Darkon
Directed by: Luke Meyer and Andrew Neel

I’ve always been intrigued or at least somewhat baffled by the concept of LARP (live-action role playing) clubs. I’ll readily admit that I’ve occasionally dabbled with pen and paper role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, and for all the complicated rules and goofy improvisation they require, they can actually be a ton of fun when played with a creative group of friends who don’t take it too seriously. That said, I have to wonder what gives people the urge to put on elaborate costumes made of full plate armor and literally act out fantasy characters in real-life, attacking each other with foam swords and battle axes. Can’t they see how ridiculous they look?

To me, there is a line to be drawn between silly fun and unhealthy obsession. But for many others, such a line does not exist. Darkon is a movie about a group of such people. Luke Meyer and Andrew Neel’s documentary is named after their subject: the Darkon Wargaming Club in Baltimore. The movie follows several of the group’s participants in this large organization as they vie for supremacy in the game, while balancing their live-action role playing with real-life jobs and families.

We meet people like Bannor, aka Skip Lipman, ruler over the land of Laconia and a stay at home father. We also meet Lord General Keldar Vinnerex of Mordom, aka Kenyon Wells, manager of an IT consulting firm who feels that his leadership and public speaking skills in the business world would never have developed if not for his involvement with Darkon. In game, Bannor wants to bring Keldar before a War Crimes Tribunal, seeking justice for the many invasions and unprovoked attacks Mordom executed as they ruthlessly expanded their empire.

The first thing one notices about this movie is how much the filmmakers are having fun and actually playing along with the story themselves, in some ways using the fictional in-game scenario as the basis for their own epic fantasy film. Many of the action scenes are shot using high-speed film, and mix vast overhead shots with handheld chaos captured right in the midst of the battlefield. The orchestral music is a perfect match, lending a feeling of awe and majesty to these mock battles. There are even sweeping shots of the landscape, just like every good fantasy movie should have. Visually, Darkon is so much more interesting and dynamic than most documentaries could ever hope to be.

Directors Meyer and Neel also wisely resist the urge to turn the subject into a 90 minute joke, no matter how tempting it may have been. They empathize with many of the role players, portraying them as social outcasts who are empowered by the game, and who apply the skills they’ve attained to their real lives to make positive change. It is inspiring in this way, and the admiration they have for the Darkon community is evident in the film. It makes us applaude these people for being able to let go of their inhibitions and escape into another world.

Which isn’t to say the movie isn’t funny. Darkon captures some unscripted and hilarious moments like no fictional comedies can. Granted, laughs will probably come most frequently from viewers who are at least somewhat familiar with the world of RPGs. But it is impossible not to giggle at some the grave speeches these characters attempt to deliver, and the seriousness with which they treat many of the game’s events. It’s equally impossible not to laugh at the seemingly random and contradictory rules of engagement. In the end, the humour is all good-natured, and we are laughing with the subjects rather than at them.

If there’s one thing I do wish the movie had more of, it is additional detail about the rules of the game, recruiting new members, constructing the sets and technical stuff like that. However, I realize that this would have worked against the goal of this movie, which was to draw you into the reality of Darkon. Maybe we can hope for more behind the scenes tidbits on the DVD release.

Although other role-playing documentaries have been attempted in the past, Darkon succeeds on so many levels that it has immediately become the definitive movie on the subject (in my mind, at least). The movie has also become an instant cult classic, but by balancing a human perspective with cinematic flair and a sense of humour, it gives us an exciting but thoughtful look into a subculture that has been looked down upon for far too long. Darkon will probably not appeal to mainstream audiences, but its non-technical approach should amuse and educate even mildly interested parties. Everyone wants to be a hero… or at least watch a movie about those willing to go above and beyond the norm to be heroes. — Sean

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