SteinMo What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Chantel Contreras It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

meadever To be clear, I don't hate "The Matrix". It's just never been my cup of tea, and I thought it was somewhat overrated. This film, on the other hand, is not only an obvious influence on that later film, but in my opinion, superior. The story is truly imaginative, and I don't say that lightly. It's not something seen in every Summer blockbuster, which is refreshing. The fact that they use a film-noir aesthetic to tell that story makes it even better. The colours, the shots, the pacing, the design, it all combines to make one of the most perfect examples of that genre ever put on screen. Of course, there is the twist of the science-fiction elements, but as can be seen in "Blade Runner", these two concepts are not mutually exclusive. To the contrary, they can work quite well together when done right. And they were done right here. The acting adds to the experience, as well. Rufus Sewell is wonderful, as he usually is, and Richard O'Brien was the most perfect choice for the character of Mr. Hand. But the character that really stuck out to me was Dr. Schreber, played to perfection by Kiefer Sutherland. He really steals the show with his Peter Lorre-esque portrayal of the good doctor. It proves Sutherland's acting range, as this role is worlds away from his confident turn as David in "The Lost Boys", as well as his role as Jack on "24". Each actor seems devoted to their part, and it makes this fantastical adventure all the more immersive. If I had to criticise anything, there are only two items of note. First, the costumes of the villains (Strangers, as they are called in the movie) are incredibly close to those of the Cenobites in "Hellraiser". It adds to the menace, but it is also mildly distracting. Second, the final few minutes are just this side of hackneyed. I won't give away the ending, but suffice to say that while it's not a bad ending at all, there are moments that feel slightly tacked-on. However, neither of these things is enough to take away from the overall quality of the film. It was obviously well thought out, and a lot of work went into it. It is sadly underrated for whatever reason, but if you haven't seen this movie, I strongly encourage you to do so as soon as possible. It was truly ahead of it's time, and its influence can be felt in films to this day. There is so much that this movie does right that make it a true joy to experience.

Screen_Blitz Set in a bleak dystopian world, Dark City, directed by Alex Poryas of 'The Crow', is a mind-bending science-fiction vehicle that aims to challenge audiences at a psychological level while pushing the boundaries of cerebral ideas. It is a film aiming to grip moviegoers with an arresting visual style while capitalizing on a chock full of concepts that feel fresh. Tautly paced and piercing with a complex narrative, Dark City never holds back when splashing viewers with cutting-edge of surprises and unpredictable twists. The central figure of this compelling tale is an amnesiac man fighting for the truth in a world where nothing is what he appears and reality is distorted to alarming proportions. And it is the mind-bending plot that is the driving force of this twisted tale. Alex Poryas handles the story immense precision without resorting to overly familiar elements. It is more than safe to say that his effort prevail. In deeper words, his efforts amount to something that feels groundbreaking. This film is set in a world where the sun never rises and the cities are blanketed with everlasting nightfall. John Murdoch (played by Rufus Sewell) wakes up in a bathtub with no memory of his past or Emma (played by Jennifer Connolly), a woman who claims to be his wife. When Murdoch is alerted by Dr. Daniel Schreiber (played by Kiefer Sutherland) of Detective Frank Bumstead (played by William Hurt) who is hunting down for a series of grisly murders he has no memory of committing. Murdoch must evade Bumstead and uncover the truth of his past while running evading a league of alien-like humans known as The Strangers who each have dubious tricks under their sleeves.Is this guy a murderer? Is he innocent? Is there a corrupt side of the law enforcement officer? Each questions lies in the heat battle between the lead character and the enigmatic truth that hidden by an enemy beyond his imagination. Director Alex Poryas drives the story with a plot where the some of the most shocking surprises are not what we know but what we don't know. One thing that Poryas accomplishes here is keeping things unpredictable from beginning to end. In the process, the film holds no barrs when challenging viewers' expectations and placing the characters in a ramshackle of shocking twists and grim conspiracies. While Poryas leaves room for a few action set pieces, he keeps it suppressed for the most of the second half before delivering a visually stunning climatic battle during the final twenty minutes. As for the visual department, Poryas proves himself highly a dazzling production design of a dystopian society plunged into darkness, owing elements to Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil' with a slice of 'Blade Runner'. Rufus Sewell's John Murdoch makes for an appealing protagonist, the character that manages to stand out considerably among the supporting cast of underdeveloped characters. Although Sewell's performance occasionally fluctuates between strong and clunky, he mostly gets the job done. Jennifer Connolly plays Emma with great humility and fortitude, and his romance with John is fine, but never quite sizzles. William Hurt embraces his character with humanity without straying into the portrayal of over-the-topness. But he is certainly not a villain that hits a home-run. Kiefer Sutherland gets his time to shine, but the lack of depth in this character limit his ability to fully blossom his talent in the role. It appears that John Murdoch is the only firmly developed character in the pack which makes him unsurprisingly easy to root for. Dark City is a thoroughly mind-bending science-fiction trek, shining with chord-striking visual compulsion and a story that is enormously engaging, if slightly flawed in its roots. The movie will more than likely not appeal to individuals alienated by a dark atmosphere, hence the title, or intellectually challenging narrative. But for others, it is a chord-striking experience and a sucker punch achievement in its genre.

Amr Saleh Ali what if one can simply free himself from his past and his own memories, what if you can conquer the power of time that contain everything within its existence, and what if you uncovered the truth behind the humans identity away from the imprinted destiny that fate draw for them..this movie has discussed all those ideas and moreafter he found out about his wife affair John Murdoch has to experimented the truth about not only his feeling for her but the truth about the struggle of all mankind against the power of their destiny and how he would behave and react to what happen through his quest will open the door for his freedom as a human and give him the ability to control the universe and reshaped his life and everything else

Nicolas F. Costoglou Dark City is one of the greatest cinematic gems ever made, incredibly original, creative, philosophical and thought-provoking.The visuals are beyond amazing and it's safe to say that this is at least the most beautiful movie of the 90's. The cinematography, goes hand in hand with the strange set-design, and the gloomy lighting. You can pause nearly every second of this film, take a picture and pin it to your wall...But it's not just the look, it's also the content that's amazing, Dark City tells a story about...well i don't wanna spoiler that, you have to watch it.I mean it's worth your time for Trevor Jones incredible soundtrack alone, every piece of music in this film is great and fits the style perfectly (even Trevor Jones seems to have the own opinion that this is his greatest work, or why did he copied nearly every track for the movie Desperate Measures?) Even the editing has something special, mostly at the start of the film, there is a cut nearly every two seconds, but it's not too fast, it's so that we feel as if we where in the same situation as our protagonist.The characters are also very good, which has to be expected in a movie with that kind of theme. Rufus Sewell is great, same for Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt and especially Richard o'Brien (wo's voice and movement are incredible) and Kiefer Sutherland in his best role to date, i forget nearly every time that he is Dr. Paul Schreber, that's how good he is.I always say people who never heard of this film, to imagine a mosaic, and you get one little stone at a time until it's complete and you finally understand what's going on, because there is one picture in this film near the conclusion in which everyone knows what i'm talking about...I could talk way more about this incredible gem and i love it since i saw it the first time.But before i finish my thoughts here's a little tip, if you have the chance to see the director's cut, watch that version, it's not THAT different from the theatrical release, but it never tries to hold you hand. (There is a monologue at the beginning of the theatrical cu, which tells you a few things that are way more effective when you have no idea what's going on at all) I love Dark City, and everyone who thinks that Matrix, or Inception (which i also like) are the smartest movies ever made, than they haven't seen this one...