by Chase Patton
From New Line Cinema, “Dark City” (1998) is a classic 90’s neo-noir masterpiece, directed by Alex Proyas. Alex Proyas is the imagination behind such movies as “The Crow,” “Knowing,” and “I, Robot.” “Dark City” is a timeless film similar in story and style to “The Matrix” and “The 13th Floor.” Despite its watchability, “Dark City” did not gain the mainstream recognition its contemporaries like “The Matrix” did. However, it does have a cult following—and for good reason. The sets, cinematography, and sound are exquisite.
The movie centers on the character of John Murdoch, portrayed by Rufus Sewell in a stellar and genuine performance. Murdoch is on a mission for truth after being accused of committing ritual killings which he cannot remember, like a programmed Manchurian candidate. This raises questions about who is actually orchestrating the murders and what precisely Murdoch’s involvement is. Murdoch traverses the mind-bending, shape-shifting labyrinth of the city of eternal night in a visual experience worth the movie rental. The city is under the secret authority of a human-like alien race called “the Strangers.”
The Strangers are entities who operate from within a hivemind-like structure deep underground, where they use telekinetic machinery and perfect their psychotronic methodology, known as “tuning,” which they leverage on the citizens of the city. They run experiments on the citizens of Dark City in order to learn what it means to be human to aid their survival. One could compare the Strangers’ quest to understand humanity to other works of science fiction, where artificial intelligences make similar pursuits.
Memories are removed and replaced among different citizens throughout a city which shifts its shape each day at the stroke of midnight. The city is like a spiral machine literally bent and tuned by the telekinetic will of the Strangers, which in turn bends the reality of its inhabitants. This makes the citizens of this shadowy city eternal sleepwalkers, consciously awake yet unaware of the nightly procedures of their subterranean masters. The creators of this system of cognitive tuning are the architects of a grand experiment. The Strangers are adept at tuning or telekinesis and use it to their advantage against the less-adept humans. However, Murdoch develops his own telekinetic powers and wields them against the Strangers, who ultimately consider this development the next evolution for their race.
Residing within Dark City is Dr. Daniel Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland), a psychologist and ally of John Murdoch as well as an indentured servant to the Strangers. Jennifer Connelly plays the role of Emma Murdoch, lounge singer and wife to John Murdoch. Murdoch is pursued by Police Inspector Bumstead (John Hurt). Richard O’Brien, of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” fame, plays the role of a Stranger called Mr. Hand. The cast of Dark City all execute their roles in a realistic and compelling manner enjoyable to the viewer.
Over 20 years later, “Dark City” is worth watching because the entire film is a work of art from beginning to end. It has aged remarkably well and should be watched by anyone interested in similar films like “Blade Runner,” “The Matrix,” and “City of Lost Children.” Watch if only for the visuals which are genuinely award-worthy. But it’s the creative, esoteric story and themes which make this movie a classic. “Dark City” explores the topics of consciousness, psychokinesis, and what it means to be a human being in a manner which is thought-provoking and undeniably unique. Watch this movie, NOW! Sleep.
