Thoroughly mind-bending and visually arresting, Dark City is a thrillingly fresh science-fiction tale that really works

Rating: 9/10 (13 July 2017)

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.