Dark City (1998) User Reviews

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.

[nitehawk-8 · 9/10 · 15 June 1999]

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.

Unconventional sci fi film

[davispittman · 8/10 · 12 September 2017]

Dark City is definitely a one of a kind movie. There's no other in the science fiction genre that's similar to it. It stands alone. Most of the time I really enjoy films that are unique and stand out, and this one fits into that most category. Typically I'm not huge on the science fiction genre, but I think even if you don't usually care for that type of film, you'll still like this one. One of the reasons it can transcend a strict science fiction audience is because of its intelligence. The film doesn't reveal a whole lot until the very end, which is very clever, keeps the viewer guessing the whole way through. The cast is very good. I think each and every cast member was picked well and represents their role well. The plot is a lot to explain, and the movie gets more complicated as it goes along, so I'll just say that the plot is full of rich twists and turns. I can almost 100% guarantee that you will not be bored with this film, too much is going on for that to happen. The special effects were good for 1998, they are kind of dated by today's standards, but they still work, the buildings in the city are probably the most interesting thing as far as visual effects go. Overall, I do recommend this very interesting film. 8/10.

Must see for sci-fi lovers

[alansabljakovic-39044 · 8/10 · 24 January 2020]

Dark City has an interesting philosophical premise executed very well. I love how you can question your world while watching Dark City, it is something like Matrix. Kiefer Sutherland always plays supporting roles and doesn't get much attetion but he really deserves praise because he's a terrific actor. The special effects were good for that time but ofcourse today they are not that great. I would love to watch prequel to this film.

Outstanding sci-fi film noir

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 23 March 2013]

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.

A fantastic science-fiction masterpiece!

[ChoiBaby · 6 February 1999]

An absolutely brilliant and nightmarish production! DARK CITY is an enriching and surreal experience, full of beautiful images and powerful symbolism.

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes up one night, resting inside a bathtub. He look around, realizing that he is inside a hotel room. In a state of shock, he finds a bloody corpse lying near his bed. Then...reality sinks in. He discovers an appalling revelation which he cannot accept. He is wanted for murder on six separate accounts. How does all of this fit in when he thought of himself as a completely sane person? He does not believe he was responsible for these murders, but the cops think otherwise as they chase him down... Next, a swarm of humanoid creatures known only as the "Strangers" have summon him. For unknown reasons, Murdoch happens to fit into their intricate schemes for conquest...

This is just scratching the surface of the premise for Alex Proyas' moody and engaging film, DARK CITY. DARK CITY is a very vivid film with an original concept. As the story expands and the main character must go into the heart of the matter, he learns that there's a conspiracy going on "mixing and matching" different identities together into one whole. The Strangers are the masters...the inhabitants are their puppets...and the city is their playground...

DARK CITY essentially has gorgeous photography, capturing aspects of the entire city where imagination paints the picture and provides the details. This film relies a lot on imagery and the fantastic production values are laced with a perplexing storyline that keeps the viewer's eyes glued to the screen. The eye-catching, stylish future noir designs a visionary world, evinced in the setting of the Big Apple itself, New York City during the time period of the 1940s. Dark City's visual backgrounds enliven a difficult and incomprehensible plot to comprehend and the special effects create an astounding experience, traveling into a vortex of mankind's phantasm.

DARK CITY, in addition to the superb background settings, allows for character development as well. The audiences grows greatly in a moment of eagerness as they want to determine what will happen next to the characters in this film. As always, the cast is wonderful. Rufus Sewell is excellent as John Murdoch, convincing as an ordinary man on the run from both the law and the strangers. Jennifer Connelly is sensuous and appealing as Murdoch's loving and concerned wife. William Hurt plays his cards right as a straitlaced NYPD inspector, Frank Bumstead, who keeps pursuing John Murdoch. As an eccentric psychiatrist, Dr. Daniel Paul Schreber, Kiefer Sutherland conveys a confused doctor who shares a frightening connection to these Strangers.

DARK CITY is splendid viewing injected with a theme about the loss of identity and the destruction of individualism in order to create an ideal society. DARK CITY is an unforgettable, breathtaking visual experience! This film is enriched with layers of characterization, a plot where there is more than meets the eye, and venturous special effects. DARK CITY is recommended viewing with the lights out! A thoroughly cogent flick which keeps you guessing what is going on. DARK CITY is a fine treat for the eyes and mind. This is one journey where you reach the point of no return!

RATING: *** out of ****.

One of the best science fictions ever made...

[mutlu_bahar · 9/10 · 26 November 2004]

Dark City is the best film of Alex Proyas. He uses the Gothic and claustrophobic themes commonly and dark colors prevail during the film like "The Crow" .The story doesn't follow a certain order of rule, instead there is some mind games and puzzles in the film, that causes watchers to be active in each minute and motivate to the movie..

The topic is about a man who loses his past and first finds himself in a bath tub, doesn^t know about himself and his life, but he has one ability that no one has, he can be alive when the evil forces stops the time and reshapes the world according to their own demand. The story is so fantastic and Proyas' nightmare world come true in that movie.

I can basically say that it's one of the best science fiction movies ever made, it opens doors to different dimensions and force human brains' capability....

"Mutlu Bahar"

Mind Craft...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 15 November 2022]

A presence down below seeks to affect, the lives of those above to cause effect, and observe the interactions, of various transactions, to ascertain, to verify and to collect. It's a process that's repeated every night, if you knew why, it might just cause a fright, as emotions are arranged, past lives remixed and estranged, try as you might, you just can't fight, or see the light. Then there's John Murdoch who's a mystery and a puzzle, his mind resists being altered and reshuffled, an ability to craft, to change, reflect, and cast, causing tremors down below, a big kerfuffle.

A far from unoriginal take on a simulated world we may or may not live in.

Truly Dark.

[CrassActionHero · 10/10 · 14 September 2006]

Dark City (1998) New Line Cinema.

Review: Dark City being directed by Alex Proyas, who directed the dark thriller The Crow, I had to see this movie. This is an original, dark, engaging, and one of the best movies of 1998.

The story is the best. A man who wakes up in a bathtub has no memory at all. He discovers that some ominous beings are coming after him. Who are they? What do they want? And to top it off, he is a suspect in several murders. As the story unfolds, it just gets more interesting. The look of the city is quite a sight. It has an old school comic book feel to it. The style of everything is a nice 1940's style, from clothing to the cars.

As we follow our hero, we learn more about him....or do we? What is real? What is fake? Questions keep coming up but, are their any answers to all these questions? Even more weird is when at the stroke of midnight, the city changes shape while everyone sleeps.

Our hero is also followed by an honest detective, Insp. Bumstead, who just wants answers to the murders and gets involved in the mystery too. Our hero wants to look for one location that could unlock the mystery to everything. What could it be?

Another strong point here is the acting is excellent. Rufus Sewell plays his role with conviction and passion. The casting is flawless.

The Last Word: Awesome flick. This is a movie that is excellent brain food. It makes you think....a lot. You will most likely watch this over and over again to figure everything out. No problem. This movie never gets old. Highly recommended.

The thinking man's sci-fi

[jennyburnett-25810 · 15 December 2018]

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.

Alex Proyas at his best - a brilliantly executed and intelligent film

[dracosucks · 9/10 · 14 February 2006]

Ever since I first saw the first Crow film with Brandon Lee, I've been an avid fan of Alex Proyas' film making and Dark City is another amazing example of his cinematic expertise. Filmed primarily in Sydney and starring Rufus Sewell, Jennifer Connoly, William Hurt and Keifer Sutherland, Dark City is an incredible piece of work with an intricate and detailed story with an even more amazingly executed motion picture behind it. The sets and visual effects have been so well thought out and performed that together with the impressive acting (including many Australian actors such as Colin Friels and that tall funny looking guy from Mad Max) the film simply sucks you in and you can fully believe that the word Proyas has created exists; which is something that not many film makers can achieve easily. From start to finish, an instant classic that will surely gain cult status as the years progress.

Really Solid Sci-Fi, Just Short of Great

[truemythmedia · 7/10 · 23 April 2019]

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"

Supernatural mystery with excellent performances and impressive production design

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 24 July 2011]

The strangers build the city where it is always night to see what makes us tick. Last night one of us went off while the citizens black out and a strange beings modify the urban environment and transforming building and avenues. A man named Murdoch(Rufus Sewell) struggles with memories of his past, including a spouse (Jennifer Connelly) he cannot remember, his records mostly gone, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by aliens with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans . John Murdoch awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he has lost his memory and is wanted for a series of brutal and cruel killings , being pursued by an obstinate Police Inspector (William Hurt). While attempting to piece together his memory , he stumbles upon a fiendish underworld ruled by a group of aliens known as The Strangers (led by Richard O'Brien and Ian Richardson) who possess the ability to put people to sleep and alter the city and its inhabitants and carrying out secret experiments . Meantime ,Murdoch evades himself of his metaphysical pursuers and being tipped off by a mysterious doctor (Kiefer Sutherland). Now Murdoch must find out a manner to stop them thanks his new telekinetic powers and before they take control of his wit and destroy him.

This interesting Sci-Fi contains suspense ,thrills , chills and magnificent sets splendidly deigned by Patrick Tatopolous . Thought-provoking and suspenseful screenplay by the same director Alex Proyas though some complex and difficult with new twists and turns every few minutes . However , the picture suffers the comparison with classics as ¨Brazil or Blade Runner¨ . Thrilling and moving musical score by Trevor Jones . Dark and shading cinematography by Dariusz Wolski. The motion picture is stunningly and originally directed by Alex Proyas . Alex is an expert on Science-Fiction as he has proved in ¨ The Raven¨, ¨I Robot¨ and ¨Knowing¨ . Rating : Better than average . Worthwhile watching for its always striking scenarios and surprising engrossing.

Speechless

[Misss25 · 8/10 · 26 February 2022]

I don't have words to say, its amazing. Totally unpredictable. I haven't read even the synopsis. It came out giving me heart attack at the end.

It's absolutely worth watching.

good concept, bad execution...

[p-bover · 6/10 · 12 April 2008]

Although I really like the idea of the script and the whole atmosphere(art direction, music), the movie lacks IMO of depth in the execution.

¿Super powerful aliens using knifes because that fits with their nosferatu look? This is ridicule... Well I have to say that except for some dialogues, the aliens are plain dumb. This is the reason why they use knifes, and they get fooled in their own world.

¿An average of 1.8 seconds per shot to put more tension during the whole movie? There a lot of bad quality filler shots that take time from the really great shots and mess the rhythm of the movie.

This movie could have been great if the work had been more focused on the symbology, the literature, and not the visual gimmick. The same applies for the whole matrix trilogy IMO.

Excellent and Original, but some shortcoming there

[mattrochman · 7/10 · 15 July 2006]

There was something very original about this film and it did not seem to fall into pathetic standard-plot twists and devices. It set out on a mission and stuck to it. I'd say that the film-makers would have been very happy with the finished "product."

But there were some shortcomings. First, I felt that Kiefer Sutherland was not quite right in this film. The agitated, rambling character was simply not right for an actor of his ability. It almost seemed forced and the inconsistency in Sutherland's efforts to press the nuances of his character were evident at times.

Second, I felt that there was too much of an attempt to unravel human behaviour. I appreciate that it was a sub-theme, but the film makers seemed to explore it without giving an insight or thorough reflection.

However, as far as sci-fi genre films go, this is way up there as it bursts with originality and moves at a modest pace - exploring the intricacies of the story line and providing a good build up, but was neither overly long nor rushed. Sits nicely along side Twelve Monkeys as one of the best in this genre for the past 20 years.

Filmed in Australia!

Matrix this is not...it much much better.

[Sinnerman · 10/10 · 2 May 2003]

I will be part of the rabid throngs of people lining up to catch a spectacle as huge as Reloaded and Revolution. Despite(and maybe because of) Matrix sky high hype right now, my thoughts drift back to this overlooked classic...but a little on Neo and gang first below...

The Matrix just happened.

With an uncanny midas touch, The Warchowski bros launched this(then unknown film) at the the right place, in the right time. With an execution commercial enough to bring in the box office moola and a philosophical subtext accessible enough for the general public to latch on to, the rest, as they say...is history.

The philosophical under pinnings though, (of blue pills, red pills, the subreality of consciousness and all that mambo jambo etc), so successfully popularised by The Matrix, was infact neither originated by The Matrix nor as fully realised than in other more accomplished works.

Which leads me to....drumroll.....

As such, IMHO, the best execution on the concept of reality and perception was already explored in a much more unbelievably visual opus, one year earlier, the grossly overlooked, criminally under-rated,

"Dark City". (One of My Top 10 All time Favourite Films)

This scifi/ film noir hybrid was impactful both cinematically and ideologically. Most importantly, it rewarded my wildly abandoned reach for human imagination and thirst for ideas, by fulfilling as much promise a motion picture can ever hope to give.

On top of that, my background as a "trekkie" scifi nerd meant I instinctively respond to films which challenge me both intellectually and spiritually. Dark City was thus a near religious, life cleansing experience for me.

And any which way I look at it, this film soars to heights unseen since 2001: A Space Odyssey...

But due to its messed up(or near-absent) marketing campaign(positioning the film to resemble a horror film for the teenage crowd), the film did not find its intended audience and flopped unceremoniously. Of course it found its audience but by then its was too late...

That said, the thirst for something better than our run of the mill pop corn fare is still there, waiting to be quenched.

And The Matrix filled that void.

Too bad it wasn't this film. But in a ideal world, it would. Sad.

A mystical, fantastic tale of a man and the chaotic world around him

[winters-2 · 7/10 · 13 January 1999]

Dark City was one of the more ambiguous movies I have seen in a long time. It could be best described as a mystery/sci-fi fantasy movie where the characters are placed out of time and out of place. The movie definitely had style. From which era, I am not sure. It was a mixture of America in the 1920's (by the style of dress, cars), and 30's and 40's and 50's... I thought that the intentional mixture of culture throughout the different eras really contributed to the mystic (and confusion) of the movie. However, the plot I cannot really comment on. I can see where some members of the audience would feel frustrated in watching such a movie. Nothing really made much sense the first time around. It was, well, strange to say the least. But watching the movie gave me a feeling of despair, fear and oppression. The dark, wet and dirty streets of the city really created an atmosphere of loathing and suffocation. I thought Jennifer Connelly was brilliant and gorgeous. Overall, it was an enjoyable movie.

Undeservedly underrated

[Leray97 · 7/10 · 29 June 2018]

With Blade Runner and The Matrix as Hollywood's two crowning achievements in its long line of misrepresentations of the cyberpunk genre in film, it seems like Dark City has been buried into obscurity for not being like the former, at least to the mainstream audience. It shouldn't be this way; while this film certainly isn't as stylish as the other two, Dark City presents a very cool take on the usual "what's real and what isn't?" idea that's usually seen in these cyberpunk sci-fi films. Going into any major detail of the its story would be stepping into spoiler territory but by the end of the film, I really was enraptured by its direction despite its execution (in style).

A cyberpunk themed film's visuals is going to be one of its most important traits. The expected aspects are usually going to be something along the lines of holograms besides skyscrapers and neon lights enveloping the darkened city inhabited by people who were big trench-coats. Unfortunately, this isn't entirely the case in Dark City. Because of the overall story, the film will often look murky and just not pretty to look at (definitely not the best looking movie to watch during the daytime). Fight scenes are never fun to watch when it's hard to see anything that's happening; this film's darkened colors combined with the jerky camerawork during these sequences made them feel disorienting for me. At least this isn't an action movie on any major level. I was half expecting the filmmakers to make use of lights in some unique way, shape, or form to counteract the sheer darkness of the visuals but it never really happened. I'm not unhappy with this overall result though, due to the story's demands and possible budget constraints.

Another popular cyberpunk attribute that isn't prevalent in Dark City is the music. It might be too much to ask this film to use the 80's style synthwave sound but seeing how it was released in 1998 and Blade Runner, having been released much earlier, featured a great synth soundtrack, I wish the filmmakers made the music a bigger priority here.

The character performances were just okay. I only feel the need to mention the acting because I wanted a good segue to talk about how great Jennifer Connelly looks here: she looked great, maybe the budget for the lighting went towards her scenes. Kiefer Sutherland does this weird thing where he constantly breaks off his speech after every two to three words; I know this should be in reference to his character's frantic state of mind or something but it was annoying nonetheless.

On questioning reality in a film, there are definitely better ways to do it and there are also worse ways. Dark City's take on this subject is both accessible and layered enough to make it undeserving of the negligence directed towards it these past years. It's definitely underrated but the film just isn't able to capitalize well enough on its own narrative unlike Blade Runner and The Matrix. Although if Hollywood were looking to remake another classic (and God knows they definitely are), I think Dark City could be a prime subject given its concept and prior restrictions.

creepy, heart warming and fantastical

[yanbibiyan · 9/10 · 16 September 2009]

simply wonderful on every level. A matrix meets Truman show if you will. Remarkably the film works despite its weird. wonderful and uncomfortable story line. Genuinely disturbing, as interesting as any murder mystery and beautiful atmosphere with art deco, film noir, and night on elm street under belly.

At first you will be tempted to draw comparisons with the matrix and at other times the mind wonders and the ghostly tall men enter our dreams, but as the film progresses the human heart begins to take centre stage particularly in the characters of the two police chiefs as well as the central figure of John Murdoch. All in all a cascading and multi-dimensional cinematic delight that left me feeling unsettled and warm at the same time.

watch it.

less than the sum of it's parts

[mattwakeman · 6/10 · 26 March 2001]

now don't get me wrong, it's not that i don't this film, it's just that, well, it's just that it seemed to be a collection of quite a few films that have been put together. in some cases well, and in other cases badly...

the direction is fine, the acting is fine (the exception, and only a slight exception is a rather insipid performance by jennifer connelly) and the story is, well, the story is really rather strange.

to me this feels like this is somewhat a collection of ideas, rather on the lines of 'wouldn't it be good to get this in, but how about that. but hold on a second there is also that'. and instead of making the hard choices the director (and writer...and producer...and screenwriter) elected to keep them all. it's not bad, just a bit messy. why were the bad guys doing what they were? where are they from? where are the people in the city from? where are they going? why such an incomplete ending? why is that only one character (a good william hurt) asks any form of existential question and to sidestep that one not only is the question not answered but mr. hurt is 'removed' from the film? how is it that rufus sewell has the powers that he does? why is it that the bad guys look as though their costumes were thought up before the decision to see whether they would fit in with the rest of the design?

now i don't believe that all fims have to be neat and precise, nor should they always answer all the questions that they ask but the problem that i have with this film is that on more than one occasion it is just inconsistent. not the characters as such but the story itself. as i said it's not awful but it could have been so much better. all the elements for a really good (albeit silly) film are present but they just don't hit it off and the film as a consequence just doesn't work. it is damning it with faint praise to say that i have seen better and i have seen worse.

oh and incidentally, anybody who wants to see a great (and i mean great) film about memory should go and see memento. made on a fraction of the dark city budget but all of the money went on the right thing, the script!

An underrated sci-fi/noir masterpiece

[danhall86 · 9/10 · 15 December 2014]

I sat down to watch this film (Director's Cut) with my girlfriend just last night. I've seen it numerous times, but I was curious what her reaction to the film might be.

It's hard for me to talk much about DC itself without giving much away. It's one of those films that's best appreciated when going in with no knowledge of the film at all, for Dark City will throw you some ingenious red herrings, some delightful moments of foreshadowing and some jaw-dropping twists throughout its running time.

As I expected, for the first 20 minutes of the film, she seemed genuinely uncomfortable with it. Those rapid cuts, the vague production design that gives no specific idea of time or setting, the slowly growing impression that you're watching a detective thriller and then *BAM* - the first twist hits, and you have no idea what you're watching again.

That is ingenious, edge-of-the-seat film-making.

Dark City is marvellous. It takes the viewer on a journey quite unlike anything I've ever seen. And all a year before The Matrix came along and scooped up all they credit (they even used the same sets!)

The acting here - while having received some criticism - is all top notch in my book, and by the time the credits roll, you'll be amazed at the total transformation the characters and story have made since those opening shots. It has suspense, action, mystery, horror, romance and pretty much everything in between. The only negativity I could draw attention to is the weak final fight, which feels like it needed more budget to become fully realised.

She seemed quite surprised as the film came to a close with those beautiful sunny shots that contrast so starkly with the rest of the film. Dark City was actually pretty damn good.

Great Concept, Poor Execution

[IslandMyst · 6/10 · 10 February 2023]

When I first put it on I was thinking, oh, The Matrix straight up ripped this movie off, but by the end, I couldn't help but think it would've been way better if with better writing. The Matrix goes into absolute detail to meticulously explain the abilities and allow the narrative to make sense. Dark City never bothers to explain why it's protagonist has abilities. He just does. Plus there are many other questions raised that are never answered or incomprehensible. Don't people talk to each other in this world? Nobody wonders why they collectivelt can't remember things, and not just past memories, but even seeing the sun. People being asleep is a shoddy excuse for not thinking about the last time they saw daylight.

The film noir is nice but the scenes move from one to the next, often breaking the continuity of what what happening. It reminded me of that 90s Spiderman cartoon that flicked from one scene to the next is a disorienting way.

I was disappointed because I normally like the older stuff with lower budgets and more creativity but this is a classic case of great concept, poor execution. Some of the visuals like with the buildings changing are great and others like using tuning are godawful. Made it feel like a mid 90s tv show. We could have also taken more time to figure characters and otherthings out. By the end, you have a villain inexplicably infodumping to the protagonist information which should have been sprinkled throughout the entire story. The movie also has no moments. You know what moments are. Like if I ask you to think of a moment from Blade Runner, Dune Total Recall, etc , I sure you could think of something iconic. I think even the anime Big O which is similar in concept to Dark City does a better job with its premise.

What I'm trying to say is that anyone who liked this movie is a pretentious goon. Kidding!!!! It was definitely an interesting concept, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Wow, I'm Really in the Minority Here

[evanston_dad · 4/10 · 17 September 2005]

I've read reviews of "Dark City" in many places (and many of them here) hailing it as a modern science fiction masterpiece, so boy was I disappointed when I watched it and came to the sober conclusion that it's just not very good. Yeah, yeah, yeah the visuals are stunning, blah, blah, blah, but as is proved time and again, visuals alone can't make a movie. At least this had an interesting story, but as befalls so many films in this mind-bending sci-fi genre (and "The Matrix" suffers from this as well, though it's a far better movie), the writers have set up such a cerebral concept that the movie grinds to a halt when it has to trudge through all the exposition just so that the audience can keep track of what's going on. Though that in itself is never very clear in "Dark City." This movie just rushes from one scene to the next, in an attempt to create a breathless and exciting tone I guess, but scenes aren't allowed to play themselves out. We're on to the next set piece before we've had time to absorb the one we just saw, and the characters get buried underneath all the furious editing. However, I don't believe there would be much chance for them anyway, since most of the actors aren't very good either. Rufus Sewell and William Hurt do o.k. but Jennifer Connelly phones in a wan performance and Kiefer Sutherland is barely watchable in a lamentable impersonation of the creepy Nazi chasing Indiana Jones in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." His line delivery is so eccentric and monotonous that I was cringing every time he opened his mouth by the film's end.

No, I'm afraid the majority is out to sea with this one. This film and "masterpiece" don't belong in the same sentence.

Grade: C-

A perfect nighttime movie

[johegn · 10/10 · 10 June 2006]

I'm not saying the acting was perfect, i'm not trying to say the story was told in the most professional way or all by rules of film-making. It wasn't at all an up-tempo film Hollywood style with lots of explosions and rapid smart dialogs.

But, somehow, unlike most films with few exceptions, it had the capability of putting you in a certain mood. A mood of inconvenience, because you become one with the character John Murdoch, mostly thanks to Sewell's acting. Maybe it's because when I've seen this movie, it's always way past midnight, but I guess it's part of the ultimate experience from it.

The thing is I've only felt this way about a movie once before, and unfortunately, I can't remember the title of that movie, only that it ended with a picture of an ocean, and an alone man on the beach, leaving us never knowing if he would ever meet his girl again or not. I love when a picture put that enormous hill of emotions in your heart, and just as many questions in your head. That feeling, that mood.

Most of the actors has received bad reviews for this movie, not least on this forum. But in my opinion, Rufus Sewell is doing his part very well. First so uncertain, then slowly growing into his role. Keither Sutherland, in a pretty uncomfortable role as a scared, weak doctor does it surprisingly good. William Hurt is hard and scarred, but soft on the inside. I guess the actors are telling more about their parts than the script itself.

Generally, all the actors seem to have captured this feeling, this sense, that colors all throughout the picture, making the picture. You are not watching it. You are in it. You are John Murdoch.

I'd like to end with a quote

John Murdoch: "When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?"

It sort of reveals the touch of it. If you haven't seen it, see it, in the middle of the night! If you've seen it daytime, see it again at nighttime. Not because you're tired, but because it's dark.

Confusing at first but ultimately fantastic

[Barry_Delaney · 8/10 · 11 May 2005]

John Mudoch (Rufus Sewell) awakes in a bathtub completely naked, with blood dripping down his forehead, unaware of what is happening, he remembers nothing. In the next room he finds a dead body and a blood stained knife. What follows is john trying to piece together what is happening to him and what he unravels is one of the greatest science fiction stories ever put to film. There is a group called the strangers who have an ability to physically change surroundings of them and the people living in the city, they call this ability "tuning". They soon discover that john also has this ability, which is impossible as it would take a normal human a few lifetimes to gain the ability to "tune". Thats the most i can tell without giving away major plot points.

The movie is set in a 1940ish looking city where detectives are hunting John, along with the mysterious strangers. The tall buildings and the knowledge that the strangers could be anywhere in the city gives a menacing ambiance, heightening the tension in the movie and giving off a great effect on the viewer. The special effects in Dark City are stunning and realistic, especially when certain characters use "tuning".

Rufus Sewell gives a good performance as John Murdoch, though i could'nt help feeling he was holding back somewhat. I could think of a few other actors who could have gave a much better performance but he was generally good.

Kiefer Sunderland as Dr. Daniel Schreber was very good and seemed to have put all of his effort into his character, its quite an unusual role for Sunderland but he pulls it off pretty well.

Another performance worth mentioning is Richard O'Brien as Mr Hand, he gives a genuinely creepy performance as one of the main strangers, i thought i would see him and think crystal maze through all of his scenes but he does a pretty good job of playing a convincing character.

Overall the movie leaves a few unanswered questions, leaving the viewer to conduct their own theories about the outcome of events. I have a good grasp of the story as a whole but some people will find bits and pieces confusing. A great film anyways, i gave it an 8 because it tends to drag in some spots, but the end makes up for all doubts.