12 Cult Classic Sci-Fis You Stupidly Ignored First Time

Created and directed by The Crow's Alex Proyas, Dark City begins with amnesiac John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) waking in a bathtub to be told by a mysterious doctor (Keifer Sutherland) to escape before a group of pale-faced, trenchcoat-wearing men (known as "Strangers") catch him. And from herein, the mystery of this stylish flick only thickens.

With the protagonist discovering he has world-altering psychic powers known as "tuning", there are striking similarities between Dark City and The Matrix despite the latter releasing one year later (it even reused some of the same sets). Instead of being set in a computer simulation, though, Dark City takes place in a film noir-drenched city set in perpetual night. This noir aesthetic plays a huge role in the film's overall style, giving birth to some seriously impressive visuals.

Though receiving a fairly positive reception on its release and scraping its budget back, the film was nonetheless considered a flop with the film since falling into relative obscurity. Some believe this is thanks to the film's poor marketing which painted it as more of a horror than anything else.

Thankfully, the film has managed to find a faithful following. A much better director's cut was also released in 2008.