Leaving the theater, Daisy bid farewell to Justin and looked up at the sky. The darkness mirrored the New York City depicted in the film. She glanced around, hoping to spot a figure that appeared sunny and carefree but was crazily mad inside, yet found nothing. She shook her head; this was not Murphy's created New York City. There was no magician here.
Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a store next to the theater that sold movie merchandise. She quickly went inside and picked up a black suit similar to what the magician wore in the film. Even though it cost her $199, she was satisfied as she got into her car.
Sitting in the driver's seat, Daisy didn't start the car right away. Instead, she took out her phone, found the IMDb page for "The Dark City," and unhesitatingly gave it a ten out of ten rating. She then quickly typed out a short review.
"The character of the magician elevates the concept of a villain to that of Satan. Because Satan's evil deeds are ordained by God, he feels no guilt. God tests Job through Satan, so if the villain is Satan, he doesn't see himself as a villain. His purpose is to question whether the world truly has faith, truly has goodness."
"Satan's purpose is to prove that evil exists, that it must exist; otherwise, even goodness has no value."
"This definition of the magician gives the character a god-like confidence."
"James Franco has captured this essence."
After posting her review, Daisy turned off her phone and started her car. Perhaps too shaken by the magician, she opened her phone again to check, finding another review following hers.
"The magician differs from the traditional villain. Normally, when we call someone or something evil, we mean that the person's purpose is bad, or they are using bad methods to achieve a certain goal. But the magician's actions lack such clear purpose; you can't even define his goal."
"In essence, the magician aims to disrupt the fundamental principles of civilized society. Murphy previously mentioned in an interview that James Franco's portrayal of the magician is essentially an anarchist. What is the cornerstone of modern civilization? A social organization based on a contractual spirit— the state. The state embodies order and planned strength, while the magician represents chaos and impulsiveness, existing to dismantle human society."
"The brilliance of this character owes much to James Franco's explosive performance, but even more to the script. It's not just that Franco turned something mundane into something magical; Murphy gave Franco an incredible opportunity to unleash his full potential."
Daisy agreed with the reviewer, acknowledging the character's superb design.
"Murphy Stanton remains the same wicked Murphy Stanton."
Muttering to herself, Daisy suddenly put on the magician's suit lying on the passenger seat, imitating James Franco's voice with exaggerated laughter, then drove off.
Meanwhile, Leonardo DiCaprio got into his Bentley, instructing the driver to start the car while he pulled out his phone and logged into Twitter. Scrolling through, he found it flooded with reviews of "The Dark City," all overwhelmingly positive.
"I will undoubtedly regard 'The Dark City' as the best movie! Murphy Stanton perfectly blends commercial and artistic elements, balancing profoundness and simplicity to an extreme. With grandiose music, breathtaking scenes, and compelling performances, it thoroughly captivates emotions. To anyone who hasn't seen it—missing it would be one of the greatest regrets of your life!"
Away from the fervent atmosphere of the theater and the film, old grievances returned to Leonardo DiCaprio's mind. He shook his head at the exaggerated praise. Could it really be that good?
Further down, the comments continued praising.
"Murphy Stanton's 'The Dark City' is undoubtedly a new classic in action films of the 21st century, a masterpiece worth watching hundreds of times. Various thrilling scenes keep the audience on edge, enjoying explosions, fights, and chases to their fullest."
Some fans even appeared quite professional.
"As a crime action film, 'The Dark City's' editing is remarkably sharp and precise. Credit goes to Murphy Stanton's intricate script, which is astonishing. Watching the film straight through, one marvels at its seamless flow. In the two-and-a-half-hour viewing experience, you completely lose track of time, not wanting to look at the clock. No additional explosions or gimmicks are needed; the plot alone keeps you on edge every minute."
"Moreover, the entire film has no superfluous lines or scenes. Even the smallest details serve as foreshadowing for later plots, making the narrative feel natural, clean, and efficient—truly a model for modern action films!"
The more Leonardo DiCaprio read, the more he realized the audience wasn't exaggerating. He had just seen the film and knew these fans weren't overstating things.
"'The Dark City' is undoubtedly a technically flawless film that delves deeply into human nature. Not only does it have an epic feel, but it also elevates viewers' expectations for summer blockbusters to a new level. The industry will soon recognize Murphy Stanton's obvious contribution!"
Sitting in the car, Leonardo DiCaprio finally sighed, admitting that these fan reviews were not exaggerated. Murphy Stanton's film deserved such accolades. The film truly was…
He smiled bitterly and whispered to himself, "It's truly outstanding!"
Such excellence couldn't be ignored, nor would ignoring it make it go away. The film was likely to be a massive hit.
Leonardo DiCaprio worried about the upcoming release of "The Great Gatsby" next weekend. With "The Dark City" receiving such rave reviews, it was sure to have a strong box office performance, inevitably impacting "The Great Gatsby."
How could he minimize this impact? Leonardo DiCaprio frowned.
Attacking "The Dark City"? That was clearly not a good idea. If Murphy Stanton and his film gained momentum, attacking them would mean standing against a substantial fan base.
"I got it!"
Leonardo DiCaprio thought of a way. Instead of attacking, he could ride the wave of Murphy Stanton's potential surge!
He remembered clearly that Carey Mulligan, the female lead in "The Great Gatsby," was Murphy Stanton's ex-girlfriend!
This was an excellent point for news promotion under the current circumstances.
Having watched the film from a VIP box, Vin Diesel had left earlier than Leonardo DiCaprio and had already returned home.
Even at home, due to "Fast & Furious 6," he continued to monitor the latest developments of "The Dark City," especially its reviews and ratings. These could affect the film's box office performance and impact "Fast & Furious 6's" box office this weekend.
Vin Diesel first checked IMDb. When he clicked on "The Dark City's" page, he was stunned by the rating and the number of votes.
In just over half an hour since the film ended, IMDb already had over 20,000 user ratings, and "The Dark City's" average score was… a perfect ten!
Vin Diesel instinctively rubbed his eyes. Yes, it was a perfect ten!
He put down the mouse and scratched his head. He couldn't recall any film ever getting a perfect score on IMDb upon release, not even Murphy Stanton's previous works.
Even if a film was rated only by its fans, the odds of getting a perfect ten were slim.
He scrolled down to the comments section, which already had over ten thousand comments. He read through the top ones.
"Murphy Stanton's greatest success lies in the showdown between the magician and Chris Dane. It features exhilarating fight scenes and a convoluted, brain-twisting plot, even turning the oppressive dark hero into a compelling figure. The way the plot handles this is superb. Facing a moral dilemma and letting others choose reflects human nature, but also promotes a principle. Elevating this through the plot is admirable, making this the deepest action film ever."
Vin Diesel conceded that in terms of thematic depth, all the "Fast & Furious" movies combined couldn't match "The Dark City."
"The theme is dark yet profound, and Murphy precisely captures this, making the film rich, meticulous, and incredibly cool. It perfectly satisfies both visual and psychological cravings, making it flawless!"
Vin Diesel then checked other websites for more fan reviews. Although not as direct as on-site ratings, they still reflected real-time audience reactions.
Everything he saw indicated that "The Dark City" was poised for a critical and commercial explosion!
Fortunately, "Fast & Furious 6" had passed its opening weekend. If it had been released at the same time as this film, that would have been a disaster.
Vin Diesel, known for his brashness, wasn't foolish. He was grateful his film hadn't clashed with "The Dark City."
The night deepened, but North American theaters remained lively.
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