Terrific sci-fi is very rare.

Rating: Null/10 (7 October 2007)

Finally real science-fiction, as opposed to an umpteenth version of a dull monstrous alien killing off a bunch of dull humans. An original, thought-provoking premise is brought to the screen with impressive slickness. The visual style is impeccable; the look of the city is unique. Proyas created a world all of its own, one can't even say that it's a rip-off of "Blade Runner". The mystery unfolds gradually, until a key scene in which Hurt finds out the ugly/fascinating truth and dies. (Perhaps the movie's highlight.) The only flaws are the casting of Kiefer Sutherland, and the somewhat formulaic ending which doesn't quite match the quality that preceded it. Thankfully, Kiefer is a supporting actor here, otherwise this movie would have been hard to watch. He is an awful actor, like most nepotistic offspring, and his strange way of talking in DC doesn't work at all; it doesn't make him seem eccentric but merely laughable. Fortunately, there is a whole half-hour in which Kiefer has no appearances. Proyas seems to be a very talented guy, but I'm not so sure about his casting: he put (up with) Will Smith in the main role in "I, Robot".
In case the plot here starts reminding you of something, it'll probably be "Matrix" and maybe some other movies that deal with reality, that were made later ("13th Floor", for example). There are some similarities there. Of course, DC came first, so...
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Fedor8: check out my "TV & Cinema: 150 Worst Cases Of Nepotism" list.