Review of Eyes Wide Shut (1999) by Harry W — 04 Feb 2016
Kubrick's last and massively underrated motion picture reaps tiny seeds of its climax from the get go. Eyes Wide Shut explores sex, infidelity, marriage, humilation, deviance and other topics; personally I think the main theme of the film is want - the want to wear a mask and the want to take off one's mask.
Nicole Kidman is great in a supporting role whilst Tom Cruise is good, but comletely overshadowed by Kubrick's artistry at play and Cruise seems like he's straggling slightly in performance at times.
It's definitely Kubrick's most NSFW picture in my opinion even more severe in its images than A Clockwork Orange. The music ranges from reversed chanting to Chris Isaak and meanders in sync with the tone of the film.
It channels, studies and explores every element of the psychology of sex ranging from the stark, desperate and horrifying to the playfully mischevious fantasy. Often, Eyes Wide Shut even borders on Lynchian weirdness and unsettling dream-like sequences.
It is my favourite film of Kubrick's.
This review of Eyes Wide Shut (1999) was written by Harry W on 04 Feb 2016.
Eyes Wide Shut has generally received positive reviews.
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