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Dark City (1998) 7.8
Ratings:
7.8/10 from 108,977 users
Metascore: 66/100
Reviews: 595 user | 211 critic | 23 from Metacritic.com A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans. Director:Alex Proyas |
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Title: Dark City (1998)
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Rufus Sewell | ... | ||
| William Hurt | ... | ||
| Kiefer Sutherland | ... | ||
| Jennifer Connelly | ... | ||
| Richard O'Brien | ... | ||
| Ian Richardson | ... | ||
| Bruce Spence | ... | ||
| Colin Friels | ... |
Walenski
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| John Bluthal | ... |
Karl Harris
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Mitchell Butel | ... |
Husselbeck
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| Melissa George | ... | ||
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Frank Gallacher | ... |
Stromboli
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| Ritchie Singer | ... |
Hotel Manager /
Vendor
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Justin Monjo | ... |
Taxi Driver
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| Nicholas Bell | ... |
Mr. Rain
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Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
John Murdoch awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he has lost his memory and is wanted for a series of brutal and bizarre murders. While trying to piece together his past, he stumbles upon a fiendish underworld controlled by a group of beings known as The Strangers who possess the ability to put people to sleep and alter the city and its inhabitants. Now Murdoch must find a way to stop them before they take control of his mind and destroy him. Written by Anonymous
Taglines:
They built the city to see what makes us tick. Last night one of us went off. See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for violent images and some sexuality | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
27 February 1998 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Dark Empire See more »Box Office
Budget:
$27,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
£309,525 (UK) (29 May 1998)Gross:
£848,615 (UK) (19 June 1998)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (director's cut)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Dr. Schreber: [voiceover] First there was darkness. Then came the strangers. They were a race as old as time itself. They had mastered the ultimate technology. The ability to alter physical reality by will alone. They called this ability "Tuning". But they were dying. Their civilization was in decline, and so they abandoned their world seeking a cure for their own mortality. Their endless journey brought them to a small, blue world in the farthest corner of the galaxy. Our world. Here they ...
See more »
Written by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltrán Ruiz (as Pablo Beltran Ruiz)
Sung by Anita Kelsey
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Has one of the shortest Average shot lengths (ASL) of any modern narrative production at 1.8 seconds. This means there is a cut almost every 2 seconds. See more »Goofs
After John uses his 'tune' to force the Automat slot open to get his wallet, the broken spring and lever for the food slot fall in. When it cuts to a close-up of his hand taking the wallet, the broken spring is gone. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Dr. Schreber: [voiceover] First there was darkness. Then came the strangers. They were a race as old as time itself. They had mastered the ultimate technology. The ability to alter physical reality by will alone. They called this ability "Tuning". But they were dying. Their civilization was in decline, and so they abandoned their world seeking a cure for their own mortality. Their endless journey brought them to a small, blue world in the farthest corner of the galaxy. Our world. Here they ...
See more »
Soundtracks
"Sway"Written by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltrán Ruiz (as Pablo Beltran Ruiz)
Sung by Anita Kelsey
See more »
If you like mind twisting movies that stick with you for days/weeks and make you question the human existence and our reality as we know it, then DARK CITY is the film for you.
Similar in philosophy to the later released 'The Matrix', the film is centered around a man (Rufus Sewell) who becomes suddenly and unwittingly aware that his world is not what it seems. The film kicks off with Murdoch (Sewell) waking up in a bathtub with no memory and a dead body in the same room. He has no recollection as to how and why he's there.
As Murdoch attempts to put the pieces together he notices that at every midnight on the dot, apart from Murdoch himself, every inhabitant in the city falls asleep. It's then that he realizes that something even bigger than his memory loss is taking place.
Alex Proyas (The Crow) manages to combine a tantalisingly interesting Sci-Fi screenplay with dark and drab yet beautifully mysterious cinematography and he pulls it off (once again). Although a box-office flop, it has managed to, through the years, collect and maintain a cult following which is well deserved.
It isn't without it's faults, Rufus Sewell although adequate, doesn't steal the show (much like Keanu), and the talented co-stars (k. Sutherland, Connelly & Hurt) aren't utilised as well as they could be. The story does become slight complicated and a little ridiculous at times, but which Sci-Fi movie hasn't suffered from that affliction?! To summarise, think of 'The Matrix', minus the big name stars, special effects and hype, and multiply the philosophy and mystery by 10 (without complicating it, like the Matrix sequels did) and you end up with DARK CITY.