Darkman and Durant return and they hate each other as much as ever. This time, Durant has plans to take over the city's drug trade using high-tech weaponry. Darkman must step in and try to stop Durant once and for all.
Darkman, who has, since the first film, devoted his life to perfecting his synthetic skin and fighting crime, is horrified to learn that his old foe, Robert G. Durant, is alive. Durant wastes no time taking control of his old business. He releases an insane weapons developer from a mental institution, and uses him to create a deadly laser weapon. Now, with the help of his disguises and inhuman strength, Darkman must forever rid the world of Durant.—Jordan Williams
This sequel to the first 'Darkman' film opens with scientist Peyton Westlake (now played by Arnold Vosloo) having re-located to a deserted building connected to an abandoned subway track, and continues to work on his synthetic skin cell formula, funding his research by stealing money and valuables from criminals. His synthetic skin still has a 99-minute time frame before light causes it to break down, and he continues to search for a way to solve the problem.
Robert G. Durant (Larry Drake), Westlake's old enemy, awakens from a coma he had been in for the past year since his encounter with Westlake in the previous film. Durant and his men plot to break out a prison inmate named Alfred Hathaway (Lawrence Dane) and use his scientific knowledge to build futuristic particle-beam weaponry in order to gain power in the criminal underworld.
Westlake meets and befriends a scientist named David Brinkman (Jesse Collins), who is also working on a synthetic skin formula. Brinkman manages to break past the 99 minute photo-sensitivity reaction that causes Westlake's skin to break down in the light. However, after Brinkman refuses an offer from Durant's men to buy his building (which they want for their particle-weapon scheme), Durant orders him killed. Durant's men torture Brinkman before killing him. Westlake discovers his body, and upon observing Brinkman's body missing a finger (Durant's calling card), is able to deduce that Durant is alive and responsible for Brinkman's death.
Meanwhile, a reporter named Jill Randall (Kim Delaney) discovers that Peyton Westlake is still alive while investigating Durant. She befriends Westlake but is later killed in a car bombing by Durant after broadcasting a story on him and his criminal operations.
Westlake then learns that Durant is trying to again purchase Brinkman's building, this time from his sister Laurie. He sets out to protect her from Durant. After she is captured, Westlake uses his synthetic skin to make masks and disguise himself as one of Durant's men. He infiltrates Durant's lair. In an ensuing battle, Durant's men, Dr. Hathaway, and a group of men who were intending to buy his particle weapons are all killed. Durant attempts to flee in his car, however, Westlake has equipped it with an explosive charge. Durant is killed much in the same way that he had earlier murdered Jill Randall, and Laurie is saved.
Peyton Westlake later sees a news report on Jill Randall's death. Tipping his hat to the departed Jill Randall, Darkman silently vows to continue working on his synthetic skin cell formula and his fight against crime and injustice.
