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K-PAX

K-PAX

List Price: $12.98
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An uplifting movie with a great ending
Review: The movie begins at a train station, where a woman is mugged and her purse stolen. A mysterious man appears to assist her and is promptly arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital when he starts saying that his name is Prot from the planet K-Pax. However, his shrink Dr. Powell doesn't believe him and plans to get to the bottom of things.

Director Iain Softley definitely makes this a story that is very much character based. Kevin Spacey does another magnificent performance as Prot, a person who may or may not be an alien. His character is to portray a "fish out of water" persona and he has this to the very minor details (even the way he runs is particular). He also has a great humanity about him, something that he shows hints of in "American Beauty". Jeff Bridges has the role of playing the straight laced doctor who is caring with his patients but has the poor personal life with his wife and step children. In the movie, he is supposed to go through a personal journey as he learns more about K-pax and deconstructs his complex layers, but that never really becomes involving. The more involving relationship includ Prot with the other patients, like Bess, the introvert who wont talk after a fire destroyed her home or a former doorman who wants to leave earth, because he does not like the smell of the city he grew up in. These secondary characters are more vividly portrayed and the audience that I watched this sneak preview with felt great empathy with them, especially at the end(...).

The directing was done by Iain Softley, whose done a few good movies. In previous movies like "Backbeat" and "Hackers", he delves into the respective world of Rock and the Techno Underground. With K-Pax, he takes a more subtle and reflective view of the world. This does slow the pace to a crawl at times and since the movie is pretty much humorless, it can become tedious (especially in scenes without the witty Prot).

Another major issue that I had was the fact that the movie would give away things that shape the opinion whether or not Prot is actually an Alien or a Delusional human. By the mid of the movie, I already had the answer. I heard that in the book, it was pretty much up in the air until the end of the story.

Overall, the movie is very uplifting and provides hope. I believe in this time of uncertainty and anger, this movie is the medicine that a wounded country needs....Rating: B

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: K-Pax, better than average
Review: This film was very well acted, had great special effects and left the conclusion up to the individual. Not for young children as scenes of violence are included.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable if you expect a slow drama, like "The Green Mile"
Review: I went with a group of friends to see this movie and we all agreed that it was good afterwards. Only the ending is confusing. (I won't give it away like so many others do!) Of course the acting was top notch. What's funny about Kevin Spacey is I usually don't like his movies, but his acting is so terrific it was hard to walk out on lousy films like American Beauty, or Swimming With Sharks. My only complaint is the cheap attempt of the writer to slip in their anti-capital punishment message. Nice try, but I didn't pay money to be lectured, and I question the ability of a movie to change someone's opinion on such an issue. Fortunately this lecture was only in one scene so I appreciate that the writer didn't keep repeating their spiel. The founder of MGM said it best, "If you want to send a message, send a telegram". I wholeheartedly agree.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Kevin Spacey's done it again!
Review: Once again, Kevin Spacey's done it again!
Like American Beauty, he gives another fine performance.

A few months ago, I was one of many to be selected to
preview this movie, and I thought it was just brilliant.
That was for free. Since then, I took my girlfriend to see it
and she agreed as well. And, I'll probably be seeing it again
soon. It's that good.

Spacey plays Prot, ("pronounced Prote") an extra-terrestrial
from the planet K-PAX. We find Prot in the middle of Grand

Central Station, where he has just materialized. He's is
asked where he is from, and when he says another planet,
he is whisked away to a state hospital. There, he is examined
by Mark Powell, a local Psychiatrist, played superbly by
Jeff Bridges.(loved him in Thunderbolt and Light Foot and
The Fabulous Baker Boys)

At first Powell thinks he is just another space nut, but later
he and we, start to believe that maybe there's more to Prot
than meets the eye.

Once again, Spacey gives an extraordinary performance,
sure to garner another Academy Award nomination.
Both times I saw this movie, it kept me leaning forward in
my seat, and when they do that, you know they're interesting.

Jeff Bridges, and a very fine supporting cast, helps this movie really deliver.
Outstanding performances by all!

Oh, the Planetarium sequence was my favorite scene.
Simply outstanding. It was just as brilliant the second time
around!

Beam me up, Kevin!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Great Acting Makes Attempt to Save Weak Plot
Review: Kevin Spacey is brilliant as Prot, the alleged alien in human form who just might be a human in alien form. He arrives from the planet K-PAX (or does he?) and becomes a patient of the dedicated doctor portrayed admirably by the talented Jeff Bridges. There's lots of analysis, touches of humor, and much revelation about the importance of living your life to the fullest. Movie-goers learn nothing particularly new or revealing to enrich their own lives and will probably leave the theater with lots of unanswered questions (how did he eat that banana?) The major excitement comes late in the movie when the capable doctor solves the mystery and learns what makes his patient tick. But as good as Spacey and Bridges are, this is still something of a snoozefest----overrated, over-hyped, and pretty much of a let-down.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Is he or isn¿t he
Review: That is the question always in the back of your mind as you meet Prot, the man who has appeared from thin air in a busy train station. Spacey plays the pretentious alien from the planet K-Pax to the N'th degree. He is quickly taken to a psychiatric unit where a long involvement with his doctor, played by Jeff Bridges begins. How it all ends is not to be told here by me, but for you to enjoy as it unfolds slowly.

The movie is well worth your time and money. I see a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Spacey in the future and wouldn't be surprised if Bridges received a nomination for his supporting role. A great date movie there is something for everyone here. Kelsana 11/11/01

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Space Alien or Gentle Madman? Not even the Director knows
Review: A man claiming to be a traveler from another planet winds up in a mental health institution where he almost convinces his doctor that he is telling the truth. The "space alien" (Kevin Spacey) calls himself Prot.

Prot seems genuine. His "alien" eyes are sensitive to light, so he must wear sunglasses. He loves fruit, eating a banana whole, skin and all, and remarking, "Your produce alone was worth the trip [to Earth]."

His analyst, Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) asks many questions about life on K-PAX, Prot's home planet. Prot gives Dr. Powell many interesting details, including the location of the obscure constellation "Lycra," where K-PAX is located.

The first half of the film seems designed to convince us that Prot is a true alien. He "just appears" at a bus station where he is first discovered, according to a witness. When questioned by astronomers and astrophysicists at a planetarium, he illustrates the orbit of K-PAX within the constellation Lycra, using alegebraic equations and a light pen, which is then projected onto the projected sky of the planetarium. The scientists are amazed, as Prot's calculations explain previously unexplained irregular orbits within Lycra. Or something like that. Wow, how could a mere madman know all this?

Prot further enhances his credibility by having a healing effect on his fellow patients, who look to him for wisdom and advice. Surely, he seems a bit more than just another psychotic. He can even talk to dogs, as he does in a trip to Dr. Powell's house on the Fourth of July.

Alas, the second half of the film seems to refute the first half, as Dr. Powell digs into Prot's psyche through regressive hypnosis and finds repressed trauma. He begins to piece together a story of human tragedy that seemingly undermines Prot's true nature as anything but a psychological coping mechanism. Dr. Powell has to work fast, as Prot has declared that July 27th is the date he must return to K-PAX. With July 27th drawing closer, we (the audience) hope that Prot's true nature and purpose on Earth will finally be explained.

But was it? The ending is ambiguous and open to interpretation.

The film certainly had an interesting angle to it, but I felt it lacked a certain passion. It often induced mild laughter, but never tears. And what is the final message of the film? Appreciate your life and don't take it for granted? Without strong emotion, the message, whatever it was, is a bit weak and a little disappointing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Mellow but intelligent
Review: I appreciated the intelligent tone of the K-PAX. The analogy of taking human form on earth to the sphericity of a soap bubble was well done. Lots of little touches like that. Low-key humor, ambiguity, and a recurrent undertone of loss. Another example of how Hollywood is actually able to make a non-violent, non-vulgar film with a coherent plot and memorable characters. Just hope the public is not too lazy to watch it.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: 'X Files" Meets 'Cuckoo's Nest'
Review: If Randall P. Mc Murphy (the Jack Nicholson character in "Cuckoo's Nest) claimed to be an alien from another planet, what you would have is "K Pax."

Instead of the World Series, we get a bluebird. Instead of the Indian flying over the "nest," we get a female inmate riding a "beam of light" to the planet K-Pax; and like Nicholson, Kevin Spacey ends up in a state of catatonia.

The cast tries hard, but they're defeated by the film's snail-like pacing. "K-Pax" moves so slowly, its almost like watching a still photo.

I saw a late Friday night showing and by the time the clock struck eleven, the snores in the theater drowned out some of the dialouge. As "K-Pax" wound down to its lack of resolution, I found myself not caring if Spacey was really a Spaceman or just another whacko who enjoys eating bananas, peel included.

"K-Pax" would be a good film to read by if they had light in the theater.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: Kevin Spacey is excellent in this movie. During the movie, you really have no idea how it will end. A little slow at times, but overall I give it a thumbs up. You really root for his character.


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