A Good Gothic Sci-fi Blend

Rating: 8/10 (31 May 1999)

Writer, director, Alex Proyas, is in some ways like George Lucas. Proyas in Dark City borrows from 20 to 30 other films; mixes it together with style and polish and creates a very interesting science fiction experience. The foundation of Dark City is the German Expressionist films of the 1920's, Metropolis as well as early horror films from Universal Studios such as Frankenstein. All these influences give Dark City a very sharp black and white look with some terrific sets. The heart of the movie is a mystery and sometimes felt like a 1940's film noir detective story. The film also absorbs the paranoid sci-fi of the 1950's. Add a touch from Scanners and you have a plot that feels like a nightmare and yet has another interesting, deeper meaning.
Dark City does not get bogged down with all of these images and ideas. The editing is sharp. The acting is often haunting. And the special effects are just right.
Also like George Lucas, Proyas creates an interesting alternate world but I doubt if anyone would like to live there. Enjoying this film depends on how far you would like your mind stretched. Are you looking for a twisted experience like a David Lynch film or is the Truman Show as far as you care to go. If mentally traveling to an incredible often frightening place is what you want, then Dark City is your ticket.