Rating: 
Summary: KUBRICK SAVES THE FILM WITH IMPECCABLE DIRECTING
Review: EYES WIDE SHUT is definitely not a typical Hollywood film with risque and actions, but rather it is an accomplished film that evokes complexed and nuanced emotions in polarized thoughts on sex, marriage and deceit. For all the rumours of it being erotic and sexually titillating, audiences watching it for this reason will undoubtedly be disappointed because the scenes are hardly passionate. The drama unfolds in the glitzy New York stage which is chillingly somber and dark, and Tom Cruise as Dr. Bill Harford finds himself disturbed by images of infidelity after his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman) replayed out her fantasies. The mood of the film is serious and surreal; Kubrick is a master at capturing the dark labyrinth and for the questions it dissects and poses on faith and love - it is an awakening and a moral dilemma acted out by Harford. It is adapted very simply from Arthur Schnitzler "Dream Story" - the plot has no intricacies - but rather the mood of the film overwhelms beautifully, even with Tom Cruise trying to match his acting skills with the sublime directing. The sex rituals are in my opinion - delicious terror that mirrors guilt and evilness of human's heart. It is controversial for the diverse and radical thoughts in the movie - and definitely not on kinky sex. Kubrick's directing is in fact what makes EYES WIDE SHUT miraculously alive - even it loses grit and impetus in its last moment for the inconclusive ending. Of course, with the directing overshadowing talented acts from Cruise and Kidman, it is hard to see any memorable and versatile performances from them. EYES WIDE SHUT is nonetheless a must-see for astute audiences who sees the film for its savage beauty and provocative thoughts.
Rating: 
Summary: An important AIDS warning
Review: The man who tries to seduce Kidman at the party begins by drinking from her glass, exchanging bodily fluids. When two girls try to pick up Dr. Tom at the party, the scene quickly switches to the near-overdose in the bathroom -- thus promiscuous sex is associated with death. And the bathroom is an instant reminder of unpleasant bodily substances. The nightmare begins for Cruise after Kidman describes her lustful feeling for a stranger -- associating casual sex, or even the possibility of it, with a negative result. Dr. Tom is nearly seduced by a friend even as her dead father lies in the same room -- again, promiscuous sex associated with death. The hypnotic colors and references to rainbows, I believe, are symbolic of the intangible allure of casual sex. Promise without substance. In the final scene in the toy store, when Cruise returns to home and family, the colors are subdued. Nick Nightingale is protected from the orgy activities by a physical barrier, a blindfold. When it slips off, he is exposed to danger. He is later described as having a bruise on his cheek, a symbolic symptom of AIDS. Of course, the orgy scene is more frightening than erotic, another association of danger with reckless, anonymous sex. The masks are Bosch-like distortions of human features, as AIDS victims also have their features distorted by blotches and emaciation. I believe the code word Fidelio could be a reference to the theme of the Beethoven opera: rescue in the nick of time. Milich, who sells his daughter into prostitution, is suffering from a gradual physical deterioration for which Dr. Tom has no cure: his hair is falling out. Incurable physical deterioration is a symbolic symptom of AIDS. Most obvious of all, Cruise has a near miss with an HIV+ prostitute. Her name is Domino, a reference to the domino effect of communicable disease. Cruise later reads a newspaper (headline "Lucky to be Alive") in a cafe where the Mozart Requiem is being played, an odd choice of Christmas music. Cruise is nearly beaten by a gang of toughs who think he's gay. Cruise is burdened with crushing guilt when he fears he may be responsible for Mandy's death. Though he didn't have sex with her, they certainly did meet in a sexual situation -- so casual sex is associated with guilt and fear. The mask, representing the activities at the orgy, turns up in Cruise's marital bed. A reminder that promiscuous nocturnal activities cannot be left outside the door. They follow you home. And then, there is the odd title. Eyes Shut. Deliberate ignorance. Eyes WIDE Shut. Deliberate startling ignorance. That's my two-cents' worth anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: Rent Before You Buy
Review: The movie begins earnestly enough, with the story of a marriage in serious trouble. Doctor Tom Cruise flirts shamelessly with two young models while wife Nicole Kidman exchanges innuendo with a suave older gentleman at a swanky dinner party. What follows over the next two plus hours is a movie which takes a surreal look at the decay of a relationship and the drives of the man and woman involved. While not without it's entertaining moments, "Eyes Wide Shut" is a meandering film which loses it's audience as quickly as it intrigues it. Ultimately, the movie's slow pacing lingers far too long on an extended subplot involving a bizarre, ritualistic sex cult. Unfortunately, director Stanley Kubrick passed away prior to the completion of this film. What remained of his final vision for this movie is debatable, but for the casual viewer, "Eyes Wide Shut" will likely prove to be a confusing piece with marginal entertainment value.
Rating:
Summary: misunderstanding is understanding...
Review: Eyes Wide Shut... it's a conversation piece, i'll give it that, but most of the reviews i've read about it all have truth behind them. it is haunting. it is daring. it asks the dark questions we all face alone at one point in our lives. however, many people misunderstand what exactly kubrick is trying to say about life in general. tom cruise plays jealousy flawlessly. nicole kidman plays the sex kitten nearly as flawless as cruise's character. but the true genious behind the film is the one we didn't see. no not kubrick, but ourselves. all the misunderstandings about this film, whether to say it's "just another sex-plotation film" or a work of genious, is to say something of the truth about it. the film is everything that everyone says about it. and i feel that misunderstanding "Eyes" is really understanding what kubrick was trying to say about society. the message is thought. all kubrick wanted those who saw this movie (or any of his movies) was to think about them and how they relate to the individual and society as well. bravo stanley, you've done it again.
Rating: 
Summary: "A Waste of Time, Money and Talent"
Review: It's pitiful that a couple as "capable" as Nicole and Tom would stoop to such a disgusting and odd script. Shame on them.
Rating:
Summary: Eyes Wide Shut
Review: Stanley Kubrick had a vision with "Eyes Wide Shut". Unfortunately, he did not live to see it through editing, where it may have been salvaged. If you have seen the trailer that has dramatic piano music playing, that same music plays throughout the entire movie every time there is a "dramatic" moment. Just in case you were asleep from the dragging plot or from sitting for hours, this music drowns out and wakes the most accomplished snorers. Nicole Kidman speaks in a long, drawn out, monotone voice for no apparent reason, except possibly the few drags she takes off a joint. Somehow it doesn't seem likely that that little bit of marijuana can do that to a person over the course of an entire 24 hours (which is how long the movie feels while you are watching it). As for plot, I cannot say it was worth the time it took to get to the point. I advise against purchasing this movie, though some fans may want to see Kubrick's final work. Though this movie doesn't do him justice as a producer, even an avid Kubrick fan will realize that the movie had potential, but that his final touches weren't there to make it happen.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest
Review: I wont bother to mention my thoughts about the film, except to say its my second favorite kubrick film. Im not even sure why I'm writing this because i doubt if it will even be read, there being almost 400 posts about the film. The only thing that pissed me off about the film was the way they hyped it. I remember seeing Entertainment Tonight, and all of those other hollow shows and seeing how they hyped it. They called it "tom and nicole's intimate new film" and i dont even remember seeing a mention of stanley kubrick in all the hype. I guess they were trying to sell it to all those national enquirer readers who were just hoping to see the couple naked. And when the movie wasnt actually just a shallow revealment of the two, plenty of people got disapointed. but one thing i agree on with just about everyone else is that nicole is a pretty bad actress. i think kubrick had to just throw in those nude shots of her to make up for her lack of skill. I've always been a hater of her work, i can't remember any role that she played that wasnt almost laughable. I remember one line of her's in days of thunder when she had to say "let me out of the car" in a british accent, what actually came out was "let me out of the carww.." (the bristish kind of drop the R and replace it with a W when they say car, but she used both, good watch it for yourself). But i do think this film is her best work, and that says something. But tom did a good job i think, even though it wasnt really that hard of a role to play.
Rating:
Summary: Gasp
Review: This was a breath-taking cinematic masterpeice. It was intruiging and seductive. The last sentence is unforgettable.
Rating:
Summary: A terribly misunderstood masterpiece
Review: "Eyes Wide Shut" is an astoundingly good film, perhaps the victim of too much hype, too much negative criticism, and perhaps the main stars, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. With "Eyes Wide Shut", Stanley Kubrick has created an atmospheric, haunting, and distubing piece that stays with the viewer long after the credits roll. The main gripe with the film, which is completely unfounded, seems to be that the film is boring, and takes way too long to develop certain scenes, but guess what, this is Stanley Kubrick, not James Cameron. Kubrick films his scenes in a way that is meticulous and time-consuming; the end result is a very precise, dramatic, and realistic scene in which the viewer feels a part of every word of dialogue. "Eyes Wide Shut" also may be victimized by the new direction Tom Cruise is taking in his career. For those that saw this film in the theater simply because Cruise starred in it, I know you were disappointed, because "Mission: Impossible" or "Top Gun", this movie ain't. Cruise has branched out into more dramatic roles recently, such as in this film and in "Magnolia", and many American moviegoers can't seem to handle it. "Eyes Wide Shut" forces the viewer to think, and raises several questions: Is Cruise's descent into the sexual underworld really a dream? Is he imagining everything? Are thoughts and fantasies actually more dangerous than real physical encounters? "Eyes Wide Shut" is not standard Saturday Blockbuster night entertainment, but for those of you who prefer substance over style, and are fans of Kubrick's other works, then "Eyes Wide Shut" is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Yawn
Review: The was the worst excuse for a movie I have seen in quite a while. It was hard to keep up with and had no point whatsoever. I actually fell asleep in the middle and woke up for the last 30 minutes.
| 
