Dark City Reviews

Pre-Matrix revelations

The similarities between The Matrix and Dark City are strong. Both focus on brooding central characters somehow out of sync with the world around them and becoming aware of their own capabilities. In fact, The Matrix was filmed directly after Dark City at Fox Studios on Australia's Gold Coast. Parts of the rooftop sets were used for both films.

Rufus Sewell plays the main character, John Murdoch, as a man struggling to reach the truth of both the city and himself.

Kiefer Sutherland, complete with limp and weird accent, is John's tortured mentor. Jennifer Connelly plays his wife, the pseudo femme fatale, who needs rescuing herself. The city too is a character, menacing and alive.

Perhaps if this film had had a Matrix size budget it would have garnered more attention. Perhaps that's for the best as we're guaranteed no lesser sequels. As it stands, Proyas has created a little known gem with images and ideas which swirl in the mind for a long time after viewing.

Real Science Fiction

How I missed this film on it's release, I'll never Know. I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I'll just tell you that John Murdoch is special, he dosen't fall asleep when he should do. This allows him to see what the city and it's people are really all about, and this is the films true power. Instead of being an empty, action set piece movie, it has a storyline that will put many top sc-fi books to shame. The story, the acting and the special effects are all top notch. Highly recommended. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because it may be a little dark for some people.

Stunning...

...yes, it's that good. I'd heard various titbits from many a movie forum about how good this is, but now I've seen it I can now join those who devote at least part of their time to passing on the recommendations for this film.

Where to start? Firstly, stick with it. The first 30 mins are pretty disorientating, but as the film progresses you'll soon be rewarded. Director Alex Proyas takes the work he did on The Crow and steps it up a few notches - despite this film now being six years old, it's quite simply one of the most visually stunning films you could hope to see, up there with Blade Runner and 2001 at least.

Rumours are rife that this film was plundered by the Wachowskis for the Matrix Trilogy, and it's not hard to see why. Personally I believe that the similarities (and there are a vast amount) are coincidences, but one must wonder at times just why there wasn't a major fuss over some of the more blatant repetition of themes.

But, pah! Matrix Trilogy indeed! This by far surpasses Reloaded and Revolutions, and like the original Matrix is a sci-fi classic that deserves to remain as a one-off, unique piece of film making.

Brilliant.

Dark but beautiful

I remembered watching this film years ago and being quite impressed so I decided give it a rent. I'm really glad I did. The central concept is interesting but what really makes this film stands out is the way it looks. The world of the film has been beautifully designed. The grim, 40s-era sets combined with the sci-fi trappings create a world (or should that be city) that not only looks amazingly cool but also is central to the themes of the film.

This has more soul than the Matrix films and is also far more sophisticated (even though it pre-dates it by years.)

Absolute rubbish!

One of those films you wish after that you had washed up instead.

Apart from Kiefer, Rufus & O'brien this film has nothing going for it!

terrible

terrible film with very feeble storyline and bad special effects

Laugh or cry

Hard to take this seriously though it does have some great ideas and the sfx are half bad. Look out for Richard O’Brien in his cenobite outfit and marvel at the lead actors ever changing accent 8/10.

Very intelligent, but not so that the mind boggles, and dark movie directed by Alex Proyas who also lent his camera lens to the amazing The Crow. This is a superb film with a brilliant cast and impressive acting with a particularly haunting and effective score by TrevorJones. Unlike some other sci-fi films (like The Matirx, in my opinion) the stunning effects are not used to substitute for the plot, but are used when needed to create a wonderful visual feast. If you like sci-fi, dark plots and having reality be so well distorted that you don't realize it IS, you will love Dark City....and if not, you'd still love it!

bad bad ending

Nice initial atmosphere, sets etc. Some nice ideas - especially the city experiment thing. Inconsistent, doesn't really make sense, pretending to be cleverer than it is. Totally rubbish ending.

terrible

Apart from the stars in the film this is a waste of time. Confusing and boring. I won't give any spoilers because I have not got as clue what this is about.