Dark City

1999

Staring: Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly
Director: Alex Proyas

This 1999 germ is often forgotten when people talk about truly “classic” modern films. Neo-Noir, Future-Noir, Science-Fiction Noir, whatever you want to define the film as, it is probably one of the best films to come out of the 1990s.

Mistaken for a Matrix rip-off, this film is like the Matrix in only the most simplistic of terms, beyond the vague “who am I really” themes, it’s nothing like it at all. Beyond that, it was filmed before Matrix even began shooting, with the Matrix even using some of the same sets mostly in the opening sequence of the film.

The visuals are brilliant and stunning, and if you think I’m gushing too much praise on this film, you probably haven’t seen it. This is actually how I feel about it. In many ways this film is similar to the

John Murdoch wakes up in a hotel bathtub, unable to remember how he got there or who he actually is. The only things in the room are a broken fishbowl (with fish flapping around on the ground) and a swinging hanging light. He soon realizes he isn’t alone, and that people are after him. As he makes his escape away, he soon realizes that nothing is right in the world he once knew. Is he crazy or is the world really as nuts as he’s seeing it as.

Jennifer Connelly plays his wife, Emma; Kiefer Sutherland is his purported “doctor”, Dr. Daniel Schreber; and William Hurt is Inspector Bumstead, who is assigned to the case when the previous inspector becomes delusional. With the help of the three they discover that something is not right with the city they knew.

The film has an introductory voice over – skip it, avoid it at all costs and start watching when Sutherland looks at his watch about 90 seconds into the film.

Verdict: *****/*****