05-19-2002, 03:51 AM
Dark City is another one of my favorites. I've probably seen it about ten times, and it keeps getting better every time. Whereas The Matrix focuses more on the philosophy (which is nothing new, Blade Runner did the same thing over 15 years earlier, and did it better), Dark City is driven by mood and atmosphere. I think Sewell did fine in his role, William Hurt was good, and Jennifer Connelly was outstanding, and is probably the best Hollywood actress of the last ten years. The scenery and direction are amazing, and to call it a ripoff of Gilliam is unfair, because Proyas acknowledges that Gilliam and Clive Barker were strong influences in making the movie. But unlike the formulatic Matrix, the underlying theme of Dark City (the link between memory and identity) is a fairly original one, and is more open to interpretation since it is not the real driving force the film. It's a much, much deeper film than The Matrix, maybe less spectacular, but more intelligent, more complex, more creative, and more artistic.