Visual treat. (Dark City (DVD))

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	Dark City (DVD)
Date:	04/06/01 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good storyline, dark

Disadvantages: weak ending, too dark?

Dark City is a science fiction film that had gone unnoticed by me until I bought a copy as part of a "three for £15" deal in HMV a few years ago. It did have a big screen release in 1998, but despite seeing some reviews of it at the time (average reviews, if I remember correctly) I never caught it in the cinema.

When I first watched this (before The Matrix came out), I was impressed by the basic storyline, but felt it could have perhaps been "tightened up" and done better. Why mention The Matrix here? Well, for the simple reason that there are a lot of similarities between Dark City and The Matrix, both in style and plot.

**Plot Details – Please skip to the next section if you do not wish to know plot details**

John Murdock (Rufus Sewell) awakens in a bath in a hotel. He is disorientated, and doesn't know who he is. He searches his hotel room, trying to make sense of what's going on, and find out who he is. As he does so, he uncovers a body – seemingly a murder victim. The hotel clerk tells him where he can find his wallet, and he sets off to discover his identity. Murdock leaves the hotel shortly before being visited by strange, bald headed men in trench coats with strange powers.

The murder is being investigated by Inspector Frank Bumstead (William Hurt) and it transpires that this one is only the most recent in a line of similar attacks. Bumstead is pointed in Murdock's direction by both the hotel register, and Murdock's wife, Emma (Jennifer Connelly) who reports her husband as missing.

So, as the police is hunting him down, Murdock must find out who these mysterious strangers are, recover his memory to see if he is the killer and meet up with his wife whom he loves very dearly. These things are not easy though, and more questions are asked before any are answered. Where is Shell Beach? Are the quick flashes of his memories important? How come no one can tell him how exa
ctly to get to Shell Beach and what exactly has psychiatrist Dr. Paul Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) got to do with everything?

**End of plot details**

I have mixed feelings about this film. There is a good plot going on, and the story unfolds at a nice rate without swamping you with too much information at one time. It lets you mull things over before presenting the next piece of the puzzle. One bad point, though, is the shiny happy ending that, for me, nearly ruins the whole thing. The film is about 97 minutes long, and seems to be about the right running time – not too long and not too short.

It's directed by Alex Proyas who is also responsible for The Crow and if you've seen that film, you'll certainly be familiar with the style of this one. The majority of the story is set at night in an unknown city at an unspecified date, however the style suggests an American city in the 1940s. It's very nice to look at, and the city has that old, but new feeling to it, rather like Gotham City in the original Tim Burton Batman movie. The special effects are quite good, and compliment the style of the film, rather than overshadow it.

The acting, however, is a different matter and a complete mixed bag. Both Rufus Sewell and William Hurt turn in good, if standard performances from actors who can do better whereas Jennifer Connelly appears to be bored throughout the entire length of the film. Kiefer Sutherland gives Dr. Paul Schreber annoying mannerisms and tics that play more to the characters nervousness than his intelligence. Richard O'Brien, as one of the mysterious "Strangers" turns in a typical Richard O'Brien performance, while Melissa George (from Home and Away), as May the prostitute, barely gets a chance, her appearance is so short.

There is a message in there somewhere, and I'm not telling you what it is because it'll give away more plot details. If you like science fiction movi
es where you have to give it some thought (not much though) then by all means give this a go. Those of you expecting or looking for a flashy, action filled blockbuster will have to go elsewhere. One word of warning – as the film is very dark, it's not one for watching during the day. Watch it at night, with the lights turned down for the best effect.

Summary: