Where Night Never Ends, Questions Begin

Read Time:7 Minute, 23 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Dark City [Limited Edition]
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Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Year Released: 1998, Arrow Video Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 51m
Director(s): Alex Proyas
Writer(s): Alex Proyas, Lem Dobbs, David S. Goyer
Cast: Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, Richard O’Brien, Ian Richardson, Bruce Spence, Colin Friels, John Bluthal, Mitchell Butel, Melissa George
Where to Watch: available June 24, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.arrowvideo.com, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: There’s no question that DARK CITY sets a mood. From the first frame, the film pulls the viewer into a nightmare dressed in noir, where trench coats and fog go hand in hand, and the sky has forgotten how to turn blue. Directed by Alex Proyas and featuring a cast of genre veterans, the movie doesn’t waste time trying to ease anyone in. Instead, it throws you headfirst into a world of manufactured memories, mysterious strangers, and a city that seems less like a location and more like a trap.

At the heart of the story is John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), a man who wakes up with amnesia in a hotel bathtub and a creeping sense of being watched. What follows is a twisted pursuit by shadowy figures known only as “The Strangers,” a group that seems to have godlike control over the reality around him. Murdoch’s journey is part detective story and part existential puzzle, stitched together by the disorienting logic of a dream you can't quite escape.

Visually, DARK CITY impresses. It's grim aesthetic and shadow-drenched set design channel the mood of classic German expressionism while building a disjointed, disquieting world where architectural consistency plays second fiddle to psychological instability. It’s hard not to admire the production design—everything is exaggerated just enough to be unnatural, echoing the film’s themes of altered perception and the malleability of memory.

The ensemble cast does what it can with the material. Sewell is appropriately haunted, playing a protagonist who looks like he’s on the brink of remembering something horrible. Kiefer Sutherland turns in a polarizing performance as a scientist caught between allegiance and regret—some might find it compelling, others simply grating. Jennifer Connelly adds depth in a role that could’ve easily been decorative. At the same time, William Hurt serves as the grounding figure, a detective trying to connect the dots in a city that won’t hold still.

Richard O’Brien’s presence as Mr. Hand, one of the Strangers, leans into the theatrical in all the right ways. He doesn’t just play a villain; he plays a concept of evil—cold, calculated, and curious. There’s something eerie about how the Strangers float rather than run, manipulate rather than destroy, and seem to rewrite the rules on a whim.

DARK CITY loses some of its momentum in how it connects emotionally. The film is drenched in big ideas—identity, memory, free will—but often seems more preoccupied with presenting them as abstract concepts rather than truly engaging with them through its characters. It’s a fascinating maze that sometimes feels like it’s been built just for complexity. As much as the visual and conceptual ambition pulls you in, there’s a noticeable gap where human connection should be, which can create a bit of distance between the viewer and the story.

This limited edition release from Arrow Video includes both the Director’s Cut and the Theatrical Cut of the film, allowing viewers to explore how tone and structure shift depending on what’s been left in or taken out. The Director’s Cut removes the explanatory voiceover and makes key alterations to preserve the mystery. It doesn’t solve every problem but might draw you deeper into the city’s strangeness. Either way, the new restoration and packaging deliver a striking presentation that gives the film a fresh lease of life, at least visually.

Bonus features like visual essays and the Roger Ebert commentary—he was one of the film’s biggest champions—offer deeper appreciation for what Proyas attempted, even if it didn’t land in every way. Ebert famously called DARK CITY one of the best films of its year, comparing it to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and METROPOLIS. That praise might seem extreme depending on your expectations, but there’s no denying the craftsmanship on display.

Ultimately, DARK CITY feels like a film caught between two identities—part visionary sci-fi, part stylistic noir—but never fully satisfying either option. It deserves credit for its ambition and originality, especially when most genre entries leaned on tired formulas. However, that same ambition sometimes gets in the way of cohesion. The story is more puzzling than provocative, more stylized than stirring.

Still, this release is worth the visit for fans of cerebral science fiction with a flair for the abstract. It might not be the revelation it sets itself to be, but it’s a memorable ride through the subconscious fears of control, identity, and isolation. Don’t expect clarity—DARK CITY is more about the question than the answer.

Bonus Materials
2-DISC 4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negatives approved by director of photography Dariusz Wolski
4K Ultra HD (2160p) Blu-ray presentations of both the Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1, stereo 2.0, and new Dolby Atmos audio options for both cuts of the film
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
60-page perfect-bound collectors' book featuring new writing by author Richard Kadrey, and film critics Sabina Stent, Virat Nehru, and Martyn Pedler
Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Doug John Miller
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Doug John Miller
Three postcard-sized reproduction art cards
Postcard from Shell Beach
Dr Schreber's business card

DISC 1: DIRECTOR’S CUT
Brand new audio commentary by director Alex Proyas
Brand new audio commentary with Craig Anderson, Bruce Isaacs, and Herschel Isaacs, co-hosts of the Film Versus Film podcast
Archive audio commentary by director Alex Proyas
Archive audio commentary by film critic Roger Ebert
Archive audio commentary by writers Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer
Archive introduction by Alex Proyas
Return to Dark City, a new hour-long documentary featuring interviews with director Alex Proyas, producer Andrew Mason, production designers Patrick Tatopoulos and George Liddle, costume designer Liz Keough, storyboard artist Peter Pound, director of photography Dariusz Wolski, actor Rufus Sewell, hair & makeup artist Leslie Vanderwalt and VFX creative director Peter Doyle.
Rats in a Maze, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra West
I’m as Much in the Dark as You Are, a new visual essay by film scholar Josh Nelson on film noir and identity in Dark City
Design & Storyboards

DISC 2: THEATRICAL CUT
Archive audio commentary by director Alex Proyas, writers Lem Dobbs & David S. Goyer, director of photography Dariusz Wolski, and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos
Archive audio commentary by film critic Roger Ebert
Memories of Shell Beach, a 2008 featurette in which the cast and crew look back at the making of the film from concept to reception
Architecture of Dreams, a 2008 featurette presenting five perspectives on the themes and meanings of the film
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery

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[photo courtesy of ARROW VIDEO, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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