Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD Reviews and Recommendations
Reload this Page >

DVD Talk review of 'Darkman' (HD DVD)

DVD Reviews and Recommendations Read, Post and Request DVD Reviews.

DVD Talk review of 'Darkman' (HD DVD)

Old 08-12-07, 10:07 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
 
darkside's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 19,862
Received 8 Likes on 5 Posts
DVD Talk review of 'Darkman' (HD DVD)

I read Joshua Zyber's DVD review of Darkman at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=29764 and... of all your great reviews this one is my favorite. Okay, I'm going to go cry now about the fact this freaking movie of all movies gets a rare TrueHD track from Universal.

"Darkman is a shit movie that hasn't gotten any better with age." may be the best movie review quote ever. Stick that one on the box Universal.
Old 08-12-07, 10:27 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Josh Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 11,755
Received 252 Likes on 179 Posts


Glad you enjoyed it, darkside. I gots to call 'em as I sees 'em.
Old 08-15-07, 11:13 PM
  #3  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NY NY
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gotta differ with Darkside here about your review, Josh. I'm not a huge fan of the movie, so this is not about a differing opinion. It was just that the tone of your review was so shrill and strident it turned me off. I get the fact that you didn't like the movie, but I felt you were beating me over the head with it. It almost read out of character for you, since you're usually much more level headed and eloquent in your writing than "Darkman is a shit movie", etc.
Old 08-16-07, 07:06 AM
  #4  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Josh Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 11,755
Received 252 Likes on 179 Posts
If the movie sucks, there's no point in mincing words about it.

As far as differing in tone from my other articles, perhaps you missed my infamous UltraViolet review.
Old 08-19-07, 10:18 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
 
darkside's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 19,862
Received 8 Likes on 5 Posts
Originally Posted by Rusty James
Gotta differ with Darkside here about your review, Josh. I'm not a huge fan of the movie, so this is not about a differing opinion. It was just that the tone of your review was so shrill and strident it turned me off. I get the fact that you didn't like the movie, but I felt you were beating me over the head with it. It almost read out of character for you, since you're usually much more level headed and eloquent in your writing than "Darkman is a shit movie", etc.
Reviews are opinions and I prefer the opinions to be frank and honest. I for one liked the zero star reviews of Apocalypto and Ultra Violet because they were to the point and direct. Doesn't mean you have to agree, but I don't think bad reviews have to be sugar coated.

Others have different opinions. DVDTown's review of Darkman uses this quote, "Darkman may be one of the finest comic book style films to date". The existence of films like Batman Begins, Hellboy and Sin City make this statement bat shit insane, but I respect that its the opinion of the reviewer for all its hyperbole.

Last edited by darkside; 08-19-07 at 10:21 AM.
Old 08-19-07, 10:14 PM
  #6  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
DVD Polizei's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 54,506
Received 289 Likes on 214 Posts
At the time Darkman came out, it was a fun movie. Raimi has an odd humrous style to his action/horror movies. I can understand the severe lashings Darkman gets but I thank Josh saying we have a decent video transfer, because I'm gettin' the motherfuker.
Old 08-29-07, 12:37 AM
  #7  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Reading, PA
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Darkman came out the same time as Burton's Batman & most critics actually preferred Darkman at the time. It's a superhero/comic story, so it won't be very realistic, but the over-the-top Evil Dead 2 style worked for it. And it's still fun to see Liam Neeson dancing crazily like the Tinman. The video & sound were both surprisingly good, but you shouldn't complain that they gave a movie like Darkman a good transfer & True hD, you should just complain they don't do the same every movie.
Old 08-29-07, 09:05 AM
  #8  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Josh Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 11,755
Received 252 Likes on 179 Posts
Originally Posted by El Kabong
Darkman came out the same time as Burton's Batman & most critics actually preferred Darkman at the time.
Darkman came out a year after Batman, and I don't really care what critics at the time made of either one (I don't recall the ones in my area being too kind to Darkman). This was my review, and I think Darkman sucks.

It's a superhero/comic story, so it won't be very realistic,
As I said in the review, there's a difference between suspension of disbelief and abject stupidity.

The video & sound were both surprisingly good, but you shouldn't complain that they gave a movie like Darkman a good transfer & True hD, you should just complain they don't do the same every movie.
It speaks to the studio's misplaced priorities.

Last edited by Josh Z; 08-29-07 at 09:43 AM.
Old 08-30-07, 06:09 AM
  #9  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,854
Received 662 Likes on 444 Posts
Josh, don't hold back. Did you like the movie or not?

I remember loving it when it came out, but have not re-watched it. This convo has made me put it at the top of my watch pile. I wonder how it will hold up for me....
Old 08-30-07, 07:36 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: La La Land
Posts: 1,429
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hmm...since I've already seen the film I've got my own opinion. I was hoping for a more balanced review about the audio and video. This wasn't it.
Old 08-30-07, 07:37 AM
  #11  
DVD Talk Reviewer/ Admin
 
Adam Tyner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Greenville, South Cackalack
Posts: 28,708
Received 1,844 Likes on 1,221 Posts
Originally Posted by TheV
I was hoping for a more balanced review about the audio and video. This wasn't it.
What did you want to know about the presentation that wasn't answered in the review? Criticism is appreciated in this forum, but being that vague really doesn't tell a reviewer anything. Josh's review looked pretty technically thorough to my eyes.
Old 08-30-07, 07:41 AM
  #12  
Banned by request
 
Supermallet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Termite Terrace
Posts: 54,150
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Having just finished my own review of it, I concur with Josh's assessment of the technical aspects. Perhaps TheV is annoyed at the cracks Josh made about Universal in those sections of the review.
Old 08-30-07, 07:52 AM
  #13  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,854
Received 662 Likes on 444 Posts
Don't mock a DVDtalk reviewer TheV, they'll gang up on you.

I think you're right Suprmallet. As a fan of the movie, the digs against it, spread throughout every section of the review, are a little much. But all in all, a decent review that more than adequately covers all areas that a DVD review should cover.

Personally, I think that he went a bit overboard on slamming the film, and that a DVD review should be more a review of the DVD and not just the film.
Old 08-30-07, 11:31 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Josh Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 11,755
Received 252 Likes on 179 Posts
Originally Posted by TheV
Hmm...since I've already seen the film I've got my own opinion. I was hoping for a more balanced review about the audio and video. This wasn't it.
In what way were the video or audio sections of the review not accurate or balanced?
Old 09-01-07, 11:00 AM
  #15  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: La La Land
Posts: 1,429
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It was hard to peel through to the tech specs with all the opinions of the movie. It went way overboard with the slams of the film, hard to overlook the bias. I'd check out the second review by David H. He simply states that he doesn't like the film in the overview section, but is even-handed about it in the tech sections. I couldn't tell whether you hated the audio/video or were still talking about the film. It gets too much and then the review isn't useful. A lot like Fox News.

I don't think a lot of people who are interested in the film will be seeing it for the first time, and if they are then they'd be dissuaded by the first few paragraphs...no need to beat a dead Darkman.

And that is my opinion of your opinion.

Last edited by TheV; 09-01-07 at 11:05 AM.
Old 09-01-07, 06:07 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Josh Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 11,755
Received 252 Likes on 179 Posts
Originally Posted by TheV
It was hard to peel through to the tech specs with all the opinions of the movie. It went way overboard with the slams of the film, hard to overlook the bias. I'd check out the second review by David H. He simply states that he doesn't like the film in the overview section, but is even-handed about it in the tech sections. I couldn't tell whether you hated the audio/video or were still talking about the film.
I gave 4 stars to the video, so I fail to see why you think my negative opinion of the movie affected my judgement of its technical specs. The audio just plain sucks. There's no way to sugar coat that.

A lot like Fox News.


That is certainly the first time anything I've ever said has been compared to Fox News!

I don't think a lot of people who are interested in the film will be seeing it for the first time, and if they are then they'd be dissuaded by the first few paragraphs...
Good, then I've done my job by helping them avoid a crappy movie. Mission accomplished.

(Wait, now I do sound like Fox News! )

Last edited by Josh Z; 09-01-07 at 06:10 PM.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.