A Criminally Overlooked Movie Villain Shines In The Straight-To-Video Darkman Sequel

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It’s often the villain, not the hero, that makes a movie truly captivating. There have been many films where the antagonist is the most memorable – and sometimes the only worthwhile – part of the experience.

Fans of Sam Raimi’s 1990s film Darkman generally have a lot of affection for the original. However, they don’t usually feel the same way about its sequel, Darkman II: The Return of Durant.

Larry Drake Steals The Show In Darkman

Despite receiving mixed reviews, Darkman was a surprisingly successful film in theaters and is now considered a classic. The movie features a unique premise: a scientist, severely disfigured, uses advanced artificial skin to create disguises and seek revenge on those who wronged him.

Even now, what makes Darkman a fondly remembered, lesser-known film isn’t just the impressive directing and writing of Sam Raimi, but the actors’ performances as well.

Liam Neeson perfectly captures the role of Dr. Peyton Westlake and his crime-fighting persona, skillfully embracing the story’s often outlandish moments. Frances McDormand, a three-time Oscar winner, is crucial to the touching and realistic love story between her character, Julie Hastings, and Westlake.

While Sam Raimi’s Darkman features a compelling hero, Larry Drake truly steals the show as Robert G. Durant, the man who horribly disfigured the protagonist. Though not initially intended as the primary villain, Durant quickly becomes the most memorable and menacing figure in the film.

The actor, a two-time Emmy winner for his role as Benny Stulwicz, delivers a remarkably nuanced performance. He perfectly captures the playful, over-the-top spirit of Darkman while also making the character genuinely menacing, which explains why he returned for the sequel.

Larry Drake Makes Darkman II Worth Checking Out

If you’ve seen the original Darkman, you might remember that Robert Durant dies in a dramatic explosion before the movie’s end. The exciting chase scene culminates with Durant’s helicopter crashing after Darkman attaches it to a truck on a bridge.

It wasn’t believable that he could survive that event, and thankfully the movie doesn’t try to brush it off as a minor problem before bringing the villain back for a final showdown. However, his early departure is a bit of a letdown, which is why Darkman II: The Return of Durant brings him back by explaining the crash only left him in a coma with some injuries.

Larry Drake is prominently featured in the credits, similar to how Jack Nicholson and Arnold Schwarzenegger were in their Batman films. This movie, directed by Bradford May, was released directly to video in 1995. Drake fully embraces his role, delivering a delightfully over-the-top performance that’s a joy to watch.

Drake manages to elevate even the silliest parts of Darkman II simply by being captivating on screen, which somewhat improves the film. However, that’s really the most praise you can give it – it’s not a particularly good movie overall.

Otherwise, Darkman II Lacks The Original’s Spark

Very few direct-to-video sequels are actually good, and Darkman II: The Return of Durant isn’t among them.

Bradford May, an Emmy winner for directing and filming the 1992 TV movie Lady Against the Odds, doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original. While he’s a talented filmmaker, his direction lacks the dynamic energy that made the first film so fun and unique, leaving this version feeling somewhat flat and uninspired.

Arnold Vosloo, who later became famous for his role as Imhotep in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, doesn’t bring much to the role of Westlake. He lacks the charisma he would later display in those films, and his performance doesn’t even need to be compared to Liam Neeson’s to recognize this. Unfortunately, Vosloo doesn’t really improve the overall quality of the material.

What’s particularly disappointing about Darkman II: The Return of Durant is how it handles the villain. Despite Larry Drake’s strong performance, Durant doesn’t get a fitting end. Instead of a dramatic death scene worthy of his original planned demise, he simply realizes Westlake has booby-trapped his car with explosives. Rather than escaping, he angrily curses Westlake and perishes in the resulting explosion.

Larry Drake sadly passed away in 2016 at age 67 after a battle with a rare blood cancer. While he wasn’t a widely known celebrity, many fans remember his role as Robert G. Durant as a key part of what makes the film Darkman a hidden gem.

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2026-01-04 02:40