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Nation versus nation, good versus evil, nerd versus nerd. This is Darkon.

The evil forces of Mordom, under the guiding hand of Keldar (or Kenyon), are taking over the land of Darkon, also known as Baltimore, Maryland. One man, Bannor of Laconia (or Skip), dares stand against him, leading the Alliance against his evil desecration of holy lands. Bannor was once a commander and ally of Keldar but, as Keldar tore his way across the land, Bannor realized the evil that was being committed. Or, at least that’s what the script says because this is LARPing.

Darkon is a documentary following a few odd-dozen adults who LARP, or live action role play. Each adult leads a “normal” life, some with kids, wives, and husbands, most without. During the day they work at Starbucks, manage projects and write code, but twice a month they dress up in fancy medieval-era costumes, craft weapons, and do battle on a local soccer field for the right to rule Darkon; think Dungeons & Dragons without the pen and paper.

I had heard of LARP, heard jokes about LARP, but I had never seen LARP. I’m a nerd, there should be no question in anyone’s mind. Not to cast aspersions or throw stones from my own glass house, but when I go to A-kon (a gigantic anime convention) or see something like Darkon, I realize that I am not all the nerd that I could be.

Like any society, there are ranks of people, with some dominating over others through good looks, money or knowledge; I call them alphas and betas. What’s interesting, as the doco examines, is that the nerd world is no different. Alpha nerds are willing to go the distance and show pride in their nerddom everywhere they go; a nasty side effect tends to be a snobbish attitude towards the betas, like a Paris Hilton over every other human.

Directors Luke Meyer and Andrew Neel focus on the alphas Kenyon and Skip, showing how it affects their lives both in and out of the game and how their decisions affect the “soldiers” they command. Within their command, people are betrayed, have fights and are shunned as much as they are in the real world. It’s a microcosm of reality. Throughout the piece, the directors never bring in outsiders to question or laugh. Instead, they keep us closed in this world where the Darkonites live and play and it shows that they respect their material.

If there’s a fault with the film, it’s that there’s not enough off-the-field conflict or personal stories. When we hear about the kid who was illogically linked to Columbine, or the stripper-cum-mother living in her parents basement, or even Skip’s own brotherly betrayal, it provides a sympathetic connection that isn’t provided by the faux Darkon conflict. You start to understand why these people have to get away twice a month: to survive. 

Most people are going to see the Darkonites and laugh; I did in the opening scenes. It’s easy to point and laugh but then you realize that it’s just an escape, no worse than playing World of Warcraft, watching a movie, or playing sports; it’s just a little more medieval.

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