Temptation Comes To Us All!!!

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 1999)

Kubrick has delivered again and as fate would have it for the last time. I was very anxious to see Eyes Wide Shut but at the same time I knew I had to be patient when the movie began. All of Kubrick's movies require you to watch patiently until the credits roll for you to truly get a feel for what you have just witnessed. Eyes Wide Shut falls right in line with this style. The light he uses is very similar to what Scorsese used in many of the scenes in Casino. This gave the film a visual painting of characters and added so much life and emotion to scenes that would have been empty without it. The films drips of the subtle daring side of sex. You can also feel a real sense of a foreplay effect that the movie emotes to the audience. Almost every scene involving sex in some way felt like Kubrick was tempting the audience slowly and deliberately with a hint of danger and then yanking it away. Watching Cruise go through this ritual of sticking his hand close to the fire and pulling it away was done to perfection. Kidman's role was less than I expected but she did a grand job of pushing Cruise to seek pleasure because of jealousy, but at what cost? Famous orgy scene was hypnotic, dark, mid evil and very dreamlike. Why not just go for the NC-17 is the question everybody keeps asking. What normal parent is going to bring their kid to see this movie? I would have rather seen it in its purist form but it didn't make as much of a difference as I felt was present with the two versions of Basic Instinct (You know what is going on behind the digital characters!). Two things to remember. Approach with a patient attitude, this isn't Rambo you're going to see. Last thing watch out for the ending it comes real quick and if you blink you might miss the last line which is perfect. Rest in peace Stanley and thanks for great movies that will go on forever!!