dark and original, but aging quickly

Rating: 7/10 (3 June 2005)

Alex Proyas made recently 'I, Robot' - a controversial version of Asimov's classic. I liked it and was in a minority. I believe that I may be in a minority again saying that 'Dark City' is an interesting film, with a lot of strong and original ideas, but also a fast aging piece of cinema.
The theme of our civilization falling under the mind control of another civilization was repeatedly dealt with since 1998 when this film was made. Still the combination of detective story, mind control as in 'Eternal Sunshine', and alien contact, all filmed in a style reminding the 30 classic horror movies is interesting, but too heavy in my opinion to be efficient. The film tries to be too many things, a melding of too many styles, and falls eventually in a rather conventional ending, that cancels the surprises and tension built until then.
Kiefer Sutherland's fans will enjoy seeing him in a very different role one second before '24'. Williana Hurt is as WIlliam Hurt as ever. The rest of the cast is good. What fail to make it to the screen are the graphics - the strong and original ideas of the movies are mis-represented using second quality graphics. If this was intended to be comics style, it's a bad idea because this movie tries to be more than comics.
It's a film to remember, it's a different story than the usual science fiction stuff, unfortunately it's of the kind that fades rather than improves in time.