The sci-fi genre had great movies in the ‘90s that popularized the genre on a whole different level. However, not all of them got as much attention as they deserved. Today’s film is one of the best but most underrated examples of those movies.
Dark City is a sci-fi movie directed and written by Alex Proyas, starring Rufus Sewell and Kiefer Sutherland. It tells the story of a man named John Murdoch, who has trouble remembering his past, trying to understand what’s going on in the dark world he lives in.
Firstly, I’d like to say that the story is extremely intriguing with its mysterious plot that unfolds as the main character, John Murdoch, tries to understand the events that happen around him constantly. In a way, we, the audience, experience the story with John, which makes him a really relatable character because the mystery that is at the film’s core is not explained to him right from the beginning, instead, he struggles throughout the movie to understand everything and complete the puzzle. In this way, we are not given the whole story right off the bat, but we understand everything as the story progresses.
Secondly, the movie’s storytelling is awesome combined with its great worldbuilding. As I mentioned earlier, the film gives the pieces of the puzzle slowly throughout its runtime. As we see the events unfold from different characters’ perspectives, we begin to comprehend what this movie is about and what is happening in this tenebrous city. Moreover, this storytelling perfectly supports the film’s worldbuilding, which gives the audience an interesting backstory and some rather terrifying villains. Also, the characters have potential but I think they are not played as good as they should’ve been. Additionally, I think that the character development of the protagonist feels rushed because he becomes who he is at the end a bit too fast.
Thirdly, the cinematography and the soundtrack of the film are excellent. The gloomy and dreary atmosphere of the city is truly depressing as it features no sunlight or any form of joy and happiness on its surface. This dismal but perfectly-fitting visual tone is further accompanied by a powerful soundtrack that includes fine examples of epic music.
In summary, I can say that Dark City is a superb sci-fi film with a compelling story, an immersive narrative and worldbuilding, great cinematography, and a powerful soundtrack. Even though the characters may feel a bit rushed and poorly acted, I think that this movie is one of the best examples of the sci-fi genre.
RATING: 9/10