Dark City

For science fiction fans the late 90s were great years. The most famous and popular of all was The Matrix but Alex Proyas's much more thought-provoking(which is saying something as the Matrix, at least the first movie was very thought provoking itself) film is just as good. No movie can ever have too much atmosphere, and Dark City exudes it from every frame of celluloid. Alex Proyas' world isn't just a playground for his characters to romp in -- it's an ominous place where viewers can get lost. We don't just coolly observe the bizarre, ever-changing skyline; we plunge into the city's benighted depths, following the protagonist as he explores the secrets of this grim place where the sun never shines. Visually, this film isn't just impressive, it's a tour de force. Thankfully, Dark City doesn't have an "all style, no substance" problem, either, because there's a mind-challenging story to go along with the eye candy. Proyas hasn't written this film for the passive viewer. To become involved in Dark City, thinking is mandatory.

While this film start out as truly remarkable, it stumbles a bit in the third act, and still, somehow, finds its way into being a decent movie. There is a skeleton of a great film beneath all the bits that didn't work. This movie is truly one of a kind. Watch it for the unique craziness that it is; there aren't many films that boast this much originality, and even if this one doesn't work on every level, it absolutely succeeds in entertaining the viewer from start to finish. For our full review of "Dark City"

THE CROW director Alex Proyas followed up his stylish debut with this even more stylish slice of sci-fi film noir. It's a complex yet eminently watchable beast, featuring a twisted, world-changing plot and using all manner of innovative ideas to create a true work of science fiction. Where THE MATRIX took a sci-fi principle and used it as a basis for a straightforward action flick, DARK CITY remains about the ideas and their implications all the way through.

The film kicks off as a straightforward murder mystery, featuring the ever underrated Rufus Sewell (in a rare Hollywood good guy role) as a wronged man on the run from the authorities. So far so Hitchcock, but throw in a dogged cop (William Hurt, who's never been better) and a series of repugnant baldies led by the camp but excellent Richard O'Brien, and you have the recipe for one uniquely thrilling film.

There are missteps along the way, including the infamously bad judgement of the studio to include an opening narration which makes redundant all the genuine twists and surprises later on in the story, but for the most part this is an exhilarating slice of film-making and much more mature than the better known Keanu Reeves-starrer. Proyas elicits some fascinating performances from his assembled cast, including an alluring debut for Aussie starlet Melissa George, a creepy turn for British character actor Ian Richardson, a bug-eyed role for MAD MAX 2's Bruce Spence, Jennifer Connelly as a paragon of virtue and the surprisingly excellent Kiefer Sutherland, cast against type as a twitchy doctor whose role owes much to Peter Lorre. The special effects involving the buildings are superb and the film as a whole is a refreshingly original piece of sci-fi done on a grand scale.

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes up in an eerie hotel, naked and in the bathtub, with no memories and blood on his forehead. (I couldn't imagine a more strange and frightening experience.) The ring of the hotel phone breaks the silence-- a strange man on the other end tells him he must leave because there are people looking for him. Many events such as this one unfold in Dark City, where "man has no past... and humanity has no future".

Dark City has been passed over by so many critics it's depressing. I think that it should at least have been up for "original screenplay" or SOMETHING at the Oscars to reward Alex Proyas for his fantastic vision. I fail to see why so many people label this movie "noir" like it's BAD or something. Being dark and twisted is not a crime, and despite some other people's comments, this movie is NOT just for the trenchcoat-wearing masses (or if it is, maybe the rest of you can learn something from Goths). If you like sci-fi, dark plots and having reality be so well distorted that you don't realize it IS, so you will love Dark City. (People who have seen the Matrix BEFORE this movie MUST see it, it is very similar in these three respects).

I gave it a 9 out of 10 ONLY because I thought the ending fight scene was a bit weak. Great for a fight scene, but because the rest of the movie focuses on John Murdoch's quest to discover his past and the eerie, ominous happenings in the city, the climax seemed hastily thrown together, as if the crew all of a sudden remembered they had a deadline to meet and could no longer continue the plot in the previous fashion.

The visuals in this movie were absolutely stunning. The effects were NOT used to substitute for the plot, like other movies such as Starship Troopers, Lost in Space and Alien: Resurrection. They were used only as needed and were breathtaking. The editing is NOT as choppy as is rumored, it only lends to the power of the movie. There are some heart-stopping images in Dark City. Watch for the Strangers' clock, views of the city and John's memories.

Proyas takes ideas and ambience from many other movies but integrates them all neatly into Dark City. Gotham City is clearly seen as is Metropolis and other influences such as Ed Hopper's "Nighthawks" dominate in the diner scenes. The forty-ish era (yet strangely futuristic) city is known to be populated, and yet it is ominously empty (hence one of Hopper's main themes, isolation in large cities). (It's especially quiet at midnight, hehehehe... ;D ) This 40's era ambience together with the sci-fi fantasy undercurrent makes for a very interesting feeling while watching.

I'm happy that Kiefer Sutherland, Richard O'Brien (of Rocky Horror fame) and William Hurt agreed to do this movie, it gave Dark City just that much more validation in the USA (I wish things weren't like this, but they are). Kiefer Sutherland is absolutely wonderful and convincing as the doctor/scientist Dr.Schreber, and Rufus Sewell is a properly confused yet determined John Murdoch. Many critics say that William Hurt's character, the detective, and Jennifer Connelly's Emma Murdoch could have used a little more development, but I think part of the point of Dark City was that you don't really know who people are (not to mention yourself). Richard O'Brien and his character's whole race creep me out every time I see the movie, but he's especially frightening and a strange character. I had to resist the urge to talk like a Stranger after seeing the movie a few times.

Trevor Jones, one of my favorite movie composers, did the score for Dark City, and I must say it's very apropo. The deep, bass vocals and frantic themes are some of my favorite aspects, but "Memories of Shell Beach" is a haunting, beautiful song as well. Some of my other favorite scores by him are the Dark Crystal and Last of the Mohicans.

Altogether, I think Alex Proyas had a stroke of genius in the making of this movie. One of the most original dark sci-fi movies I've seen in a long time. It deserves its place with the Matrix, 12 Monkeys and others, pioneers in a field so changed (usually for the worse) since Star Wars and since earlier sci-fi classics. I hope these won't be the last of a (dare I say it?) dying race of movies that have true creativity and originality.

How had I never heard of this film before?

This was an absolute feast for the eyes in terms of atmosphere, set design and tone. I loved the neo-noir vibes, the sense of mystery and the philosophy behind it all. It has a few drawbacks. This is pre-Matrix, so there's way too many camera shots in the action, and Kiefer Sutherland's accent makes some of his expository dialogue a chore, even though the content is interesting.

To be clear, I watched the Director's Cut, which seems like the definitive way to watch the film after looking up the differences. Seriously, why explain the mystery at the start in voiceover? Did the studios not learn from Blade Runner?

If you're looking for a sci-fi film that's incredibly pretty and decently thoughtful, look no further. Dark City is a very fun, and quite dark ride.