One of the most intriguing films of all time

Rating: 10/10 (2 August 1999)

When Blade Runner was released in 1982, it had a very surrealistic, noir quality to it. In the midst of this rugged future landscape, the character of Dekkard was the shadow of detective films of days gone by.
Sixteen years later, director Alex Proyas gives us a piece of similar stature. In a land of surreal landscapes, puzzles, and the lack of four letter words, one can't help but show some curiosity. Curious is the best word to describe the film.
It is like Blade Runner in its use of symbolism, surrealism, and film noir. One needs to pay close attention to the details of the film or they will miss the genius. The greatest similarity is a correllating theme: questioning one's own humanity and existence. Dark City digs into the deepest facets of the mind, where one starts to ask questions of his or her identity. The ultimate "what if" question is proposed. What if everything you knew isn't real? This question is asked in both Blade Runner and Dark City. Both Films are intriguing as viewers start to question that themselves. With Dark City, Proyas utilized that ultimate question to create both a unique, dark fantasy world and a creatively constructed story that is almost without flaw.
Based on reviews I have read and comments I have heard from peers, people either really loved it or didn't get it. It's a film to be taken in and thought about. People expecting Proyas to give another Crow maybe disappointed. This film goes far beyond the physical presentation and even goes far beyond the obvious symbols of such films like the Crow. Dark City goes beyond film making to fine craftsmanship, taking everything that has ever been known and turning it into something that has never been seen before. This is a film that is looked on with skepticism among many right now. Years from now, people will recognize the achievement this film truly is.