Dark City

From the first to the last minute, the extremely paranoid script by Alex Proyas and David S. Goyer, who clearly revels in his own convoluted plot, is just the foundation of the overall quality of the film. Proyas's penchant for dark and grungy corners of urban districts was once again put to good use in creating a desolate atmosphere that weighs on the viewer like a heavy blanket. It’s a visually refined "plaything," abundant with a flood of fantastic yet not gratuitous special effects, supported by the excellent camera work of Darius Wolski, and an unsettling yet captivating soundtrack by Trevor Jones. All in all, it is pleasing not only to the eye but also the brain, which is not allowed to rest for even a moment. Add to that a great cast, led by the strange Doctor Kiefer Sutherland, followed by William Hurt and Rufus Sewell. With all these elements combined, this film is definitely something that will linger in one's mind for quite some time. (11/05/2005)

And they say lightning doesn’t strike twice. If Proyas's The Crow was dark, depressing, interestingly stylized, and narratively "unusual", all this is doubly true for Dark City, a very bleak and unpleasant vision of a world dominated by bald aliens who are allergic to light, can bend physics to their advantage and have a motive that, even after much thought, doesn't seem illogical or nonsensical. Of course, we've seen the single hero destined to carry out a revolution and defeat an invincible foe a few times before, but when everything around is so tastefully polished, thoughtful and novel, a little cliché can never hurt. And Jones’s soundtrack is perfect for the genre :)) 85% (12/24/2013)

Incredible. Proyas is an expert at bleak atmospheres, and this strange city hides a truly depressing secret. Almost all the actors are excellent but Kiefer Sutherland clearly reigns over them, and his doctor is very ambiguous throughout. Jennifer Connelly is again incredibly magical here. And yes, Dark City is quite similar to The Matrix. (06/29/2009)

Wow, that was a ride! Mix together Metropolis, P.K. Dick, Burton, Gilliam, the Coens, and maybe even The Matrix, add to that Proyas' ornate direction and Proyas' very, very bizarre script... And you get Dark City. It's a juicy treat for genre lovers, which I would probably recommend to Franz Kafka if he ever wants to come back from the grave to watch a movie. (07/23/2010)

The materialized nightmares of Alex Proyas, where hope remains in the form of the beautiful Jennifer in impenetrable darkness. From Dark City, the believable and yet perfectly and typically divided characters of the charismatic protagonist or excellently played doctor Sutherland emerge. And just when everything starts to take itself too seriously, a horde of aliens arrive, boldly settling the film back into a position of a more cheaply constructed sci-fi narrative. But who cares, when it can be so innocently irresistible. (01/25/2006)