What’s It About
Russell Hatch (played by Jean-Claude Van Damme), an Interpol operative who takes on the role of father figure to Jayden, the son of an informant killed in a routine raid gone wrong. Years later, Hatch finds himself protecting Jayden and his grandfather from a group of merciless gangs in an all-out turf war, stopping at nothing to protect Jayden and fight anyone getting in his way.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Just when you thought Van Damme couldn’t possibly make anything worse, in steps Darkness of Man. Jean-Claude has a history of starring in big-budget “B” movies and occasionally appears in surprise hits (The Eagle Path, JCVD). Sometimes, he does voice-overs without anyone knowing it’s him (Kung Fu Panda 2/3, Minions: Rise of Gru). He continues to make direct-to-video action movies that highlight his strengths. In Darkness of Man, our aging action star plays a world-weary former cop, Russell, who promises a friend to care for her son, Jayden, days before she is murdered. Russell and Jayden have a strained relationship. Jayden gets into trouble as he ages, such as skipping school and vandalism. The story is set against a feud between Russian and Korean gangs in a Little Korea area of the city. Russell’s attempts to stay involved in Jayden’s life and keep him out of trouble entangle him in this rivalry. The central mystery is whether Russell will catch the people who killed Jayden’s mother. Russell, too old for his signature spin-kicks, still throws punches and fires a gun effectively. He also narrates the movie, which is hinted at by two Bogart movie posters on his wall, giving it a weak noir feel. The film drags and meanders around the plot, with unnecessary characters like Russell’s pseudo-love interest, Claire, adding no value. Claire’s role is similar to Russell’s quirky drug dealer neighbor, who dances around in her underwear at one point. The film feels like it’s stalling for a longer runtime, which makes it boring. Van Damme has had an interesting later career, still performing many of his stunts at 64, which is impressive even if not as crisp as in his Bloodsport or Kickboxer days. The filmmakers smartly shoot around his limitations, so this one has no trademark splits. The acting can be rough, with non-English speakers forced to speak English, making awkward exchanges. Recognizable faces pop up in minor roles. MMA fighter Nick Diaz makes an appearance, though he probably won’t win any acting awards. Shannon Doherty appears to be a concerned mother, which is excellent given her health struggles. The motel community shows value in challenging situations, with Spencer Breslin almost unrecognizable as a druggie neighbor and Kristanna Loken excelling in a thankless part as Hatch’s occasional hookup. With only two scenes, Zack Ward makes a memorable impact, though his character’s increased presence would have improved the film since the bad guys don’t feel threatened. The subject matter is intense, but the execution is lacking, with logical fallacies breaking immersion. Pistols carrying few shots and characters having absurd invincibility break reality. Despite death and kidnapping, the stakes don’t land with intent. The convoluted plot has easy-to-poke holes. This “check your brain at the door” kind of movie tries to appeal to the basic desire to see wrongs righted. Some setups are handled well, with slick shots and grounded action, like a car flip, and practical effects, though not utilized 100% of the time. The film’s second half feels very different from the first, with JCVD transitioning from old and beaten to John Wick levels of action. The shift feels abrupt, with him going from avoiding killing people to directly popping off heads. The narrative suffers from a flimsy story, and a big twist at the end feels pointless, as it’s heavily foreshadowed throughout the film. Overall, Darkness of Man didn’t entirely land for me. I liked Van Damme and his more severe side, indicating this was more than just a paycheck for him, having developed the story with director James Cullen Bressack. However, the weak narrative undermines the film, with the ending twist feeling like a slap in the face of the audience.
OUR RATING – A DIRECT TO VIDEO 3
MEDIA
- Genre – Action
- Street date
- Digital – May 21, 2024.
- DVD/Blu-Ray – June 4, 2024
- Video – 1080p
- Screen size – 2.40:1
- Sound – English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles – English SDH
Extras
- none