Rating: 
Summary: Dark City , the true template for "Matrix"-y movies
Review: To my great dissapointment, Dark City was a "slept-on" movie which has been greatly overlooked by Matrix fans. Believe me, if you like the Matrix, for its aura of futuristic battles and the "bibilical" themes that arise from it. You will definetely like this movie. Dark City is a movie that takes place, sometime in the future. Not giving away too much of the story, Dark City explores the fact that our world may not be as familiar to us as we think it is. It involves the theory that we[humans] are mere puppets controlled by a higher being in a realm that we call our universe. The most important thing everyone should consider while watching this movie is .....THIS WAS CREATED BEFORE THE MATRIX. So you might be suprised how much the writers from the Matrix used "creative borrowing". Nonetheless, watch Dark City and enjoy its great story and superb filming. -Sheraz
Rating: 
Summary: great dvd
Review: The commentary from the director, the puzzle solving video game of Shell beach and the amazing sound from the DVD version of Dark City are three main reasons to purchase this movie. The other would have to be the fair price that Amazon is charging. If you loved this movie then buy this dvd.
Rating:
Summary: Simply amazing!
Review: This highly underrated movie is now my all time favorite.The movie came out in 1998 and I dont even remember it comming out.This movie has plenty of eye candy for everyone and an awsome soundtrack and a very dark feel about it.This is basicly a twilight zone type movie in every respect.I have watched it ten times and like it more each time.The dvd picture quality is some of the best I have seen giving you both widescreen (2:35.1)and fullscreen (1:33.1)this dvd is worth every penney.The movie was filmed at the warner brothers studio in australia the same as some of the matrix was filmed and if you look real close at some of the cars you will see that a few have right hand drive!
Rating: 
Summary: Upgrade my rating to 3 - Thanks, Roger Ebert
Review: I am upgrading my rating from 1 star to 3 stars. Watching DARK CITY again while listening to Roger Ebert's commentary made me more appreciative of this film. I still find the "mind battle" at the end to be hokily done, effects-wise. If I listen to the Director's commentary track I may like the movie even more. I will definitely keep the DVD now.
Rating: 
Summary: Dark Pity
Review: I purchased this film solely on the reviews and without previewing. Though I am a huge fan of the genre, it is extremely rare when it is well done. This was indeed a sophmoric work, a grand idea but without a budget and substandard writing (Sam Raimi???)it is difficult to pull off. It seems that Blade Runner, with about the same two or three soundstages, created a world far more unique and captivating. This story had a great influence on the Matrix, but it developed unnaturally fast even to be comic book plausable. It was sloppy, choppy and without depth. Finally, when the true nature of the "Dark City" is revealed, it reminded me of some bad anime, full of techinical imagery, but without any true vision. In short, its drive-in fare
Rating:
Summary: surprising
Review: I had heard so many good things about this movie and the preview to this movie fascinated me so much. I was surprised when I saw it. This movie has incomprable visual beauty. This may very well be the most visually amazing movie since Kubrick's 2001. But the characters and the plot fall so short that it just fails as a movie. At the heart of the movie is a very thought-provoking question: "what is the constituent of a soul?" or "how is a Self created? if there is such a thing." Unfortunately, the movie doesn't really engage this question, it doesn't take it anywhere. Blade Runner (the director's cut is great, the original is worthless) takes this question much further and really explores it, and it doesn't posit it with such obviousness. Simply, there's a lot more to Blade Runner as a philosophical journey than Dark City. This movie tries to be philosophical, but in the end isn't (just like Ayn Rand). Frankly, this movie's trailers really showcased the movies strengths better than the movie itself: its dark, brooding beauty and uniqueness. But you still might want to watch the movie once just to be sure, but don't be surprised if any post-movie philosophical discussion with your friends about the movie comes up a bust.
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment
Review: I had heard that "Dark City" would appeal to film noir buffs, to fans of thought-provoking science fiction, and to admirers of "The Prisoner" TV series. I fall into all of those categories, so this movie seemed like a sure thing. It wasn't. Imagine a shaky hybrid of "Blade Runner" and "The Matrix" directed by the Coen brothers on an off day. Nothing matters here but special effects and flashy sets littered with zero-dimensional characters. Kiefer Sutherland's wheezing doctor earns some sort of award as the most irritating character in recent memory. The thuddy, bass-heavy musical score underlines the "Look at me I'm so cool" emptiness of the film. The sad part is that there were some really good ideas here. The central theme of the movie was an interesting twist on a "Matrix"-like concept, and in the hands of a director less obsessed with special effects, this could have been a fascinating and exciting movie. As it turned out, however, "Dark City" can only be recommended to fans of overlong comic books.
Rating:
Summary: extremely good,highly underrated/misunderstood movie
Review: I finally rented dark city again this weekend...wow..id forgotten how extremely creepy parts of it were and how well written it was...certain parts of the story seemed alittle hastily written in..(ie:the character of mr.hand or whatever his name was..the one imprinted with the guys memories..just casually says to him at one point "we use youre dead as vessels..." wich makes sense but seems alittle out of nowhere..)) also how finding what makes us human could possibly save the strangers entire race was somewhat confusing..i never understood that..nor why the doctor played by kiefer sutherland was bruised and bloody in the flashback sequence where he is forced to erase his memories....or how imprinting sewells character with the strangers collective memories would save them (possibly give them some telepathic link to something? possibly their minds were worn down from tuning the city?)) i dont know..im just very heavily into completely understanding movie plots wich means ill sometimes watch movies very carefully to get any explanations from dialogue or events.. also the movie seemed very short..1 hr and 40 minutes..only 10 minutes longer than the wonderful south park movie wich clocked in at 90 minutes..far too short for something so well done...and the ending cut off most all possiblities for a sequal/book series based upon the movie (you know how most movies will get at least one novel extrapellating on the existing plotline..wich can be anywhere from very well written to painful to read more than 2 pages of..)..also the fan base for this movie is very small..no fan sites to speak of on the internet...many people when this came out either avoided it out of confusion/thinking it was a "goth" movie (wich it was most certainly not..it was a well written suspense film..many will back me up on this...)/thinking it was just a vehicle for special effects (this could have been a factor that killed it as all too often youll get movies that are nothing but explosions and badly written dialogue for characters played by whatever new star is "marketable in the publics mindset...this is obvious as in such movies as pearl harbor,etc,etc..) but i recommend this movie to anyone who likes film noir movies/suspense movies/strangely written movies..or just movies with a good sense of ambiance that leave you wanting to watch it again..id give it 5 stars but...the problems i listed earlier stop it...more like 4 and a half,bordering on 5 stars..its a very good,very different movie
Rating:
Summary: Plunge Below the Surface...and open your eyes...
Review: After having read several of the reviews at this site... and having delayed posting my own, because I really esteem this film...what it is attempting to do...and the subtlety with which it is attempting to do it...the most disappointing, disheartening comment I have read here is that the film has no soul...if there is anything that this film DOES HAVE...and is promoting...it is the whole idea of finding one's soul, being true to it, and fighting to keep its integrity against the demonic forces and effects of the world around it... What you are watching is not just a film...it is not just a surface story...it is a hidden allegory...a beautifully poetic and highly symbolic (with secret symbols) allegory...an allegory is a double layered work in which one level seems to be the surface level of the literal story, but the other level is inviting you...provoking you...to dig deeper...or transcend higher...to other levels of understanding which are staring you in the face, although cleverly hidden... psychological, spiritual, philosophical, hidden knowledge levels...this is not demonic material...but rather, nobly enlightening and spiritually stengthening poetry... This film, like "The Matrix," which I also highly esteem except for its useless profanity and swearing by the very group which is supposed to be the heroic and spiritually enlightened group, are both not simply what they appear to be...they are presenting hidden knowledge...which is psychologically and spiritually profound...the depth psychology of ancient mythology is a close parallel...the work in mythology and gnosticism and depth psychology by C.G. Jung and C. Kerenyi as well as the Gnostic interpretation of the Gospel of John are excellent perspectives from which to understand this film... And what is the symbolic difference between the dark city...which is inverted...turned upside down... and where all the citizens fall asleep, while their identities (personas) are switched into new roles and their minds are altered by injections...so that they wake up in new identities and new circumstances -- and the ending where the hero, by using the power of his mind and will, is able to raise the symbolic lighthouse from the sea...and turn the city right-side up to face the light of...what do you think that brilliant sunlight...and that wondrous, profoundly moving music mean... as that city turns its face toward the sun...and is finally no longer inverted in darkness -- and its citizens are no longer lost in sleep??? And what is the meaning of the hero who does not know himself...who he is or what he is...but who alone among the human populace is able to awaken from his sleep, become "reborn," and start his journey toward self-knowledge and the light? And what is the meaning of his extraordinary focus and mind power? All of this is symbolically shown and the viewer is certainly given enough clues, if one can just watch closely enough...and not get lost in the "entertainment" of the surface story...or think that the surface story is all that there is to this film...the surface is only the starting point...is *Moby-Dick" just a story about a chase for a white whale that bit off a guy's leg? Then why believe that "Dark City" and "The Matrix" are just films about what the surface seems to be presenting...why not pick up on the clues that these films are allegories presenting deeper truths that the viewer is going to have to go below, behind, above the surface level to find the truth of...just as the hero and the police detective break through the brick wall to discover the truth of where the city is really located...what is serving as its boundary...and that there is no apparent escape... that "Shell Beach" (in "Dark City") and "New Zion" (in "The Matrix") cannot be achieved until the hero believes in himself, takes on his responsibiity, and starts to set things right...and turns the dark city right-side up again... to face the wondrous light of Truth... How can anyone say this film has no soul...when there is that incredible scene in the jail...where John's wife, from whom he has been estranged, comes to see him...and there is a glass barrier between them...and in one of the most beautiful and moving scenes in film, John's love...in reaching out to her...breaks through the barrier that would separate them...is that soul-less?!!! This film, needless, to say requires deep viewing (did you notice the label on the back of the t.v. set that Morpheus used to show Neo the Truth?) ... surface viewing and surface thinking are not going to allow one to get to the heart and soul of this film...or of "The Matrix" either...which is why it is so dis- heartening to hear people talking of "The Matrix"... and all they saw there were the cool effects and the martial arts hoopla, razzle-dazzle... the deeper, hidden message flew right by them...they didn't see it...yet...
Rating:
Summary: Before the Matrix, There Was Dark City
Review: Although it drew a less than enthusiastic response in theaters, Dark City is a title that should not be overlooked. Using a deft blend of science fiction and film noir, director Alex Proyas develops his own suspenseful, thought-provoking script (which, in strange coincide, explores themes similar to those in the Wachowski brothers' sci fi masterpiece) into a visually stunning film with high production values and creative design. Admittedly, this movie will not appeal to everone. Like any work of art, there will be those that either love the movie or absolutely hate it. I found it thoroughly facinating, and I think anyone who enjoyed films like "Metropolis" or "Blade Runner" will appreciate what went into making this film. On the DVD side of things, collectors looking for a reference quality disc will not be disappointed. The excellent 5.1 audio track and clean digital transfer really do the effects and ambiance of the film justice. Add to that a plethora of special features including two different audio commentaries, production notes, cast and crew bios, trailers and more..well, you've got another winner from New Line's Platinum Series. Highly Recommended
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