Dark Avenger Review

An acid-scarred judge turns masked avenger, backed by an electronics expert and her crime lab

by Kim Newman |
Published on
Release Date:

01 Jan 1990

Running Time:

0 minutes

Certificate:

?

Original Title:

Dark Avenger

A made-for-TV knock-off of Darkman which actually tells a more coherent story than its model, and cannily throws in a sub-plot appropriated from Nightbreed to pep up its tale of a hideously-scarred vigilante terrorising the underworld. Leigh Lawson, with a black slouch hat and a becoming silver half-mask, is the mutilated ex-judge who gets back at crooks like Robert Vaughn and Hector Elizondo by side-stepping due process of law and inflicting a reign of terror on the underworld.

In addition to the mob, the Avenger has to tackle the case of a mixed-up schmuck who has been brainwashed into believing that he's the Grim Reaper, yet another one of the plague of serial killers stalking the direct-to-video racks. It has several more plot twists up its sleeve than you'd expect, the script is refreshingly peppered with sharp lines and short on sentimen.

A suitably grim, gritty and grotesque job of work
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