Jean-Claude Van Damme steps back into familiar territory with Darkness of Man (2024), a standard-issue revenge thriller set against the gritty backdrop of drug cartels and a young runaway. In this outing, Van Damme plays Russell, a weathered special agent burdened by a haunting promise to a dying informant: to protect her son at all costs. Directed by James Cullen Bressack, the film leans heavily on Van Damme’s brooding presence, amplified by a narration-heavy performance that feels like a budget nod to Rorschach from Watchmen.
While the voiceovers aim to add depth, they often come across as overdone, blending with the film’s shadowy visuals to create an atmosphere of well-worn clichés. That said, Darkness of Man isn’t without its merits—occasional twists break up the otherwise predictable plot, offering glimmers of intrigue. Still, it’s a largely forgettable affair, relying more on nostalgia for Van Damme’s action-hero heyday than fresh storytelling. Fans might find it a decent one-time watch, but it does little to stand out in the crowded genre of gritty vengeance tales.
Spoilers Ahead
Darkness of Man (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The opening scene of “Darkness of Man” throws us into the heart of the action. We find Russell sprawled on the floor, wracked with pain from a gunshot wound. The film then rewinds two years, revealing a stark contrast. We see Russell, seemingly clean-cut, waiting patiently for a woman named Esther at a cafe. He politely declines an offer of alcohol, hinting at a past struggle. Esther arrives, bearing intel that could dismantle a local mob operation. However, this act of courage comes at a deadly price. Esther is silenced by the very mob they aim to expose, and Russell is left critically wounded, the weight of his mission now a heavy burden.
During their last meeting, Esther tells Russell to promise her that if anything happens to her, he will make sure that her son, Jayden, will always be taken care of. Two years later, Russell receives a phone call from Jayden’s grandfather, Mr. Kim, saying that Jayden has not returned to his home. Russell calls Jayden and picks him up. Frustrated, Jayden confronts Russell, demanding he stop micromanaging his life. He only sees Russell as a driver, oblivious to the deeper bond they share. Russell, however, keeps a heavy secret: his past love for Jayden’s mother.
Why does Russell Agree to Work with Dae Hyun?
Russell drops off a donation box at the church, lending a hand to Mr. Kim’s work. But tensions simmer beneath the surface as Russell senses a rift between Mr. Kim and his son, Dae Hyun, Jayden’s uncle. Dae, on the other hand, does not like Russell because he thinks that he is responsible for his sister Esther’s death. When asked about their relationship (Mr. Kim and Dae), Jayden tells Russell that he does not know much about the family matters. However, later, we see Jayden meeting with Dae secretly and even hanging out with his squad, who do drugs all the time.
One day, Mr. Kim’s store is attacked by two members of a local Russian gang. Fortunately, Russell is there to intervene. Russell injures one man and chases another, later confronting Dae’s gang. Soon after a fight, Russell shares the table with Dae and his boys, who have taken quite a beating from Russell. Dae tells Russell about Lazar, who controls the Russian mob and is trying to take control of every shop around the corner. Lazar has already threatened Mr. Kim a couple of times about selling his store to him. However, Dae and his men are trying to keep him out of their business.
Knowing about all of this, Russell decides to help Dae put an end to this Lazar situation once and for all. Russell’s concern for Jayden’s safety intensifies. Having discovered Jayden’s association with Dae Hyun’s crowd, Russell fears the escalating conflict between Lazar and Dae Hyun could put Jayden in the crossfire. The potential for serious injury, or even death, drives Russell’s protective actions. So, to keep Jayden safe from all of this, Russell decides to take charge of the situation and maintain the peace in the neighborhood by causing some chaos on his own.
What does Russell Learn about Mr. Kim from Lazar?
One night, when Russell comes back to his house, he finds out that all his things are scattered everywhere. Through his security camera, he finds out that it was Jayden who had done this. He takes his neighbor Chris to meet with his supplier because Russell knows that he will eventually meet with Dae’s men as they supply drugs in this area. He only guesses that Jayden might be with them. When he finds him with them, he fights them and takes Jayden back to his place. Later Russell realizes that Jayden had no clue whose house he was being sent to.
Soon after, Jayden leaves the place running as he is very much disappointed with himself. Moments later, a couple of members from the Russian gang enter Russell’s home, injuring him severely. Russell’s vet, Claire, brings him to the hospital. The following day, Russell goes all rampage on the Russian mob, trying to find Jayden’s whereabouts. When Russell finally confronts Lazar, he realizes that he has been part of the plan since the beginning, as he was only working for Mr. Kim and Dae.
Lazar explains to him that they have no purpose in kidnapping Jayden in the first place, as they have no problem with Dae and Mr. Kim. It is them who do not want to share the market and want the Russians to be removed. This is the reason why there is a spat between them. Now, thanks to Russell, Dae, and Mr. Kim, they are left with no competition in the market. The donation boxes that Russell used to deliver to the church are filled with Flakka, a kind of drug manufactured by Mr. Kim and his gang.
Darkness of Man (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Is Russell Able to Find Jayden?
After killing Lazar, Russell remains under observation for a couple of days and is being taken care of by Claire and Chris. When he finally regains consciousness, he goes straight to confront Dae and there he finds Jayden. Dae gives Jayden a gun, saying that Russell is responsible for his mother’s death and he should shoot him. However, Russell tells Jayden that all this has happened because of Dae, as he killed Jayden’s father. Only after that, Esther came to Russell to seek help and destroy this gang thing to save Jayden.
By now, Jayden has already realized that Russell would never do anything that could hurt him, so eventually, Jayden shoots Dae, and a gunfight starts. Russell shoots all of Dae’s men. Unfortunately, in this process, he is hit as well. In a raspy voice, Russell instructs Jayden to find Claire if he doesn’t regain consciousness. He reveals he prearranged with Claire to look after Jayden in case anything happened to him. Russell closes his eyes as Claire takes control of the situation, perhaps.
What does Russell do to Mr. Kim?
At the end of the film, Russell visits Mr. Kim and tells him that his presence is not required anymore. After his son’s demise, Mr. Kim will now take good care of Jayden, and he does not need Russell’s protection. On his way out, Russell confronts Mr. Kim. He suspects the donation boxes previously held Flakka, a dangerous drug. Mr. Kim, emboldened by Russell’s apparent departure and their control over the market, confirms his suspicions.
Soon, we see Russell handing over this confession to one of his colleagues, who will make sure that Mr. Kim sees jail time. Since there is no guardian left for Jayden to take care of him, he tags along with Russell as they leave the town. In the mid-credit scene, we see Jayden sharing a good time with Russell. Laughter fills the air as Jayden, Russell, and Claire share a warm moment, a sense of family blooming amidst the hardship. Russell has successfully kept the promise he made to his lover, Esther, once. He has kept Jayden safe, and not only that, he has given him a new family which is what Jayden has always deserved.
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Trailer:
Darkness of Man (2024) Movie Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia, Letterboxd
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kristanna Loken, Emerson Min, Spencer Breslin, Sticky Fingaz, Shannen Doherty
Genre: Action/Mystery & Thriller | Runtime: 1h 48m
