Film is Pwn

For the 10th anniversary of Dark City’s release, Egyptian director Alex Proyas decided to release a director’s cut of his big screen follow up to his most famous film The Crow (Despite the star power of Will Smith, I refuse to believe the movie going public recognizes I, Robot as anything other than special effects laden money grab). I have mixed feelings about director’s cuts, as there are three separate possible outcomes: A director whose vision was stifled by the studio system can produce a work of staggering genius (See Blade Runner – The Directors Cut by Ridley Scott), A great director can revisit a movie and create a film that while improving the original in some ways, reduces it in others (See Apocalypse Now Redux by Francis Ford Coppola), or all to often a monument to a directors idea that he has talent and vision (Payback: Straight Up – The Directors Cut by Brian Helgeland). Maybe Helgeland is just a perfectionist and didn’t want to leave the original as his legacy. Either way I lost several hours of my life I will never get back. Thanks!

Anyway, I decided to see this particular directors cut for a few reasons. First, I liked the original. The sets, the mood, the design and the effects were very good. They leave a distinct impression that often overshadows the actual plot, which in this case is not necessarily a bad thing as while plot is not bad, it is rather simple. Also, they rely less on CGI than most films do now and I have often found traditional special effects methods while not always as dynamic as CGI tend to appear more real. Secondly, it was on sale for $7.50 which is a small price to pay for seeing Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly, Kiefer Sutherland & Richard O’Brien (Riff Raff from the Rocky Horror Picture Show in a rather unsettling performance as Mr. Hand). I was not disappointed…

The first thing I noticed, and I feel was a huge upgrade from the original is that Proyas removed the voice over narration at the beginning of the film. In a film that works very hard to reveal what’s going on only slowly and as the characters themselves discover it, there was no need to it in the first place. The rest of the changes are more subtle (the cut is only 11 minutes more) and involve tweaking some of the scenes visual elements and additional character development, a boon for a film that was at times knocked for being an example of “style over substance”.

The film begins with John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awakening in a bathtub. He walks into the next room where he get a cryptic phone call from Dr. Daniel Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland), warning him the strangers are coming and he needs to leave immediately. When Murdoch discovers a murdered woman on the floor of the room, he decides to take Schreber’s advice and flees. He tracks down his wife Emma (Jennifer Connelly) whom he has no recollection of and discovers a detective (William Hurt) is tracking him down for a string of slayings.

At the stroke of midnight, the entire city (which exists in perpetual night) falls silent, and all it’s inhabitants go into a comatose like state except Murdoch. While the city “Sleeps”, Murdoch sees the strangers altering the city in different ways using psychokinetic powers for the big things and special injections from Schreber for memories. Upon discovering that Murdoch has not gone to sleep like everyone else, the strangers pursue him, however he escapes using his own psychokinetic powers. After escaping Murdoch, who is now pursued by both the detective and the strangers begins to unravel the story of his past, and his early like in Shell Beach. He attempts to reach Shell Beach, only to find that no matter where you go, it is impossible to leave the city…

I don’t want to give too much away, as the film is a terrific one to discover on ones own. There is no great philosophic message (Although Proyas and Murdoch may disagree), but it is thoroughly enjoyable as well as – well, dark. Also, the film is a great value as it is priced below $10 and is one you will want to see again as there is so much to take in visually you will find new things every time.

– Stone D’Estix