Dark City

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Dark City

R

Released Feb 20, 1998

1h 41m

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

90 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he is wanted for a series of brutal murders. The problem is that he can't remember whether he committed the murders or not. For one brief moment, he is convinced that he has gone completely mad. Murdoch seeks to unravel the twisted riddle of his identity. As he edges closer to solving the mystery, he stumbles upon a fiendish underworld controlled by a group of ominous beings collectively known as the Strangers.

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Critics Consensus

Stylishly gloomy, Dark City offers a polarizing whirl of arresting visuals and noirish action.

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Bill Boisvert

Chicago Reader

Real humanists may have misgivings.

Rated: 1/4

Jun 16, 2022

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Mike Clark

USA Today

Dark City is fascinating, visionary filmmaking that captures the sensation of dreaming and being unable to wake up.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 9, 2018

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

City ultimately plays like one of those art-deco dystopian CD-ROM adventures of recent years.

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

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David Reddish

CBR

The core of the film itself offers a meditation on human nature. Memories and personality do not define human beings; choices do. That haunting philosophy... makes Dark City live on as a classic; one of the most important sci-fi movies ever made.

Rated: 4/4

May 5, 2025

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Dark City deftly creates a world both foreign and familiar at the same time to match the clouded tone of its story.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 7, 2024

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

This is an exceptionally stylish-looking production driving a story with grand aspirations, and though flawed, like the majority of Proyas’ work, it achieves most of what it sets out to do.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 22, 2023

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Gendgi S

Awesome classic, great story, great acting, a must watch for sci fi / mystery fans.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/23/25

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Korra N

Gripping, intense & thought-provoking, Alex Proyas' sci-fi thriller isn't just a genre classic but a classic period, with outstanding acting, breathtaking visuals, gorgeous cinematography & haunting sound/production design.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/10/25

Full Review

Patrick R

A perfect sociological metaphor of contemporary society... much more profoundly than The Matrix and with a unique perfect romantic visual style (it's no coincidence that he's the author of 'The Crow'), and good script ... this film throws in your face, in a very simple but spectacular and multiform way, the true meaning of: The dynamics that determine our anthropo-social reality are deeply hidden, hypercomplex, and extremely difficult to understand. Good science fiction... TRUE science fiction... that is, with a shocking and profound message

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/10/25

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J H

The theatrical version is great, but the Director's Cut is even better.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/09/25

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Dakin B

This was straight up garbage

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/07/25

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Audience Member

An original sci-fi idea with great cinematography and very unique and almost unhinged editing. The final resolution of the movie is a bit awkward but the plotline will keep you entertained and immersed throughout the movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

Full Review

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Alex Proyas

Director

Rufus Sewell

John Murdoch

Kiefer Sutherland

Dr. Daniel Schreber

Jennifer Connelly

Emma Murdoch

William Hurt

Inspector Frank Bumstead

Richard O'Brien

Mr. Hand

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Synopsis

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he is wanted for a series of brutal murders. The problem is that he can't remember whether he committed the murders or not. For one brief moment, he is convinced that he has gone completely mad. Murdoch seeks to unravel the twisted riddle of his identity. As he edges closer to solving the mystery, he stumbles upon a fiendish underworld controlled by a group of ominous beings collectively known as the Strangers.

Director: Alex Proyas
Producer: Alex Proyas, Andrew Mason
Screenwriter: Alex Proyas, Alex Proyas, Lem Dobbs, David S. Goyer
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Mystery Clock Cinema
Rating: R (Violent Images|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 20, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.3M
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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