In 1999
everyone flipped out over “The Matrix”.
The story, the characters, the action, the still impressive bullet-time,
it all was incredible and it was all well deserved. The only thing that bummed me out then and
even now is that a year earlier a film was released with a similar story,
unique characters, maybe not as good action and instead of bullet-time, there
was “tuning” and it remained unrecognized as an equal contributor to modern day
science fiction. “Dark City” was
overshadowed by the still sailing “Titanic”, and was forgotten when the
Wachowski’s gave us ‘the one’. But
looking at it now, director Alex Proyas brought to the screen a film that
deserves to be acknowledged and remembered as a classic in sci-fi film history.
A man (Rufus
Sewell) wakes up naked in a bathtub and without his memory, when he comes to
find out that he’s John Murdoch he realizes he’s wanted for a murder he doesn’t
remember committing, and feels that he doesn’t even have it in him to do such a
thing. He’s chased by creepy trench-coated
bald pale men called “Strangers” with names like Mr. Hand, Mr. Quick, and Mr.
Book. Also on his tail is Inspector Bumstead
(William Hurt) who is looking for a killer of women, but feels that things are
not what they seem in his city. Murdoch’s
wife (Jennifer Connelly) is wondering where he is and why he has no memory of
her. Light is shined on all of their situations
by the Strangers slave Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) when he tells them that
they are part of an experiment in human nature.
As Murdoch strives to remember who he is and who he was with the fragmented
childhood memories of the elusive Shell Beach, he brings Bumstead and his wife
into the fold to discover the truth of the Strangers and their mysterious
intentions towards everyone in the dark city.
The only
thing that I’ll give “The Matrix” over this, besides the effects and action is
the characters, they are more flat in “Dark City” but that part of it may be attributed
to the direction that they are supposed to be virtual blank slates that have
been wiped too much. Other than that I
feel that it’s superior in concept, its focus, substance, and its resolution of
the story in a final act which coincidently is not too dissimilar from that of
the third “Matrix” film. The script by
Lem Dobbs, David Goyer, and director Proyas is methodical, patient, and the
world building is stellar. It also nails
its tone like no other. The set design which
feels like a more gothic Gotham-type city where eras are blended together and
it lends itself to that maze imagery used in the film. The characters are all in search of something
deeper, a way out and when the truth is revealed, new questions come to light
as does the desire to be free.
If you’ve
seen it before and loved it, you would do well to watch this director’s cut with
the audio commentary by film critic Roger Ebert. Now while I didn’t always agree with his take
on certain films, his love for “Dark City” is completely evident as he waxes intellectual
on a range of subjects revolving around the film and he believes as I do that
this is a classic piece of cinema. Like
him or not the man knew his stuff and it’s worth a listen to give you a much
deeper understanding of an already fantastic film.
The Blu-Ray
transfer looks beautiful like it does with a lot of films. Though some of the visual effects show their
cracks but practically every shot of the city which was all filmed on sets and
not with physical locations is brilliant to watch. From the close-up on the actors faces and
hands, the textures of the buildings, the amazing stark of the lighting, it all
brings Proyas’s singular vision to life and it is worth experiencing again and
again.
--Robert L.
Castillo
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