Search - Darkon on DVD

Which is Better - Reality or Fantasy?

Blake Fraina | Connecticut | 07/14/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a documentary about a group of "Dungeons-and-Dragons" type gamers in Baltimore. I've caught bits and bobs of it a few times on IFC, never from the beginning though, but I was home from work sick, there was nothing else on and it was just starting, so I tuned in. Well, what a fascinating surprise this turned out to be. Although I wasn't sure where they were going with it until nearly the end of the film, I'm glad I stuck it out. Kudos to the filmmakers.

I've always been interested in "nerd" culture. Primarily because I consider myself an honorary member of a few geeky fandom sub-cultures - The Avengers, Star Trek (a wee bit - due to my sister), Rocky Horror, The Prisoner, Renaissance Faires, slash fiction in general......you get the idea. In the past, documentaries I've seen about geeks seemed to lack a strong point of view - "Trekkies" and "Trekkies II" sent out the vague message that not all geeks are losers and that the Star Trek fandom spawned some successful tech-heads with futuristic ideas. Big deal. "Goth Cruise" proved to be even more formless. I couldn't figure out the point of it at all, except perhaps to show the world that Goths are just really nice people in weird outfits. Well, all righty then.

In brief, "Darkon" follows the leaders of two separate counties in the "kingdom" Darkon - an anachronistic fantasy realm that has its boundaries in modern day Baltimore. In addition to chronicling the events that lead up to the epic battle between the two counties, we are also given glimpses into the real lives of the two main players. Bannor of Laconia (Skip Lipman) is a short and paunchy stay-at-home Dad who, in his spare time, plots an uprising against the powerful Lord Keldar of Mordum (Kenyon Wells) a tall, blonde and successful IT Manager. Throughout the film we see Lipman food shopping, vacuuming and minding his children, while his wife goes off to work; a stark contrast to the bellowing warrior he plays in Darkon. We also have brief glimpses of Wells sitting in his nicely appointed home or office discussing the people skills he employs as a leader both in Darkon and at work. But it is only near the very end that the filmmakers reveal a backstory that sheds light on "Bannor's" quest to overcome the imperialistic "Keldar." A story that, sadly, also foreshadows his inevitable defeat.

In addition to Bannor and Keldar, there is an abundance of interview footage with the underlings - lieutenants, wenches and foot soldiers - who make up the bulk of the secondary players. One character, shown crawling on all fours on the battle field, recounts how he initially wore cardboard armour and was ridiculed by the other players but, after reincarnating himself as another character, was determined to win their respect. Later, he details being shunned at school for carrying around a list of students (which he insists was completely innocent) that was reminiscent of the lists made by the Columbine killers and, later still, he describes his desire to vanquish demanding customers at the Starbucks where he works as a barista.

Basically, the film suggests that people tend to rise to their own level in all their interactions with others. Be it in the "real" world or a fantasy environment. Even though all the players tout Darkon as a way to fulfill their own personal fantasies of greatness, the roles they assume and level of success they achieve in Darkon tends to mirror that of their real life. Because Darkon isn't a fantasy in the purest sense (taking place in the mind of a solitary individual), the participants still have to suffer the consequences of their social shortcomings. In the game, as in life, the most charismatic individuals are the most successful.

Although it is a bit overlong, "Darkon," like the best documentaries, is a wonderful character study and offers a cogent examination of the human condition.

"