For the sci-fi aficionado, the "must-watch" list is usually a well-trodden path. The heavy hitters are paraded across every "Best Of" list on the internet, leaving the true hidden gems without the mainstream acclaim they deserve.
"Dark City" is currently waiting for you to discover it on Tubi — for free! — but not for long as it's leaving soon. This 1998 sci-fi mystery follows a man wanted for murder who discovers that everything he believes about himself is a lie created by a group of weird, pale, bald guys called "the Strangers."
That setup alone is enough to grab your attention, and the fact that you can stream it without a subscription makes it a no-brainer. This flick is exceptionally weird, with plenty of twists and turns that will at once disturb you and draw you in, which is the true mark of excellent, high-concept sci-fi.
What is 'Dark City' about?
John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes up in a hotel bathtub with no memory, a dead woman nearby, and the police hunting him for murder. As he tries to piece together who he is and what happened, he starts to realize the problem is much bigger than one crime when those strange, pale men show up.
The Strangers seem to control the city itself, possessing the power to reshape buildings, stop time, and manipulate people’s memories. Except Murdoch realizes he can do the same thing. As he slowly regains his identity, he ends up facing off against a relentless inspector and figuring out what the Strangers actually are—and why he can no longer remember anything about his life, or even the woman that he loves.
The culmination of all this bizarre set dressing finds Murdoch gaining "all" of his powers and forming a partnership with Dr. Daniel Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) to piece together the secrets behind the city and why he's woken up without a trace of his past life.
Why you should stream 'Dark City' on Tubi right now
"Dark City" is worth streaming for its unique approach to the genre and how it decides to let you in on what's happening, little by little. It rolls several genres into one: murder mystery, a sci-fi thriller and a classic noir.
Rufus Sewell is a believable amnesiac as John Murdoch, while Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, and William Hurt help build out a world that feels positively unstable and alien, just like it's supposed to.
A lot of sci-fi movies with big ideas either get too caught up in their own mythology or flounder when it's time for the big finish. "Dark City" avoids both problems. There's an insanely strong hook right away, but there aren't any real answers to satisfy your questions. You know there's a man who's lost his memories, and there's a group that might be responsible for it. But who and why? And for many of the things that occur in the story, how?
That's where "Dark City" goes all in. Director Alex Proyas builds a setting that feels artificial and strange, giving the whole movie a sense of dread that keeps building from beginning to end. You never quite feel like you know what's happening, even when every secret is revealed. And after the credits roll, you'll still be thinking about it.
If you're ready to give your mind a challenge with sci-fi that isn't afraid to push you, make sure to check out "Dark City" before it leaves Tubi for good.
Stream "Dark City" on Tubi for free
