Overall Rating
  Awesome: 55.78%
Worth A Look: 25.17%
Average: 8.84%
Pretty Bad: 2.04%
Total Crap: 8.16%
6 reviews, 111 user ratings
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| Dark City |
by Bob, Lord of Evil
"Coooooolio."
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There are great number of movies that spring to mind where the only real criticism to give is contained in a single word- cool. There are some fascinating ideas on display in these films, and certainly a kick ass story line, but when approached for something behind the kick ass exterior you find something of a letdown. These films can't possibly live up to their shiny exteriors. Yet somehow, ‘ Dark City' has created a cool world, a fascinating landscape of visuals and ideas, and maintains a deeper meaning. Alex Proyas, director and writer dearest, I applaud you.The story behind ‘ Dark City' is basically this guy wakes up in a bathtub with no memories. As he exits the tub, he finds he is bleeding from a small dot on his far head, there is a dead woman in his room, and there is a small broken instrument on the floor. From this sudden case of amnesia, the story unfolds.
The questions Proyas asks during the course of this film are what makes a soul, and, if given memories of another would you still be the same person? One case in the movie leads to a certain sameness in personality. Another does not. What Proyas also does is create perhaps the first truly interesting sci fir flick in recent memory, and yes, i have seen Matrix and Star Wars, Episode One. And he uses his tools well to tell it.
The main tool Alex Proyas uses is, that for what is by regular sci-fi standards, a low budget to maximum effect with perfect special effects. Granted, with modern movies, it is hard to find a frame in a film that does not contain some sort of special effect, yet, with some, you certainly get the idea they used them too much. The ‘Mummy', for example, had a great number of CGI creations, yet it seems it was there simply to impress you, not furthering the story along. The only times in ‘ Dark City' that these obvious effects are used are not only needed but welcome.
Where Proyas somewhat fumbles is with his dialogue and actors. There is more than one occasion during the course of ‘ Dark City' that a line felt too bizarre to be normal dialogue, and because of this, it fumbles. The actors do a well enough job, but nothing incredible. I will say there were times during the film that Rufus Sewel sounded exactly like John Cusack, and I did a double take. Sewel, William Hurt, and Kifer Sutherland did their roles well enough but it was obvious these actors were working with a blue screen (in their heads I mean) and because of this, the film suffers. There were even certain moments the editing does not match up ( a smile turns into a worried scowl for one). If the storytelling techniques were not so well utilized, these facts would have certainly diminished the cool factor of this film.
Another stumbling block for Dark City is the questions it leaves unanswered. This isn't the kind of science fiction film that gets a sequel, and I was disappointed to never learn certain things. I can't mention them now because they are spoiler filled and evil, but if I did you'd agree that this film left them unanswered....
But I cannot explain enough how much it is a joy to simply watch this movie. There is a bizzare film noir essence to it, coupled with a solid old school mystery that doesn't cheat with the end. There was a blend of visual atmosphere which felt like everything to 'Citizen Kane' to 'The Crow'. There were moments when watching 'Dark City' that it felt like I was watching an old fashioned movie, particuarly the club scenes. All this kick ass stuff, AND the creepiest kid I've ever seen on screen. Aside of the girl that played in Annie. *shudder*Anyway, the movie despite its stumbling blocks succeeds in its storytelling in the end and for any real science fiction it is a masterpiece. And for those psyched for X-Men, note the mental power effects used in this film, and then look at the effects in the preview when Jean Grey brings the vial to her. Interesting, huh? Very kick ass movie.
 del.icio.us 
link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=118&reviewer=150
originally posted: 04/25/00 23:12:57
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USA
20-Feb-1998 (R)
DVD: 03-Feb-2004
UK
N/A
Australia
06-Aug-1998 (M)
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