Future-Noir

Rating: 7/10 (10 November 2012)

Firstly, I'd like to talk about one of my favourite topics, these days, current era Doctor Who. I promise you, I'll make it brief. Most of you are aware about my feelings to what the state controlled BBC have done to our good Doctor, essentially killing everything that was good about the show. Word on the street is that DW showrunner, Steven Moffat, is some kind of super hot, super genius, super slick, all round super shizzle who as taken DW to new peaks and beyond. Far too many people are hailing him as the best thing since sliced bread, Christ, or even, Tarantino. Now I'll explain to you (by using this film as an example) why this is a complete crock of baloney, and as I have said all the way down the line, Lord Steven Moffat, is a fraud. When Moffat took the helm of the show, anybody with half a braincell could see that things had taken a turn for the worst, but despite this, I persevered and was told, it would be more than worth my while, once I got a load of the new evil genius scary villains, created by Moffat, the most freaked out, sinister creatures since the Daleks, The Silents. Apparently, these new, epically awesome bad guys would do for current era Who what the Daleks had done for the show, all those years ago, back in 1963. We were told that these bad guys would have the kid's hiding behind sofa's, and grannies clutching their hearts in fear, once they were introduced. And lo and behold, upon their arrival, people swore upon their own mother's tomb's that these new Who villains were the bomb, outright terrifying and the most original monsters this side of the cosmos, all hail Steven Moffat. Had I seen Dark City, prior to that point, I would have had all the proof I needed to shut the Moffat fanboi's up, once and for all. alas, I had not. But, as they say, the worm turns, and karmic justice is upheld. You see, the fact of the matter is, Mr Moffat, supergenius, stole The Silents design directly from this movie, even down to the gurgling sounds The Stranger's make throughout Dark City. Way to go Steven, plagerism at it's best. I hope you are so proud of yourself, you massive fraud and cheat. The cheeky blighter that is Steven, even had the audacity to directly rip off the Stranger's reality altering abilities. So you see Moff-head's, your lord and master is not a genius at all, he is just a blatant art thief whose best design was stolen from a creature from Dark City, which is far better realised than Mr Moff could ever produce.
Now, on to the film itself. Without a doubt, the cinematography of DC is astounding, an absolute beauty to behold, even 12 years later (take note Moff-heads, that's a full ten years before Steven belched out The Silents). Director Alex Proyas' intricate use of greens, reds and browns is lush, and jaw- dropping to see in action. It hearkens back to the days of the 1940's film- Noir's I adore so much, even down to the aesthetics of the vehicles and buildings. Job well done, Alex. Without spoiling the plot, which isn't too shabby either, the film plays out sort of like a cross between The Matrix, which this film was overshadowed by somewhat due to the fact they came out almost at the same time, Carpenters "They Live" and, even a bit of Cronenberg's "Scanners" thrown in for good measure. All in all, it plays out very nicely indeed, a few twists here and there along the way, you may, or may not, see coming. It is genuinely intriguing and creepy, and will hold your attention for it's two hour running time. I have to admit, I found my interest waning slightly around 2/3d's into the film, but when the plot picked up for the third act, I was more or less, firmly hooked for the finale, which, considering what we have seen in these latter years, some may consider a tad underwhelming. However do not let that spoil your enjoyment of the film. The way it looks and it's unique concept are worth the asking price alone. The acting is all above par, with even a minor role from the guy who plays Rick in The Walking Dead, just to tempt you U.S series fans out there. This film as been totted as a cinematic masterpiece, is this true? No. In all fairness it isn't. However it is a very engaging, suspenseful 120 minutes you will not be disappointed with. It s definitely above average. It is also a film that makes you think, and question the world around you, and we don't get half as many of those these days, as us cinema buffs would like.