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Dark City
User Score
8.5 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 41
  3. Negative: 1 out of 41

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  1. pinattar
    Jan 14, 2012
    10
    great sc-fi film, really interesting. the plot isnt too complex, and they tell you wants happening. the acting is good, although i didnt like Kiefer Sutherland character at first but he grew on me. (spoiler ahead) [[a nice twist, that i wasnt expecting.]] i highly recommend it, can think of anything wrong with.
  2. johne.
    Oct 5, 2008
    10
    Fantastic visuals that still look good even compared to todays standards. I Have no complaints it is what it is, a piece of good inspired artwork. What more could you want?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. D.Cole
    Aug 19, 2003
    10
    Absolutely awesome. Brings to life the true "Gotham City" that I wished Batman had really brought. Matrix similarities are obvious, but it was made first, so it gets credit where credit is due.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. BradJ.
    Jan 7, 2004
    9
    Not perfect, but damn close. Solid performances by Connely and Sewell. An outstanding performance by William Hurt, he was truly cast into a perfect roll. Overall a fantastic movie that suffers from one of the worst taglines ever.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. [Anonymous]
    Jan 9, 2006
    10
    Good.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. JamesK.
    Jul 15, 2009
    9
    It was entertaining and deep, it also looks utterly superb.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. YoonMinC.
    Oct 1, 2003
    5
    A shameless sci-fi ripoff of noir, gothic, fascist, and dystopian(mainly Orwellian totalitarian)imagery, this film is overcast under(or eclipsed by)heavyhanded use of style and humorless buggyeyed execution. A bunch of extraterrestial cousins of Nosferatu with jellyfish brains and whiplashed necks manipulate the memories of humans to figure out the essence of the soul in order to save their race from extinction(couldn't they find a Pscyhology 101 textbook instead?). From what disease, you ask? How about from the boredom of being stuck in this movie? There's a nasty little kid among these vampire like critters but why only one? For effect, of course, but then this movie has nothing beyond effects, special, stylistic, or otherwise. The concept is, by now, a staple of sci-fi, with implications that are spiritual and political as well as scientific or Phenomenological. But, this movie, like the Japanese anime Akira, is too stupid to develop these themes and instead degenerates into a series of chases, fight sequences, and a final battle on the level of yoda and dooku tossing ever bigger objects at one another. This telepathic power is called 'tuning' and too bad one can't tune off this awful mess but there is the remote control... And, yet the movies isn't entirely without virtue. First, there is the obvious ambition, which in our summer blockbuster saturated culture, counts for something. There's also the commitment from actors; William Hurt is particularly good though Kiefer Sutherland is unconving as geek doctor and hollow cheeked Jude Law is shallow and lackluster as the Chosen One. Jennifer Connelly, though hardly a talent, has grace and beauty and knows how to use them. The CGI effects, though not overwhelming and even murky, stretch into something resembling boldness though never originality. And, it's generally well-paced and suspenseful enough if you want to tune your mind off. A sci-fi in the Terry Gilliam mode, excessive and inflated but hollow. Finally, I think it would have been more interesting not to have vilified the vampire folk and their agenda, for after all, they are only seeking survival. Their means may be evil but their impulse surely isn't. … Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. AadhaarV.
    Feb 9, 2003
    10
    Good God one movie I just cant forget. AWESOME!!!!!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  9. Jack
    May 28, 2003
    10
    Loony, crazy, way over the top, and nearly a masterpiece!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  10. RalphW.
    May 16, 2004
    8
    I really enjoyed this movie. It had a gripping story that kept me captivated the entire duration of the movie. The plot was a bit choppy in places and Kiefer's performance was a bit below par. But otherwise excellent viewing.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. DavidW.
    Jul 6, 2005
    10
    Visionary filmaking a wonder to see. I loved it !
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  12. BenR.
    Mar 17, 2006
    7
    I have to say the writing was excellent, very twisty, and it keeps you interested, guessing for more. But Proyas's directing was waaaaay to iver-the-top. Great writing, see it for the plot alone.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. AlG.
    Aug 28, 2002
    10
    Incredibly inventive. The last time I saw it, I noticed a number of overlapping concepts and themes with "The Matrix." Rufus Sewell is the most under-utilized actor in film.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. EnderW
    Jan 26, 2008
    8
    Great movie. Two of my biggest gripes about the movie are supposedly going to be fixed in the director's cut (which should hopefully be released soon): - The unnecessary intro at the beginning which ruins the plot. - The shallow exploration of many of the ideas in the movie (Proyas stated that the director's cut adds a good 10-20 minutes of extra scenes that further develop and explore the plot and story).… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  15. RamonL
    Sep 13, 2009
    9
    Visually stunning and extremely good sci-fi storyline. It's like "Brazil" meets "The Matrix".
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  16. RecoveryRx
    Jan 23, 2012
    10
    One of the best sci-fi films ever made. Intricate plot and well explained also, genius quality. Simply amazing movie with awesome visuals and great acting too.
  17. House0fWolves_
    Dec 16, 2011
    9
    I really enjoyed this film. The fact that it was free, on Netflix Canada, certainly helped as well. All the same, it was very well done. Apart from that, I don't know what else to say.
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 23
  3. Negative: 1 out of 23
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    75
    Proyas' movie lacks a truly rich or compelling story -- although the city secret is certainly a rich and compelling idea. All too often, Dark City seems a great production design in search of a movie, an ultimate modern film noir pastiche, in which the images are so strong they overpower the drama. [27 Feb 1998]
  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Peter Stack
    50
    Dark City grabs your eyeballs and squeezes.
    Read full review
  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Holden
    70
    So relentlessly trippy in a fun-house sort of way that it could very easily inspire a daredevil cult of moviegoers who go back again and again to experience its mind-bending twists and turns. Although its story doesn't add up when you analyze it afterward, the movie does take you on a visually arresting ride that offers many unsettling surprises right up to a sentimental sunburst of an ending that has a paranoid undertone.
    Read full review
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