Review of Dark City (1998) by Eveliina K — 02 Sep 2011
Directed by Alex Proyas, (The Crow (1994), I, Robot (2004)), this is a dark, complex thriller with references to Kafka. Masterminded by Proyas and co-writers Lem Dobbs (The Limey) and David S. Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins).
It's a film with good ideas, but it's too complex and clever for it's own good. Set in the titular Dark City, this begins with John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awaking in a hotel room with no memory of how he got there or who he really is.
But, he gets a phone call from Dr. Daniel Schreber (Keifer Sutherland), who warns him to get away from the hotel as a group of men known as 'The Strangers' want him, led by Mr. Book (Ian Richardson) and Mr.
Hand (Richard O'Brien). Murdoch gets away in time, learns his real name and learns he has a wife called Emma (Jennifer Connelly), and that Inspector Frank Bumstead (William Hurt) wants to talk to Murdoch in connection with a series of murders.
Murdoch discovers he has psychokinetic powers like The Strangers, and he uses them to get away from them. But, what are these powers for?? Dr. Schreber has the answers, but the biggest question of them all is the mystery of Dark City and what lies beyond it's walls.
It's very confusing, despite a good cast and complex plot. It's good to see a think-piece like this, but it would help if it made sense. However, it wasn't all bad, the sets built at Fox Studios Australia were reused the following year for a little sci-fi film called The Matrix (1999).
Every cloud has a silver lining and all.
This review of Dark City (1998) was written by Eveliina K on 02 Sep 2011.
Dark City has generally received very positive reviews.
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