Feature

Futuristic tale of dream-stealing strangers

Pushing boundaries visually, intellectually and emotionally, it\'s one of the better-looking films to come out of Hollywood.

Made in Australia for New Line Cinema this tantalising and rather discomforting story is a futuristic vision resonating with film noir. It's about a man who wakes up in a strange hotel room with no memory of who he is or what he's done. He's John Murdoch - Rufus Sewell - and he's suspected of committing a brutal series of murders. On his trail is Detective Bumstead -- William Hurt, a rather sad and lonely man obsessed with detail. A connection to John is his wife Emma -- Jennifer Connelly. But strange things are happening in this dark city. A group of strangers live underground beneath the cracks and they have an agenda which includes John and Emma, and Bumstead, for that matter. But there is a human link betraying them to the strangers - Dr Schreber -- Kiefer Sutherland Dark City is an ingeniously conceived film, an original that reverberates like a familiar nightmare. It's brilliantly designed by George Liddle and special effects designer Patrick Tatopoulos... and evocatively and energetically shot by Dariusz Wolski. I've complained about William Hurt as a sleepwalking actor, here he gives texture to his restraint. Kiefer Sutherland turns in his best performance in recent memory as Schraber, British actor Rufus Sewell balances his difficult central role quite beautifully and Jennifer Connelly smoulders as his wife. I was really looking forward to Dark City, Alex Proyas demonstrated his imaginative vision with The Crow, one of the better-looking films to come out of Hollywood. It's so good to see him push the boundaries visually, intellectually and emotionally even further with this, his latest.