The Real Matrix -- Proyas Did It First

Rating: 9/10 (24 February 2006)

A man (Rufus Sewell) struggles with memories of his past, including a wife (Jennifer Connelly) he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.
"Dark City" is quite possibly one of the most overlooked and under-appreciated films of the 1990s, yet could be also said to be one of the most influential. The general lack of interest in this film by critics and the general public is a mystery to me, since there is really not much to complain about with an action-packed (yet intelligent) plot, superb acting and some of the best visuals in many years. The very fact Roger Ebert called this the film of the year and took the time to record an entire audio commentary on this film is a testament to its greatness and may some day (though not yet) be looked back on as one of the seminal works of the 21st century.
Directing this picture is Alex Proyas, best known for his work on "The Crow". The similar darkness makes his work obvious and there probably was not a better person to make this film. Tim Burton, also known for his dark films, would have been too strange. David Fincher could possibly have done it; yet, I think Proyas knew how to mix the past and the future in a dark world elegantly.
Many people have made the comparison of this film with Fritz Lang's 1929 classic "Metropolis"... and I definitely see it. The buildings / architecture in both as far as I can tell are very similar, though the plot differs sharply. "Dark City" seems to be set in the 1940s, and that is hardly a stretch from a futuristic 1929. I saw some interesting parallels with "Uzumaki", the Japanese horror film based on the 1998 manga. Both films feature a spiral or "vortex" theme... "Dark City" has one man become obsessed with spirals, filling his office and home with them; the serial killer carves spiral shapes into the flesh of his victims; and another man has a spiral fingerprint. While the symbolism is different in the two films, the visuals are strikingly similar.
And even some allusions "Hellraiser"... but only because the Strangers all look and dress exactly like Pinhead, or at least shop at the same bondage store. The 1990s were filmed with nihilistic films, and the costumes here reflect that sensibility.
But most of all, this film is similar to "The Matrix" in a great multitude of ways -- and this film came first, which really undercuts "The Matrix". One man comes to realize the world he lives in is not all it seems -- other beings, more powerful than humans, control the real universe behind the scenes. He is brought to realize this by someone who goes between both worlds, but is not powerful enough to stop them on his own. In time, this man acquires the powers of those he is up against. Both are compared to Jesus Christ -- John Murdoch's apartment number is 614, in the Bible, John 6:14 says "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." And on top of this, some of the same sets were used for both movies. So "The Matrix" is half the genius film some have made it out to be.
Have I applauded the cast? Kiefer Sutherland, a great cult actor ("Lost Boys"). Richard O'Brien, another great cult actor ("Rocky Horror Picture Show"). And Jennifer Connelly, who is the greatest actress in the history of the universe on both this planet and on all other planets, both in this dimension and in every possible dimension. To create a dimension where Jennifer Connelly is not perfect would be impossible and against the will of God Himself. William Hurt is in this film, and you cannot deny the star power of Bill Hurt. While his character is somewhat one-dimensional in this film and does not have the range Hurt is capable of, he nonetheless filled this role with as much vivaciousness as possible. I really hoped his character, a detective, would solve the case.
And the questions this film raises about love (can it be synthetic) and our memories (could we be living a false life, created by a higher power)... maybe not every day problems, but something much deeper and hard to think about without a headache. The film reminds me of Professor Daniel Putman, who would constantly challenge us to prove the universe was not created five minutes prior. (Putman, of course, was evoking Bertrand Russell's Last Thursdayism.)
This film has some flaws (is Murdoch too powerful? how is a speeding taxi slower than a police officer on foot?) but is overall a priceless film. Highest possible recommendation.