Review of Eyes Wide Shut (1999) by Nathan M — 22 Oct 2012

Not as out-there as legend might suggest, Eyes is a gripping journey nonetheless and anchors the top of Stanley Kubrick's second tier. The story focuses on the nighttime emotional voyage of a man, shaken by the debunking of an assumption he had about women in general. It's a story about different manifestations of a man's emotions after he's been thrown for a loop. Yes, sexuality is a central theme in this film, but it isn't exactly the erotic thriller like it is reputed to be. It's deeper and a little less sensational than that. To be frank, the vast majority of the film is reserved and mature, not explosively sexual.

Tom Cruise does a great job as the focus of the story. Initially, his interactions seemed a bit stilted, but I eventually decided that they seemed that way because of Nicole Kidman's uneven performance. Kidman had moments that were convincing and moments that weren't. She irritated me at first, but eventually became more grounded than not. Sydney Pollack was very good as a character he completely inhabits.

The closed set was noticeable, but the story was engaging enough to overlook that fact. I enjoyed the fact that this was the only Kubrick film with 1990s technology in it, giving it a more modern feel than his older films. Unfortunately, I viewed the "Austin Powers" censored version, hiding graphic sexual content behind digitally inserted people. I feel like what was hidden wasn't so far out that it warranted an NC-17, but hey, the MPAA is inconsistent and of questionable fiber anyway. The pacing was very deliberate and slow at times, but I was very convinced by Tom Cruise.

One film that Eyes could be compared to is The Game. While The Game is less demanding, it has a similar feel, that edgy feel that one gets when real danger is introduced into the life of a semi-sympathetic white collar protagonist. I prefer The Game in that it's a little more fun. As a Kubrick film, it isn't exactly a classic, but it is definitely epic. That being said, I think that A.I. would have been a more impressive note to go out on. Though surrounded by legend regarding its sexual explicitness and its status as Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut stands as an interesting and restrained piece on one aspect of the human mind. (23 October 2012).