Simply A Masterpiece

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

If you like the works of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, then you need to see Dark City. It's something of an underrated gem that has gained cult status in recent years, mostly due to its connection to The Matrix. The film, depending on what version you watch, maintains ambiguity till the end and slowly gives you answers. This isn't an action film like its bigger and more commercially successful brother (The Matrix), it's a neo-noir that has many tropes of the genre. Dark City is also a visually stunning film with moody lighting, detailed sets and fantastic model work. The performances the main actors give excellently convey that sense of cluelessness.If you're a fan of The Matrix, this is also a film you need to see because not only do they have similar plots, they also retain some of the same sets. Both were filmed in Fox studios in Sydney during the late 90's so there's lots of speculation what film's idea was first. This is not to say The Matrix is inferior, it's one of the best action movies of that decade or heck of all time. Although I do think Dark City deals with its themes of reality more thoroughly. Essentially I think the first thirty minutes of The Matrix are the whole of Dark City.I had the privilege of seeing this in the theatre in its original 35mm print and I have to say it looked absolutely incredible. If you haven't seen it, check it out!

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.

There's no doubting the imagination of Alex Proyas. Though most of Dark City is difficult to follow and is more style than substance, once the kick of the film finally happens, you realize how inventive and inspirational this film is to the science fiction genre. When push comes to shove, Dark City ranks among the weirdest and most unique sci-fi features to date.Knowing close to nothing going in was a wise choice, but I did find myself saying "what in the world is going on?" several times. The story follows a man named John Murdoch who finds himself alone in a bathtub with no memory of who he is or where he's been. Murdoch is being hunted by both law enforcement and a mysterious group of people, known as 'The Strangers' with unknown powers and abilities. In some ways, Dark City makes for a good compilation of films like The Matrix, Minority Report, Blade Runner, and even Metropolis. For much of the film Murdoch is the audience. We have no idea where we are, who's good, who's bad, and where this all ends up. But once Murdoch starts to understand 'The Strangers' agendas, the film starts to take off.The supporting cast includes William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly, and Kiefer Sutherland. Similar to how I feel about the movie overall, I didn't really care for any of the characters in particular until you understand the context of how the film is being played out. Sutherland has the most to do, but his performance is diluted to a quick breathing nerdy doctor. I think as a whole Dark City will play better on repeated viewings. Especially because it will become more and more apparent just how many films have taken from Dark City. Proyas has made a few interesting directing choices since this one, but none quite capture the scope or uniqueness of Dark City. In the long-running genre of science fiction, Proyas' breakout film is definitely among the better ones.+Noir elements+Mystery plays out nicely+Gets better as it goes along-Could have opened up with more context8.7/10

One of my favorite fantasy movies. I get sucked into its dark atmosphere and it makes me feel I've been there since forever. Mystery, thriller, action, romance... just a trace of everything mixed up in perfect nightmare.............................