DARK CITY (1998) MOVIE REACTION! FIRST TIME WATCHING!

DARK CITY (1998) MOVIE REACTION! FIRST TIME WATCHING! Polls, early access and full reactions on Patreon / reelreviewswithjen Watch me watch this 1998 sci-fi movie Dark City, in this first time watching reaction video! Dark City tells the story of a man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.
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The film was written and directed by Alex Proyas. Dark City stars Rufus Sewell as John Murdoch, Kiefer Sutherland as Dr Daniel Schreber, William Hurt as Inspector Frank Bumstead, Jennifer Connelly as Emma Murdoch, Ian Richardson as Mr Book, Richard O'Brien as Mr Hand, Bruce Spence as Mr Wall, Colin Friels as Walenski, John Bluthal as Karl Harris, Mitchell Butel
as Husselbeck, Melissa George as May and Nicholas Bell as Mr Rain.
Check out this first time watching this bad sci-fi movie reaction video for Dark City, and see if I can make it through this bad sci-fi movie. Horror is a genre I've barely explored, mostly because I'm a huge wuss. Typically my Halloween movie viewings consist of Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown. This year I decided to expand my horror movie knowledge and try and watch these horror movie fan favourites.
Check out my first time watching this classic 1998 sci-fi movie, Dark City, and enjoy my reaction video! Don't forget to like and subscribe for more videos! If you have suggestions for other horror movies I should watch, comment below!
#darkcity #moviereaction #firsttimewatching #scifimovies #moviereaction #90sscifi #scifi #90smovies
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[@daniellanctot6548]

Murdock was not trained his all life, but the Doctor implanted, at the end, a life time worth of memories in which he practiced his powers. So while he never actually went through the motions of being trained, Murdock got the memories of it and so, through the injection, he gained the knowledge to control his powers. There are many, many similarities between Dark City and The Matrix, even if one deals with aliens and the other with robots. Unfortunately, Dark City did not resonate with audience as much as The Matrix and I think the Matrix had a much better advertising campaign. But Dark City became a cult classic of its own right and os an excellent movie!

[@Danileith123]

Good. I came here to say the same thing. It's one of the more important points in the movie.

[@Danileith123]

Try to find the commentary on the DVD. I think one of them is Roger Ebert. He was teaching a film class where they pick a movie and dissect it, and used that information in the commentary.

[@Imfarias1]

@@Danileith123 One of the first DVDs I ever owned.

[@shathriel]

It did not have the advertising plus Keanu, saw boh when they came out and enjoyed both immensely

[@sneeson]

Came here to say the same thing myself.

[@McPh1741]

Jennifer Connelly makes everything more beautiful.

[@BigGator5]

I'm glad that you got the Director's Cut. In the Theatrical Cut, the studio spoiled the movie in the opening narration. Fun Fact: This film deals with 'Last Thursdayism' philosophy. Last Thursdayism says that the world (with us and our own basic memories included) could have been created recently, even last Thursday, but we cannot demonstrate such a thing because the world would have been created to look like an older world.

[@michaelnolan6951]

Yeah, when I first saw it at the cinema, the opening voiceover was a glaring fault in the movie. The second time I saw it I dragged my friends along and told them to cover their ears until I signalled that the movie was really beginning.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

@@Dularr More like they're not in the business of making movies for people who would understand. Much less money in that. But occasionally they slip up and let someone make something really great.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

@@Dularr LOTR is another example of unintentional genius on a studio's part. They had no reason to expect it to work artistically, and people like that don't care about source material. All they knew is that they could hire an obscure indie director to film everything in his island country on a budget.

[@Elricateot]

So glad for whomever recommended the directors cut.

[@nathanridgway7009]

So glad you enjoyed it! Dark City is one of my favorite Science Fiction movies of all time. It was brilliantly written and directed, and definitely unique. We need more unique and standalone sci-fi movies. Too many reboots, remakes and sequels out there. You should react to Forbidden Planet (1956), another great sci-fi film (loosely based on The Tempest).

[@johnnypickens9228]

Criminally underrated sci -fi film.

[@wumpscutx1]

I saw this in the theater with some friends when it came out and had no idea what I was getting in to. Such a great film. Little Mr Sleep was sooo creepy.

[@CineRam]

One my favorites. I love sci-fi movies that include a tragic love story.

[@Ken-ij4ry]

When we get our big reveal of the city in space as William Hurt is floating away is one of my all time favorite movie moments.

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

Oh no! Looks like he's gonna be lost in space...

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

Been a fan since Day 1! Criminally Underrated.

[@chrisl4451]

One of my favorite sci-fi movies of all time. Intelligent and very unique

[@chimpinaneckbrace]

When I look up “underrated movies” in the dictionary I find Dark City (1998).

[@TerryNationB7]

I love reading stories by Philip K Dick, so Dark City's themes of 'what is reality?' and distrust of your own mind/memories is hugely interesting to me. The look of Dark City now makes me want to rewatch Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985).

[@chrissiegle1065]

Yay, someone finally did this movie!! One of my favs. Great reaction! 👍

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

Thank you so much!

[@thunderstruck5484]

Basically we’re floating in space on a planet our earth is just floating in the vastness of space sometimes I freak myself out thinking about it haha

[@Nimbus1701]

I very much appreciate that you reached to this as no many people do, and this movie is an underrated gem. I first saw the original trailer during Stargate when I watched that in the theater decades ago. I saw this movie 3 times at the cinema, and it remains a fantastic movie. I want to say thank you to the person that requested this on her Patreon. This is one of only a few channels that react to some of the older movies that are pure gold!

[@SydRetroFoodie]

One of my fave movies of all time

[@salyx]

I love this creepy neo noir so much!

[@mykeleddy2608]

I remember watching this as a kid and being so confused but I love the weirdness of the film

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

Haha yeah it’s definitely abstract

[@jaranowska]

Saw this film in theaters, it blew me away completely! The shot when the beach appears has incredible strength on a giant movie screen after spending the whole film in the dark. I even bought the soundtrack. Amazing sci-fi film.

[@bighuge1060]

I also bought the score for this movie. I love they included the trailer music.

[@Feuerbach1]

I did too, sadly the theatre was mostly empty

[@edwardthorne9875]

Thanks so much for your brilliant commentary on this forgotten gem. Roger Ebert liked it so much he did the commentary on the DVD. He felt it hailed back so strongly to the traditions of Film Noir, and then took it a step further. Here you have a man waking up with amnesia, and a dead girl in the tub. Perfect opening. Other examples of Neo-Noir (is that a thing?) would be, as you noted, Momento, Blade Runner, and possibly Matrix. How difficult to edit! Every scene contributes to the whole bizarre quest.

[@bmatt2626]

One of my all-time favorites.

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

A LOT of The Matrix draws from not only ideas in Dark City, but also Dark City's green color palates and interior lighting. The Matrix even used sets from Dark City! And the phone call warning to the clueless hero to RUN. Dark City is a great and influential ride.

[@alexarthur4456]

Well done for choosing this. inspired Nolan's Inception. The Dr trained Murdoch in the injection. Murdoch was the evolved human / missing link / Neo they were looking for (they theorized) to help them become human.

[@taoist32]

I agree. Murdoch would have been “Adam” the first man to fully unlock his potential, but without the doctor he would have been too confused on how to interact in the world. The doctor was both the instigator as well as the mentor.

[@pathatfield2543]

When I just saw that there was a new review of a science fiction by Jen I let out a joyful chuckle.

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

Haha awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@richardmeyer1007]

One of my favorites!

[@richmcclure3917]

Reminds me of The City of Lost Children

[@garrywalker435]

So glad you finally got around to doing this one Jen. A great reaction to one of my favourite movies of all time. t's definitely one of those that warrants repeated viewings as you'll always notice little details you missed before. When I first saw it the big reveal genuinely made me gasp, few films can do that. A unique film with a great cast (Jennifer Connelly has always been one of my favourite actors) and a stunning sets. My memory isn't great but if you haven't seen or reacted to it yet then may I suggest Pan's Labyrinth, another stunner of a movie.

[@taoist32]

When you watch a lot of similar movies, you get the gist almost immediately. Tons of movies have similar endings where the protagonist finds out everything is lie. Even more so when you don’t realize the movie has a sci-fi bent and the ending shows everyone is on some prison planet or city isolated in space.

[@Emburbujada]

Yay! Dark City! This is one my favourite movies! I think I love everything about it, the plot, the philosophy, the acting, the music, the aesthetics. Alex Proyas also directed The Crow. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Also, yes, Jennifer at the end of the pier is just like the scene in Requiem. Do you think Murdock is now technically God?

[@taoist32]

I think Murdoch is supposed to be the quintessential human. He’s unlocking his full potential while the rest of us go through our lives in a hazy dream with vague memories that confuse us and keep us complacent.

[@teanosuger]

This is a little gem

[@barrypethers9439]

Hi Jen, a few Dark City bits of info, the Matrix reused some of Dark City's set prices, Jennifer Connelly was upset that her singing voice was replaced in the original version but it was put back in the Directors Cut Glad you enjoyed the movie.

[@billwhipple9039]

Good movie, good reaction and review

[@Wesleech]

I have a spiral finger print. Sometimes I wonder...

[@boomieboo]

I forgot how good this movie was. Thanks for bringing it back and reminding me.

[@richardjones7984]

Good review. It's a great film.

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

Thanks for watching!

[@shainewhite2781]

Cool, you're watching the Director's Cut of DARK CITY! It's a good thing, because the original cut of the movie spoiled the origin of the Strangers, who they are, what they are, where they came from, what do they want and why they are here. The film was a box office disappointment, making the exact same amount of money as it's budget, $30 million dollars. But has become a cult classic, and Roger Ebert considered a cinematic achievement.

[@andrewawakened628]

Dark City is a great movie. Unfortunately it wasn't a box office hit (from what I'm told the studio botched the marketing of it), so many people only became aware of it when it came to video rental and cable tv. I remember what it was like - it was the kind of movie where once someone saw it they would come to school or work the next day and rave about it to everyone they knew and tell them they had to watch it!

[@oxhine]

Hey, Jen! You misunderstood two things: 1. Murdoch was given a lifetime of fabricated memories by Schreber to hone his nascent tuning mutation into a mature ability he could tap like second nature. You see Schreber with two syringes in his hands. One was his special cocktail while the other were the serial killer's memories Murdoch was supposed to receive initially. 2. The humans in the city are not reanimated corpses. They were abducted from Earth during the 1930s-50s initially and have been traveling through space in this disc-shaped generation ship for years, perhaps even millennia. The current crop are generations removed from the original abductees. When the human guinea pigs die, the bodies are used as vessels by the hydrophobic aliens. Murdoch's memories of a fire belonged to someone else long dead. Everyone has experienced countless memory infusions over the course of their lives and have no real identity of their own. It's chilling and sad. Murdoch is an example of adaptive mutation like Neo in "The Matrix". I saw this movie five times in theaters and each time the audience audibly gasped at the Shell Beach reveal when they batter through the wall to reveal a starscape!

[@zardox78]

Eh, I'm not so sure about the multi-generational thing, or the possibility that they've been out there for millennia. It doesn't really fit with the fact that Schreber was forced to erase his own memories but allowed to keep his scientific knowledge. That seems to indicate that his scientific education came from somewhere else. That it was an _actual_ education that the aliens couldn't just replicate, which made him unique and valuable enough to keep separate from the rest of the experiment. That puts kind of a time limit on how long they've all been in this place. More like a decade. Two at the most. Schreber's not that old. Also the fact that he knows how to mix up memories in a syringe seems to indicate that he wasn't educated/taken between the 1930's and the '50s, but at some point in the future, and the aliens just decided to model their city on that general era for for their own unstated reasons.

[@alexarthur4456]

looks like the style is based on Edward Hopper paintings. And Fritz Lang's Metropolis. It's not that far fetched to think there are cities floating in outer space. The world floats in outer space.

[@PhillipHoskyn]

I think you should watch City of Lost Children

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

I’ll add it to the list!

[@bcsr4ever]

Yes. It is a film that takes a couple of viewings. lol.

[@tremorsfan]

I think that's the saddest Byeee that I've ever heard you say on the channel.

[@bonchbonch]

The doctor inserted himself into John's memories to teach him everything he needed to know in a few seconds.

[@totomomo18]

Great movie. Not many reactors react to it thanks for doing it. Matrix took this movie sets and reuse it but this movie came out first. You should also watch the 13th floor, The main lead actor play in "The illusionist" and "A Knight Tale" (Both good movies you should see) he also played in the Amazon almost perfect series (Until the destroyed it in the last season) "The Man in the High Castle"

[@GF_Baltar]

Some people accused the Wachowskis of stealing ideas from Dark City when they made The Matrix, which came out one year later (they even used the same sets for filming that Dark City had used), but as far as I know nothing was definitively proven.

[@tomklenskjr.2491]

Yea, Dark City is really trippy and cool. I personally dig it much better than The Matrix .. The director Alex Proyas also directed the Nic Cage sci fi film Knowing which I don’t believe you’ve gotten to yet on this channel.. the DVD of Dark City even comes with a commentary track from film critic Roger Ebert .. Glad you got around to this one Jen! And that you really seemed to enjoy it!!

[@taoist32]

Too much CGI in Knowing to make it that worthwhile as a movie. The concept was interesting, though.

[@shainewhite2781]

Thanks for the video!! See you later!! Stay safe.😉

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

Thanks for watching! You too!

[@vikingchad44]

Underrated masterpiece. Pre-Matrix. The Matrix actually repurposed many of Dark City's sets. They were both shot in Australia. It was a great period for original films. Dark City, Truman Show, The Matrix, Being John Malkovich. All about being controlled. The end of the 90s was amazing. Pre-millennium tension at its best.

[@orvilleredenpiller338]

“Always at midnight.” Every twelve hours. If they even are counting hours.

[@Erin-gp1ww]

I am so glad you reacted to this movie. I love it! If you haven't yet I think you would enjoy reacting to Dreamscape a 1984 film with Dennis Quaid

[@Brooklyn_Bleek]

Alex Proyas, the director of Dark City, also directed the great movie The Crow starring Brandon Lee. The "Book of Dreams" references are a series of short films he did, so they're just easter eggs. Great Reviews BTW!

[@TheNeonRabbit]

11:49 The WAY they fly is even creepy, not head-first like every Marvel and DC character ever but upright like they're flying while standing.

[@robertnigro1430]

If you like the cop in this one you should see him in "Altered States" early 80s film.. It is good

[@AutoPilate]

Also Gorky Park.

[@ThePorpoisepower]

Rufus Sewell (John Murdock) was the dark knight Adamar in A Knights Tale, and Seth in Cold Comfort farm

[@jimtatro6550]

I love this movie so much!!!!! If you haven’t already seen The Crow or Knowing, check them out, they are from the same director Alex Proyas.

[@StarkRG]

The "We use your dead" line is referring to the bodies they inhabit. The aliens are actually those squidlike things inside the human bodies. The human subjects aren't dead, they're abducted and had their memories erased and rewritten. There was definitely no fire, that was an implanted memory.

[@ElliotNesterman]

Another excellent science fiction neo-noir is Jean-Luc Godard's _Alphaville_ (1965). As it's coming up on Christmas, a wonderful holiday-themed film you should take in is the 2006 small screen adaptation of Terry Pratchett's _Hogfather._ Based on Pratchett's 1996 novel of the same name, it is probably the best adaptation of one of his Discworld books. It stars Ian Richardson (the head alien in _Dark City_ ) as the voice of Death, and Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary in _Downton Abbey_ ) as his daughter, Susan.

[@thunderstruck5484]

Excellent movie I remember renting and watching at home in the 90s fun days thanks

[@StCerberusEngel]

You can be forgiven for thinking the whole thing is a dream. Jennifer Connelly stars in plenty of my dreams. 😂. Lol And no, the people are alive. The strangers use dead people as skin-suits basically. That's why they're so pale. Murdock wasn't already able to tune. He somehow gained the ability while in captivity. The memory sequence at the end was the doctor inserting himself into his memories as a guide to help develop that power.

[@Hogtownboy1]

I always wondered if the villian played by Christopher Lloyd in Roger Rabbit was stylized by this movie.

[@Hogtownboy1]

I loved this film. Good choice

[@1nelsondj]

Mind successfully blown, steep learning curve. Have you seen Kiefer Sutherland in the 1990 "Flatliners"? It also stars Julia Roberts and Kevin Bacon. Five medical students attempt to find out what lies beyond death. William Hurt is part of an ensemble cast in the classic 1983 "The Big Chill". Stellar cast of 7 baby boomers reunite 1 weekend to say goodbye to 1 of their own. Loads of great classic rock to edit out, lots of humor, very Thanksgiving feel. Jeff Goldblum, Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, JoBeth Williams, Mary Kay Place, Tom Berenger and Meg Tilly as the outsider.

[@ignorantFid]

I don't know why, but I can really feel the Terry Gilliam vibes in the automat scene. The way you only see the employee's hand.

[@samgreenbergart]

I absolutely love this film. It is my favorite sci-fi film, and I am always happy to see reaction to it, which is rare.

[@BobFox-qs6pb]

a movie that begs to be watched over and over - never gets old & reveals more with each viewing. i've seen it over 100 times. yes, i am crazy (but in a good way). one should only watch the director's cut.

[@ctmdarkonestm]

Remember seeing this when it theaters. Absolutely wild. This director made a hard scifi with Nic Cage called Knowing that you might check out sometime.

[@williamsavage]

Really glad you saw the directors cut. This pre-dates Truman show, The Matrix, & Eternal Sunshitne. (If you want fun, check out "Wristcutters: a love story".)

[@sneeson]

Every human being seen in this movie was born, and lived, on Earth. They were taken to the city, had their memories of Earth erased and the strangers inhabit the corpses of the people they took.

[@zairac2564]

You might say that Dark City is the Matrix. At least it was for Trinity in the rooftop scene. It wouldn't be hard to argue that it was a failed beta version of the matrix and Murdock was the One.

[@athens_1psvr31]

Are Director’s Cuts the only versions that can be found online?

[@alamc200]

Love this movie! Seen it when it first came out.

[@NathanFarkas]

The Aliens were definitely trying to figure humans out, but ultimately they wanted to know how to trasfer everything that is theirs onto humans. Basically, they wanted to upgrade their race to better, simpler, bodies.

[@blackominaeyu7330]

Very good film

[@Bruce-Wayne79]

Great pick Jen. This is one of my favorite Sci-fi - Noir films. The ending is great when you realize they aren't on Earth in the 40s, But have been kidnapped by Aliens 👽. If you like this check out The Crow by the same Director. Has that same dark style of directing.

[@kennymonty8206]

When I was a teenager, I thought Jennifer Connelly was the most beautiful girl in the world.

[@aarrgghh]

altered states (1980), also starring william hurt

[@somthingbrutal]

the opening chase scene in the Matrix reused some of the dark city set

[@grantkruger3689]

I've read that there's a short film set in the same universe, and they make a series. Can't find out anything more yet though.

[@NoahSpurrier]

Awesome movie often overlooked.

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

Thanks for watching!

[@honkenbonker]

To me seemed like a rip-off of City of Lost Children, worth a watch if you enjoyed this

[@ReelReviewsWithJen]

I’ll add it to the watchlist, thanks for the suggestion!

[@radwolf76]

18:24 "...like the Matrix." Funny thing that, because when it came time to film the Matrix, they recycled some of the sets from Dark City.

[@baxydriver]

Love Dark City! I think theatrical cut is more effective

[@williamozier918]

Since the serial killer carved spirals on their victims I assume the killer was someone who also figured out the truth and went crazy like the cop.

[@jason5388]

There's a quick cut where we see the creepy kid alien carving the spirals. Like set dressers, they prepared the physical evidence to go along with the fake memories they created for John.

[@MrSporkster]

This movie is a cult classic.

[@lupusmacbeth8784]

You should check out this one movie that came out this year called Glorious. It is an excellent tale of cosmic horror and comedy.

[@jamesharper3933]

Interesting movie. Now I'm going to have to check out the full movie. Would love your reaction to 1977's post apocalyptic movie Damnation Alley with George Peppard (Breakfast at Tiffany's/TV's A-Team) and Jan Michael Vincent ( TV's Airwolf).

[@michaelvalenzuela2528]

You want to do Weird? Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" is weird, John Boorman's "Zardoz" is weirder, or more weird, or something like that.

[@paulinemegson8519]

Zardoz isn’t just “weird” it’s mentally scarring!! Let’s just say, Sean Connery in a mankini is something I could have gone to my death without seeing!!

[@michaelvalenzuela2528]

@@paulinemegson8519 "Stay within my aura"

[@joerenaud8292]

This movie preceded The Matrix by 1 year and it's rumored that they copied some of the plot from this movie to create the Matrix.

[@lavendercatsstout7023]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌠🌠🌠⛲

[@Greenwood4727]

see the more you think about it, what are memories, i have no evidence that yesterday existed only memories that it did, false memories, misremembering, how do we know the world wasnt created yesterday we have memories of the day before but what if those memories are false, programmed into us.. like the strangers..

[@Jay-ef2ii]

Liked this video. I was 501. June 30, 2024. USA

[@richardbuckendorf1390]

Loved your reaction! Always entertaining to watch your reaction. So, I have a suggestion for you (as per the usual. Lol) however, I think you'd get a kick out of this one, as it's, well, sorta low key a musical... but, it's also a "lost in what time" movie. This film is "Streets Of Fire" from 1984. It features Micheal Parė, Rick Morranis, Willem Defoe, Diane Lane, Amy Madigan, Bill Paxton, and Robert Townsend. All I wanna say about this, is please, watch this trailer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/onayp6FofsZ_g68

[@StoryOfUsFinalDraft]

Sure you were cool cause you react to Buffy but now you have cool because you react to this forgotten enjoyable film... Plus Buffy and this movie are both dark and I like dark stuff that's why I prefer Zack Snyder's DC Dark Universe

[@coreyhendricks9490]

And speaking of cheese & rice, is there any chance you would have cheese & rice for Thanksgiving Jen, cool reaction and take care and Happy Thanksgiving sweetie 🥰

[@mikesilva3868]

🦖princess gwenvure and the jewel riders are going to kick this review to the curb