Dark City (1998)

John Murdoch awakes in a hotel room wanted for a brutal murder which he can't remember ever committing, or why he is in the hotel room. Soon pursued by the police he attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding him. He meets with a Dr. Daniel Poe Schreber who promises to reveal the real reasons behind his life and the key he holds for the future. Injecting him with a strange substance he soon learns the truth about the world around him. He realises that a strange group of people called 'The Strangers' are behind everything and nothing is as it really seems.

The very dark picture is a difficult task handled perfectly by the DVD technology. I'm certain that the laserdisc and video versions are a mess compared to this immaculate transfer.

The sound is a bit of a disappointment. There was a great opportunity to really go to town on the surround channel, especially during the nightly remodeling. Perhaps budget constraints meant a bit of cost cutting and corner cutting took place on the soundtrack. Shame really.

Director of The Crow, Alex Proyas dark influences are clearly visible in this film and the film's title speaks for itself. Similar to The Crow rain and darkness are prevalent throughout the film. Indeed, comparisons with Metropolis can also be made, and even if you aren't convinced of this there is even an extra on the disc doing just that.