Dark City

And they say lightning doesn’t strike twice. If Proyas's The Crow was dark, depressing, interestingly stylized, and narratively "unusual", all this is doubly true for Dark City, a very bleak and unpleasant vision of a world dominated by bald aliens who are allergic to light, can bend physics to their advantage and have a motive that, even after much thought, doesn't seem illogical or nonsensical. Of course, we've seen the single hero destined to carry out a revolution and defeat an invincible foe a few times before, but when everything around is so tastefully polished, thoughtful and novel, a little cliché can never hurt. And Jones’s soundtrack is perfect for the genre :)) 85% (24/12/2013)

The dark setting and black backgrounds create an original and depressing atmosphere. Alex Proyas literally revels in this, and it must be acknowledged that this is his style and he is a good director. Rufus Sewell is in an unusual role here, one of his few in B-movies. The film has a very peculiar atmosphere and top-level visual effects, and it does not lack originality and inventiveness, but the ending is not as intellectually or emotionally strong as I would have imagined based on the unfolding of the story. (19/02/2005)

Dark, dark and just dark again… Alex Proyas is amazing and his direction is very thought provoking, he bombards the viewer from the beginning to the very end with one dark shot after another, and I was so deeply depressed while watching that I almost managed to fall asleep. Dark City is visually impressive and very depressing; the last time I experienced similar feelings was during Blade Runner, except that here I was a little bored. At first, the story failed to engage me, but from the second half onwards, the plot builds up nicely and culminates in a successful duel (the way they hang in the air against each other reminded me of the final fight in The Matrix Revolutions). The ending itself is powerful and has a very cathartic effect. (18/11/2003)

Wow, that was a ride! Mix together Metropolis, P.K. Dick, Burton, Gilliam, the Coens, and maybe even The Matrix, add to that Proyas' ornate direction and Proyas' very, very bizarre script... And you get Dark City. It's a juicy treat for genre lovers, which I would probably recommend to Franz Kafka if he ever wants to come back from the grave to watch a movie. (23/07/2010)

From the first to the last minute, the extremely paranoid script by Alex Proyas and David S. Goyer, who clearly revels in his own convoluted plot, is just the foundation of the overall quality of the film. Proyas's penchant for dark and grungy corners of urban districts was once again put to good use in creating a desolate atmosphere that weighs on the viewer like a heavy blanket. It’s a visually refined "plaything," abundant with a flood of fantastic yet not gratuitous special effects, supported by the excellent camera work of Darius Wolski, and an unsettling yet captivating soundtrack by Trevor Jones. All in all, it is pleasing not only to the eye but also the brain, which is not allowed to rest for even a moment. Add to that a great cast, led by the strange Doctor Kiefer Sutherland, followed by William Hurt and Rufus Sewell. With all these elements combined, this film is definitely something that will linger in one's mind for quite some time. (05/11/2005)