Darkman II: The Return of Durant

Last updated
Darkman II: The Return of Durant
Darkman-ii-the-return-of-durant.jpg
Official VHS cover
Directed byBradford May
Screenplay bySteven McKay
Story byRobert Eisele
Lawrence Hertzog
Based onCharacters
by Sam Raimi
Produced byDavid Roessell
Starring Arnold Vosloo
Larry Drake
Kim Delaney
Renee O'Connor
Lawrence Dane
CinematographyBradford May
Edited byDaniel Cahn
Music by Randy Miller
Production
companies
Universal Productions Canada
Renaissance Pictures [1]
Distributed by MCA Universal Home Video [2]
Release date
  • July 11, 1995 (1995-07-11)
Running time
93 minutes
CountriesCanada
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4 million [3]

Darkman II: The Return of Durant is a 1995 Canadian-American superhero film directed by Bradford May. It is a direct-to-video sequel to the film Darkman , with series creator Sam Raimi serving as executive producer. [4] Arnold Vosloo succeeds Liam Neeson as the titular character, who attempts to recover an experimental superweapon from his nemesis Robert G. Durant, once again played by Larry Drake. [1] It was followed by the third installment in the trilogy, Darkman III: Die Darkman Die .

Contents

Plot

Sometime after taking down crime-boss Robert G. Durant and his associates, brutally-scarred scientist Peyton Westlake continues to work on perfecting his synthetic skin formula, funding his research by stealing from criminals as the vigilante "Darkman". His synthetic skin is still limited by photosensitivity, only able to last 99 minutes in light before breaking down. Durant, left in a coma by his previous encounter with Westlake, suddenly awakens. He quickly assembles some of his former associates and has them break a brilliant criminal named Dr. Alfred Hathaway out of prison. Hathaway had previously begun designing highly-experimental particle-beam weaponry; Durant wants him to complete the design so they can sell the futuristic weapons on the black market.

Westlake, wearing a disguise and using a false name, meets and befriends a scientist named David Brinkman, who is also working on a similar synthetic skin formula. Brinkman has been able to break past the 99-minute photosensitivity barrier of Westlake's synthetic skin, though his formula similarly is not permanent. Westlake suggests the two form a partnership to finally crack the code to creating permanent skin; Brinkman happily agrees. Westlake also briefly meets Brinkman's sister Laurie, who is on shaky terms with her brother.

Durant realizes that Brinkman's lab is one of the only buildings in the city that has the power requirements needed for his plans. After Brinkman firmly refuses his offers to buy the building, Durant has his men torture and murder Brinkman in retaliation. Westlake discovers Brinkman's body and notices that one of his fingers has been cut off, matching Durant's calling card of collecting a finger from his victims. Realizing that his old nemesis is still alive, Westlake vows revenge. Hathaway completes his particle-beam weapons, which hold devastating power and are able to blow up small buildings with a single blast. Durant lines up his first buyers, a group of white supremacists.

Hot-shot television reporter Jill Randall tracks Westlake down and deduces his true identity. She reveals that she is investigating Durant's possible return, and Westlake begins to begrudgingly work alongside and befriend her. However, when Randall runs a last-minute news-report on Durant's return, he has her killed with a car bomb, further infuriating Westlake.

Westlake learns that Durant is again seeking to purchase Brinkman's building, this time from the grieving Laurie. He sets out to protect her, but is unable to stop Durant from kidnapping her after she refuses to sell. Westlake uses his synthetic skin to disguise himself as Durant's thugs and infiltrate their base of operations. In an ensuing battle, Durant's men, Dr. Hathaway, and the white supremacists are all killed. Westlake saves Laurie while Durant attempts to flee in his car. However, Durant doesn't realize until it's too late that Westlake has taken a page from his own book and rigged his car with a bomb; he is finally killed once and for all in the blast.

Westlake bids Laurie farewell, and later sees a news report on Randall's death. Tipping his hat to the memory of his friends, Westlake vows to continue his lone fight against crime and injustice.

Cast

Production

Development and writing

The original Darkman was a modest success in theaters, but it made more money on home video. [5] Shortly after it was released, major rental chain Blockbuster Video appealed to Universal for a sequel. [6] The studio was unenthusiastic about a theatrical follow-up, as the original's good, not great receipts, combined with the usual decrease in revenue incurred by sequels, made it a risky proposition. [5] A pilot for a potential series, which featured Larry Drake as Robert G. Durant but was more reboot than sequel, was shot in early 1992. It was considered by Fox alongside another Renaissance Pictures show, M.A.N.T.I.S. , but only the second was picked up. Later that year, Universal announced that it would retool the Darkman franchise as a pair of direct-to-video films. [7]

Darkman II was billed as the first direct-to-video live action film produced under the Universal Pictures banner. [8] However, a number of television films made by Universal Television subsidiary MCA Television Entertainment (MTE) had already been released on physical media by MCA/Universal Home Video. Among those were sequels to Universal classics like Psycho IV and The Birds II . While those premiered on Showtime before their video release, the concept was similar. In fact, half of the budget for the Darkman sequels came from Universal's television division, while the rest came from its home video division. [5]

TV veteran Bradford May, who had directed two features for MTE, [9] [10] was originally approached to helm some Hercules television films that Renaissance had tabbed for MCA Television's Action Pack syndication package. He could not come to financial and creative terms with the production, but was offered the Darkman sequels as an alternative, and accepted. [3] David Roessel, already a producer on the unreleased Darkman pilot and the short lived M.A.N.T.I.S., was the main producer in charge of both sequels. [3]

During production, the screenplay was credited to Steven McKay and Chuck Pfarrer, a co-writer on the original, but Pfarrer was not mentioned in the final film. [5] [11] Lawrence Hertzog, who wrote one of the screenplay drafts, [12] received a story credit, as did MCA regular Robert Eisele, writer of The Birds II, the Action Pack's Vanishing Son and the unreleased Darkman pilot. May says he also performed a couple of uncredited rewrites, although it is unclear which of the sequels he contributed to. [3] Canadian composer Paul Zaza was originally approached to score one or both of the sequels. He declined out of loyalty to longtime friend Bob Clark, who had a job lined up for him, although he later regretted turning down the opportunity to work for Raimi. [13]

Arnold Vosloo was approached to take over the role of Payton Westlake during the filming of another Renaissance production, Hard Target , in which he played one half of the villainous duo. [5] Renaissance regular Renee O'Connor, then between her roles as Deianeira and Gabrielle in the Hercules/Xena universe, also appears. [5]

Filming

Both Darkman II and III were filmed in Toronto with much of the same crew. The films were shot in quick succession, although not strictly back-to-back. A four-week break was planned between the two shoots, but it was extended after the Northridge Earthquake. Due to Larry Drake's prior commitments, his sequel was shot second, although it ended up being released first. For this reason, the film was known at the start of production as Darkman III: Durant Returns. [5] [14] Photography was listed as starting on March 15, 1994. [14] The Return of Durant was budgeted at US$4 million. [3]

Special make-up effects were overseen by frequent Raimi collaborators KNB EFX Group. Each of the single-use masks worn by Vosloo cost US$10,000. [15] According to May, the opening car chase featured the first cannon-based barrel roll in the history of the Toronto film industry. [3]

Release

Theatrical preview

Darkman II was screened at an AMC theater in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in presence of Arnold Vosloo and several executives at locally headquartered company Blockbuster Video, around two months prior to its national home video release. A contemporary Billboard magazine write-up suggests that the special showing was open to the general public. [16]

Home video

According to director May, Universal considered releasing Darkman II in theaters after seeing the completed film, but eventually decided against it as some of the low budget visual effects betrayed its small screen roots. [17] The film's sales campaign was backed by a standalone videocassette sent to rental stores nationwide, which featured a behind-the-scenes documentary and promotional pitch. [2]

Darkman II was released on VHS tape on July 11, 1995. [4] As per industry standards, the Laserdisc followed one week later on July 18. [18] [19] The film peaked at 28 in the Billboard video rental charts, spending two weeks in the top 40. [20]

The Return of Durant was re-issued on DVD by Universal on January 5, 1999. [21] It included production notes, cast & crew biographies, and a trailer. Shout! Factory released a special edition Blu-ray of the film on November 7, 2017. It features a new feature-length audio commentary from director Bradford May, and a standard definition print of the film's television version. [22]

Television

Due to the novelty of direct-to-video sequels to studio films, some early examples of the format were given a primetime network TV broadcast. Darkman II was shown on July 7, 1998, on Fox. [23] Airing opposite the MLB All-Star Game, The Return of Durant performed poorly, garnering a 2.8 rating and a 5 share. It received notice for being the lowest rated film in the history of the network up to that point. [24] [25] The film's television version includes a small amount of additional and alternate footage. [22]

Reception

Critical response

One Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 29% approval rating based on seven reviews, with an average rating of 3.67/10. [26]

TV Guide gave the film two stars out of five and said, "without the hyperbolic style of Raimi [and his] sustained visual dazzle—here supplied mainly in flashbacks—Darkman, well, pales." [27] Richard Scheib of Moria Reviews was similarly unimpressed, writing that "on the whole, it is an entirely average effort" and "director Bradford May gives it the frustratingly banal look of a made-for-TV movie." He also rated it a two out of five. [28] Hock Teh of IGN rated the film five out of ten and assessed that "Darkman II lost the comic book experience present in the first movie and in its place is a straight-up action flick with some major plot holes." [29]

Ian Jane of DVDTalk was more positive, judging that "[p]layed with slightly more serious intent than its predecessor, Darkman II isn't bad for a low budget sequel." [30]

Sequel

The film was followed by a third and final entry in the series, Darkman III: Die Darkman Die , which was also released direct-to-video on August 20, 1996. [31]

Related Research Articles

<i>Army of Darkness</i> 1992 film by Sam Raimi

Army of Darkness is a 1992 American dark fantasy comedy film directed, co-written, and co-edited by Sam Raimi. The film is the third installment in the Evil Dead film series and the sequel to Evil Dead II (1987). Starring Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davidtz, it follows Ash Williams (Campbell) as he is trapped in the Middle Ages and battles the undead in his quest to return to the present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Campbell</span> American actor (born 1958)

Bruce Lorne Campbell is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known best for his role as Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead horror series, beginning with the short movie Within the Woods (1978). He has also featured in many low-budget cult movies such as Crimewave (1985), Maniac Cop (1988), Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002).

<i>The Evil Dead</i> 1981 film by Sam Raimi

The Evil Dead is a 1981 American independent supernatural horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi. The film stars Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly as five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in the woods, where they find an audio tape that, when played, releases a legion of demons and spirits. Four members of the group suffer from demonic possession, forcing the fifth member, Ash Williams (Campbell), to survive an onslaught of increasingly gory mayhem.

<i>Evil Dead II</i> 1987 film by Sam Raimi

Evil Dead II is a 1987 American comedy horror film directed by Sam Raimi, who co-wrote it with Scott Spiegel. The second installment in the Evil Dead film series, it is considered both a remake and sequel to The Evil Dead (1981). It stars Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, who vacations with his girlfriend to a remote cabin in the woods. He discovers an audio tape of recitations from a book of ancient texts, and when the recording is played, it unleashes a number of demons which possess and torment him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi</span> American filmmaker (born 1959)

Samuel M. Raimi is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for directing the first three films in the Evil Dead franchise (1981–present) and the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed the superhero movie Darkman (1990), the revisionist western The Quick and the Dead (1995), the neo-noir crime thriller A Simple Plan (1998), the supernatural thriller The Gift (2000), the supernatural horror Drag Me to Hell (2009), the Disney fantasy Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Raimi</span> American actor

Theodore Raimi is an American character actor, director and writer. He is known for his roles in the works of his brother Sam Raimi, including a fake Shemp in The Evil Dead, possessed Henrietta in Evil Dead II, and Ted Hoffman in the Spider-Man trilogy. He later reprised his role as Henrietta in the television series Ash vs. Evil Dead, in which he also played the character Chet Kaminski. He is also known for his roles as Lieutenant JG Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV his recurring role as the merchant in Legend of the Seeker and Joxer the Mighty in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

<i>The Mummy</i> (1999 film) 1999 American action-adventure comedy film

The Mummy is a 1999 American action-adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah and Arnold Vosloo in the title role as the reanimated mummy. It is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. The film follows adventurer and treasure hunter Rick O'Connell as he travels to Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead, with librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her older brother Jonathan, where they accidentally awaken Imhotep, a cursed high priest with supernatural powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Vosloo</span> South African actor

Arnold Vosloo is a South African and American actor. He began his career as a stage actor and starring in South African films like Boetie Gaan Border Toe (1984). After emigrating to the United States in the late 1980's, he became known for playing villainous roles, most notably as Imhotep in The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001).

<i>Darkman</i> 1990 American film by Sam Raimi

Darkman is a 1990 American superhero film directed and co-written by Sam Raimi. The film stars Liam Neeson as scientist Peyton Westlake, who is brutally attacked, disfigured, and left for dead by ruthless mobster Robert Durant, after his girlfriend, attorney Julie Hastings, runs afoul of corrupt developer Louis Strack Jr.. An experimental treatment gives Westlake super-human strength and resilience, with the unintended side-effect of rendering him mentally unstable and borderline psychotic. Consumed with vengeance, Westlake continues his research with the new goal of hunting down those who disfigured him.

<i>Halloween II</i> (1981 film) Film by Rick Rosenthal

Halloween II is a 1981 American slasher film directed by Rick Rosenthal, in his directorial debut, written and produced by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, who reprise their respective roles as Laurie Strode and Dr. Sam Loomis. It is the second installment in the Halloween film series and is a continuation sequel to Halloween (1978). The plot picks up directly after the cliffhanger ending of the first film, with Michael Myers following survivor Laurie Strode to the local hospital, while his psychiatrist Dr. Loomis continues his pursuit of him.

NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, formerly known as NBCUniversal Television Distribution, Universal Domestic Television, Studios USA Television Distribution and MCA TV, is the television syndication division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, in the United States. Its predecessors include NBC Enterprises, Universal Television Distribution, Multimedia Entertainment, PolyGram Television, and Sky Vision. At some point in its history, it was also known as "NBCUniversal Television & New Media Distribution" and "NBC Universal Television and New Media Distribution.” This unit is possibly the parent for the similarly named "NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution" unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Drake</span> American actor (1949–2016)

Larry Richard Drake was an American actor. He was best known as Benny Stulwicz in L.A. Law, for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards. He also appeared as Robert G. Durant in both Darkman and Darkman II: The Return of Durant, a homicidal mental patient who escapes an insane asylum in the slasher black comedy Dr. Giggles, and was the voice of Pops in Johnny Bravo.

Halloween is an American slasher media franchise that consists of thirteen films, as well as novels, comic books, a video game and other merchandise. The films primarily focus on Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his sister, Judith Myers. Fifteen years later, he escapes to stalk and kill the people of the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois. Michael's killings occur on the holiday of Halloween, on which all of the films primarily take place. Throughout the series various protagonists try to stop Myers including, most notably, his sister Laurie Strode and psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis. The original Halloween, released in 1978, was written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill—the film's director and producer respectively. The film, itself inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Bob Clark's Black Christmas, is known to have inspired a long line of slasher films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Tapert</span> American film producer

Robert Gerard Tapert is an American film and television producer, writer and director. He is best known for co-creating the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Monsters</span> Horror and science fiction franchise made by Universal Studios (1910s–1950s)

The Universal Monsters media franchise includes characters based on a series of horror films produced by Universal Pictures and released between 1913–1956.

<i>Evil Dead</i> American comedy horror franchise

Evil Dead is an American comedy horror franchise created by Sam Raimi consisting of five feature films and a television series. The series originally revolves around the grimoire the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, an ancient Sumerian text that wreaks havoc upon a group of cabin inhabitants in a wooded area in Tennessee.

Ivan Mitchell Raimi is an American emergency medicine physician and screenwriter, and a brother of filmmaker Sam Raimi and actor Ted Raimi. Ivan works as an emergency physician in Chicago, traveling to Los Angeles occasionally to work in Hollywood.

<i>Darkman III: Die Darkman Die</i> 1996 American superhero film by Bradford May

Darkman III: Die Darkman Die is a 1996 Canadian-American superhero film directed by Bradford May, starring Arnold Vosloo, Jeff Fahey, Darlanne Fluegel and Roxann Dawson. It is the second sequel to 1990's Darkman, whose director Sam Raimi serves as executive producer. Vosloo once again stars as Darkman, who stands against power-hungry entrepreneur Peter Rooker (Fahey), and forges a strange emotional bond with his enemy's neglected wife and daughter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darkman (character)</span> Fictional character, in Darkman films

Darkman is a superhero and the protagonist of the 1990 superhero film Darkman and its sequels, Darkman II: The Return of Durant and Darkman III: Die Darkman Die. The character originated in a short story titled "The Darkman" written by the film's director, Sam Raimi. He was portrayed by Liam Neeson in the original film and Arnold Vosloo in the sequels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Sam Raimi projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director and producer Sam Raimi has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, are officially cancelled and scrapped or fell in development hell.

References

  1. 1 2 "Darkman II: The Return of Durant". filmaffinity.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 Darkman II: The Return of Durant – Behind the Scenes (VHS). Universal City: MCA Home Video. 1995.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Szebin, Frederick C. (December 1995 – January 1996). "Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die". Cinefantastique. Vol. 26, 27, no. 6, 1. New York: Frederick S. Clarke. pp. 36–37, 126.
  4. 1 2 Longsdorf, Amy (July 14, 1995). "'Darkman II' Bypasses Theaters and Goes Directly to Video". The Morning Call. Allentown. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Szebin, Frederick C. (December 1994 – January 1995). "Darkman II: Durant Returns". Cinefantastique. Vol. 25, 26, no. 6, 1. New York: Frederick S. Clarke. pp. 36–37, 126.
  6. ↑ Nichols, Peter M. (May 20, 194). "Home Video". The New York Times. p. D18.
  7. ↑ Lowry, Brian (October 19, 1992). "U TV ups deal-making pace". Variety. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Darkman II: The Return of Durant Reviews". tvguide.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Legacy of Lies – Production Companies". imdb.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Trouble Shooters: Trapped Beneath the Earth – Production Companies". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  11. ↑ "Short takes". Variety. April 7, 1994. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ Duvall, Kathy (archivist) (2011). "Inventory of the Film and Television Movie Screenplay Collection (1924–2005)". Los Angeles: Loyola Marymount University. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Chords of Fear: An Interview with Composer Paul Zaza, Part II". terrortrap.com. February 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Darkman III Set to Begin Toronto Shoot". Calgary Herald. Canadian Press. March 4, 1994.
  15. ↑ "Norristown Native's Work is a Real Horror Story". The Morning Call. Allentown. January 8, 1995. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  16. ↑ "Lighting Up The Home Screen". Billboard Magazine . New York: BPI Communications. August 12, 1995. p. 95. ISSN   0006-2510.
  17. ↑ Mengarelli, Frank (July 29, 2015). "Bradford May Powercast". Podcasting Them Softly (Podcast). Event occurs at 55:11. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  18. ↑ "Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1994) [42195]". The LaserDisc Database. November 6, 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  19. ↑ "WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review – Darkman II: The Return Of Durant". Widescreen Review. No. 15. August 1995.
  20. ↑ "Top Video Rentals" (PDF). Billboard Magazine . New York: BPI Communications. August 12, 1995. p. 68. ISSN   0006-2510.
  21. ↑ "Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995)". moviefone.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Darkman II: The Return of Durant - Blu-ray".
  23. ↑ "TV Listings: Past & Present – July 7, 1998 (Tuesday)". tvtango.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  24. ↑ Bierbaum, Tom (July 15, 1998). "Up & down at NBC". Variety. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  25. ↑ Bierbaum, Tom (July 9, 1998). "All-Star Game a ratings hit for Peacock". Variety. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Darkman II – The Return of Durant (1994)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Darkman II: The Return Of Durant". TV Guide . Retrieved June 10, 2006.
  28. ↑ Scheib, Richard (September 3, 2005). "Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995)". moriareviews.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  29. ↑ Teh, Hock (August 21, 2007). "The Darkman Trilogy Review". ign.com. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  30. ↑ Jane, Ian (August 7, 2007). "Darkman Trilogy". dvdtalk.com (in French). Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  31. ↑ "Darkman III: Die Darkman Die". tcm.com. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.