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Dark City

Play trailer Poster for Dark City R 1998 1h 41m Fantasy Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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78% Tomatometer 91 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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Dark City

Dark City

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Critics Consensus

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

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Critics Reviews

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Jake Cole Slant Magazine Jun 9, 2025
Dark City is ultimately positive, recapitulating noir’s post-WWII social anomie as a quest for self-actualization over complacency. Go to Full Review Bill Boisvert Chicago Reader Jun 16, 2022
1/4
Real humanists may have misgivings. Go to Full Review Mike Clark USA Today Jan 9, 2018
3/4
Dark City is fascinating, visionary filmmaking that captures the sensation of dreaming and being unable to wake up. Go to Full Review Jeff Beck The Blu Spot Jun 24, 2025
3.5/5
It may have some problems with its finale, but this was a rather ambitious work that's mostly successful at accomplishing what it set out to do. Go to Full Review Frank J. Avella The Contending Jun 16, 2025
B
The cast boasts impressive turns by Kiefer Sutherland, William Hurt and Richard O’Brien, with Jennifer Connelly delivering yet another wooden performance. How did this actress ever win an Oscar? Key to the film’s success is (Rufus) Sewell... Go to Full Review David Reddish CBR May 5, 2025
4/4
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. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Slick R @SlickReviewer Aug 23, 2026 I can't believe I never saw this movie before, maybe because they probably never showed it on TV since it's too sci-fi plus rated R for TV. Almost 30 years later and I gotta say if I saw this in 1998 I probably would have been very impressed. To be honest I still am impressed considering the scope of the movie and the year it came out. You have to remember this movie was before The Matrix and way before John Wick. Some criticism about the movie, some parts of the story were never explained and some parts could literally have been left out like why did they need to show Jennifer Connelly singing two full songs twice separately in the movie? I fast forwarded through the 2nd song. Movie was too long. See more socrates7679 T @RT63607042 Jul 13, 2026 Great movie with excellent cast! Builds on noir themes with superb storytelling. Best version is the directors cut See more RichardAB T @PoorDearRichard Jun 6, 2026 I can see why this film has its fans, but it just wasn't for me. The whole thing felt too dystopian and oddly robotic, which made it hard to connect with the story or the characters. The sets looked pretty fake most of the time, and instead of pulling me into the world, they kept reminding me I was watching a movie. I never really latched onto it, and after about 30 minutes I ended up turning it off. See more Cameron A. @Kozzie Apr 26, 2026 This movie is beautifully filmed that setting feels timeless. But the pacing feels like a confusing sprite. That leaves you with so many questions. See more Rossano Magno T @RT60636345 Apr 12, 2026 Filme horroroso! Sem pé nem cabeça! Todo picotado e sem sentido algum! See more Keys O. @RT80191608 Apr 2, 2026 Dark cerebral thriller. Loved it. Gosh, Rufus Sewell was fine. Jesus See more Read all reviews
Dark City

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Cast & Crew

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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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Dark City

Dark City (1998) Dark City (1998) Dark City (1998) View more photos

Movie Info

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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