Similar ideas to The Matrix, except it's a very good film, as was here first.

Rating: 9/10 (14 January 2004)

How long have you been here? Are you really who you think you are? Have you always been this person, or is there something or someone else that your mind is struggling to remember? Does the sun ever even come out? Have I ever been outside the city? These are all questions the main characters ask themselves once their hero John Murdock realizes there's something amiss in their world and realizes nothing is as it seems. Where exactly are they? They're in Dark City.
Tiny Spoilers:
The city is ran by a dying alien race, called the Strangers, who have supremely superior technology and run the city as they see fit, keeping everyone asleep and oblivious to their surroundings and conducting secret experiments with the help of a traitor scientist, played by Kiefer Sutherland. But what they didn't expect was that one day, someone would wake up and start asking questions. Enter John Murdock.
Dark City is one of my favorite science fiction movies and has undeniable similarities to the Matrix, just without the terrible acting and cheesy psychological babble. This movie has basically the same premise but is done without all of the action and money-grubbing sequels, and thankfully no Keanu or Fishburne. And also, unlike the Matrix movies, Dark City doesn't sit you down and explain everything to you and make you want to fall asleep. It calls on the viewer to actually think and figure things out for themselves. It seems more and more people these days are not willing to do that, which would explain the Matrix's overwhelming popularity, and this movie's slipping through the cracks.
The camera work and lighting are excellent, giving the entire city a truly dark feeling, which is the entire point. All of the cars, building and clothes are from the '50s era which gives the movie and out of time sort of feel to it. The acting is also something to be admired as well, particularly Keifer Sutherland's role as Dr. Daniel Schreber, who is the only human who helps the Strangers. And Jennifer Connelly is super hot as usual, and gives a good performance as well. Rufus Sewell plays John Murdock perfectly and deserves some credit too, but he's not as hot.
So, if you like the Matrix movies for their action and their so-called philosophical revelations that are thrown at you left and right, then you might have trouble wrapping your wet noodle around this one. However, if you can think on your own and actually contribute something to the evolution of mankind and the collective unconscious, then you should enjoy this film. Overall, 9/10.