Movie Review: Dark City (1998)

Dark City (1998) co-written and directed by Alex Proyas

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes up in a bathtub with no memories of who he is or how he got there. He is in a hotel in a rundown city full of squalor and mysteries. John is embroiled in a problematic mystery, the killing of a string of call girls. He discovers that he left his wife (Jennifer Connelly) over an affair and maybe he has been committing the murders in revenge? If that wasn't bad enough, something much more sinister is going on. Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) has been his psychiatrist. The doctor has a much more important secret. He is in league with The Strangers, a race of beings who are studying humans to find out why they are unique. The Strangers can manipulate reality and have been rearranging the city and messing with people's lives as a scientific experiment to gain the knowledge they want.

The movie is initially a noir thriller, with the dark, squalid city and intriguing mysteries, including lurid murders. It quickly morphs into a science fiction nightmare with exploration of the nature of identity, individuality, and the nature of reality. The philosophical musings don't get too deep or too confusing. The slow reveal of The Strangers' plans and what is really going keeps viewers engaged and has some surprising moments. The visuals, often borrowed from movies like Metropolis and other dystopias, are striking. The dark style fits the theme well. The movie is intriguing and begs to be watched a second time.

Recommended.