroics and enthusiasm with each new role.
Sam Raimi Says A New Darkman Sequel Is In Talks At Universal
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi says there’s been discussion of another sequel to his 1990 cult classic Darkman.
Sam Raimi continued to work on his movies, creating independent projects and telling stories that resonated with him. But then, in 2002, everything changed when Raimi’s firstSpider-Manmovie came out,starring Tobey Maguire. Raimi would go on to finish a trilogy of films, though he had big plans for the future of these films which are now left unrealized. And beyond theSpider-Mantrilogy, Raimi was brought in to directDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which continues his legacy in superhero stories. And it’s great to see bothSam RaimiandLiam Neesonthriving 35 years after they collaborated.
