Dark City was my #24. My review from the 21st HoF
Dark City (1998)
I love that image and that's what I appreciate most about
Dark City, it's atmospheric look. The sets and the lighting are very film noir...and noir and sci-fi are two of my favorite genres. The movie delves into deep world building with a score that accentuates the moody atmosphere. The street scenes smell of urban night in an crowded dingy city...just like a good noir film does. And the interior shots of the sets are done up nicely with attention to detail.
Dark City is certainly one of the most stylish looking films around.
Why didn't Rufus Sewell have a bigger career? I thought he was excellent in this and he reminded me of Joaquin Phoenix. Not only did he look a bit like Phoenix but his facial actions and style of acting was very similar. I wish we could have had more story line on Jennifer Connelly's character. I was intrigued by her life as a lounge singer but other than two short clips of her singing, we really didn't get to spend time with her in the club. But she sure was a knockout in that green dress and that noir Veronica Lake hair style.
Jennifer Connelly, doesn't get to do much, but she does sport a Veronica Lake hairdo.
I know people don't like Kiefer Sutherland vocal gaspings, but I told myself before watching the film that it's a colorful character that matches the film's intentions. And yet I gotta be truthful, every time he was on the screen he took me right out of the picture. Though he would have been a shoe-in for
Dick Tracy (1990).
The aliens had an evil-sci-fi-noir vibe to them, so kudos to the make-up department as they looked great. But I have to say that ultimately we see too many aliens and way too often...so that for me they cease being effective and became almost comical. Especially the little kid alien reminded me of something Spielberg might have done in one of his films.
But the biggest reason why I've never loved this film is that the script doesn't engage me. I can think of other movies that I've seen and their scenes leave an indelible impression on my mind. None of the scenes were emotionally fulfilling for me. Most of the scenes just kind of run together in my mind.