Dark City (1998)

Originally Written

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Dark City has been referred to by many as having a lot in common with the hit science fiction classic The Matrix. It's true, there are some similarities between the two films that are quite blatant, which makes me wonder if this highly overlooked and underrated film didn't get a little ripped off by the blockbuster sensation, released the following year. While The Matrix may have excelled in visual effects, Dark City seems to have the upper edge in terms of a story that's easier to follow and not littered with technical mumbo jumbo and eluded prophesy.

John Murdoch wakes up one evening unable to remember his name, his past or the present. As he tries and place the pieces together he discovers the shocking news that he's wanted by the police for a string of serial killings. In an attempt to regain his identity John tries to locate a place call Shell Beach, the only distinct memory that continues to re-surge through his mind. But what's strange is while everyone in the town knows of Shell Beach, no one knows how to get there or even how to leave the city! It appears everyone is confined to the compounds of Dark City, a city with no day where the streets, the buildings and people seem to be in a constant state of flux, which for some reason John Murdoch is no longer apart of it. John must figure out how to regain his true past and put a stop to those who are toying with the lives of the inhabitants of Dark City.

Dark City is a highly intelligent piece of science fiction, maybe a little corny at times but still very enjoyable. It's The Matrix without all the technical mumbo jumbo, the religious undertones, and the fancy special effects. Dark City has a simplistic and easy to follow plot that everyone can enjoy, while The Matrix is destined to lose some people who attempt to piece together it's rather vague and sometimes confusing storyline. Of course this makes Dark City a little predictable, but I didn't feel that this hindered my enjoyment of the story any less. The villains of the film are awesome, very macabre and slightly comical, very similar to that of Agent Smith in The Matrix, but I felt added a lot more to the atmosphere of the film.

Overall, Dark City offers an exciting, dark and well written story which is certain to grab and hold the attention of the viewer throughout the entire film. With a great cast of Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland and Jennifer Connelly, a well written story and some decent special effects Dark City gives The Matrix a little competition. While The Matrix excels more in the special effects department if I had to choose between the two films I would definitely go with Dark City, The Matrix is a classic film but for me the re-watch-ability value of Dark City is a little higher.

8/10