Review of Dark City (1950) by Brett H — 02 Nov 2014

One of the more inventive, sci-fi premises I've seen, Alex Proyas', Dark City is a visual treat and fantastic noir mystery that owes a lot to Fritz Lang's, Metropolis. The gloomy set-design delivers the tone right from the first frame and the seedy characters fill the streets perfectly.

The story is truly unique and original and thus I won't spoil it, but I highly recommend watching the director's cut if you want the revelations to unfold as Proyas intended. The cast is all great, particularly Rufus Sewell giving a great performance as a man who's completely lost his memory, and Kiefer Sutherland is a very odd character with a strange speaking manner; but I think it works for the film.

I only take issue with the last fifteen minutes when the action gets a bit goofy, and the special effects can't 100% sell what's happening, but that's a minor quibble. Many compare the tone of this to, The Matrix, which came out a year later and thus is unjustified, but it is interesting that both films used some of the exact same sets.

It may not be the most fast-paced, science fiction film you'll ever see, but if you're patient, the film will reward you with memorable visuals and a gripping story!