Dark City

Dark City

Total Grade: 85

Plot: 14

Originality: 9

Acting: 9

Genre: 8

Entertaining: 12

Directing: 11

Script/Dialogue: 12

Misc: 10

Plot: An alien race has built a city where they switch people's identity and it is always night.  I'm not really given the movie justice, because it is something you will have to see to enjoy and fully understand and if I state too much I'll give it the best parts away.  The plot is pretty involving and very original (remember this is pre-Matrix).

Originality:  Dark City is a remake of a 1930's movie called Metropolis, but given the nature of the movie it is very original.  We don't get a lot of movies with this topic or the darkness.  Yes, The Crow was the movie that helped Dark City get made, but it lends itself to Blade Runner a lot more. 

Acting: The acting gets the job done.  Newcomer Rufus Sewell is believable in his role, but the real scene stealer is Kiefer Sutherland.  At least to me, he goes way out of character to play the doctor who wants to help the human race.  This was one of the movies that helped his career sink to its lowest level (before 24).  Jennifer Connelly does nothing to add to the movie, funny how she goes on to win an Oscar and I was never impressed with her work (Requiem for a Dream outstanding).

Genre: This film if judged upon its release (pre-Matrix) it holds up as one of the best (although it does have its flaws).  The Matrix borrowed some ideas from this movie and is a much better film.  With that said, Dark City does a lot well despites its flaws.  It is a good helping of science fiction and it does raise some very important issues/questions.

Entertaining:  The action part of Dark City did not really catch my attention, but the issues that arises from Dark City cannot go unnoticed. It does fall a little short in the distance it could have went with answering and proposing things as it ultimately crashes into a run of the mill movie.  It is a little disappointing to see what happens at the end, but the question remains what would you do?  This ending is obviously taken straight from Plato (as was the Lord of the Rings) but it is interesting to think about what my actions would be given the power he has.

Directing: Alex Proyas keeps his dark style that he loves and adds a very good story.  He delves deeper into the screenplay than he did with The Crow and it pays off.  The sets are great and the aliens are beautiful to look out (these are not your Spielberg aliens).  

Script/Dialogue: The screenplay could have been a little bit deeper, but I'm thankful for what I did get.  There are a lot of great thoughts added into the movie and we don't ever really get the inevitable action ending (well, sort of we do).  It is so easy for Hollywood to turn a good idea into an action movie, so it has that going for it in a big way.  

Misc: I saw Dark City in theaters when it was released and it holds up just as well now on DVD.  Kudos to Dark City.

Final Comment: I like Dark City and I think it is a fine movie.  I'll be the first to admit it does not stack up well against the Matrix, but it came out before the Matrix.  It is like comparing Science Fiction movies before and after Star Wars.  Dark City asks some questions that will give viewers something to talk about after the movie.  The sets were made with the utmost care and the special effects hold up pretty well (except maybe the wall).  The acting does what is needed and the director shot the whole film with a vision.  I recommend Dark City to science fiction fans that can put The Matrix aside and enjoy this movie.

DVD Features: The DVD has some features on it, but most are lame.  We get widescreen and full screen presentation, two audio commentaries, find Shell Beach game (very lame game and very lame "prize"), cast and crew bios, a trailer, comparisons to the original (this is actually sort of neat but it is in text form) and that is about it to note.  

12-20-03