One of those films that improves on repeated viewings

Rating: 9/10 (11 September 2011)

My Rating: ***1/2 out of ****.
Back in 1999, Eyes Wide Shut was one of the most anticipated films of the year, only the Phantom Menace was more anticipated. Being Stanley Kubrick's final film and starring then married couple Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman, there was good reason for it to be so anticipated. Critical reception was positive but underwhelming, critics mostly admired the film but few called it a masterpiece. Audience response was mixed to negative, Eyes Wide Shut was a modest box office success based solely on it's two stars.
The opinion of some of Kubrick's films have changed drastically over the years. 2001 and The Shining received mixed to negative responses when they first debuted, now both are viewed as seminal masterpieces in their genre. It'll be interesting how Eyes Wide Shut is viewed in another ten years, I'm not so sure how it's overall legacy has changed much in the twelve years since it debuted.
My opinion of Eyes Wide Shut on the first viewing was that it was an interesting failure. It had some memorable scenes and images but I just didn't see the point in the film. For the most part, it seemed like Kubrick was going through the motions and it was an underwhelming way to end a brilliant career.
To say my opinion has changed is an understatement. While I would not call Eyes Wide Shut a masterpiece, I will say it is a very worthy addition to Stanley Kubrick's oeuvre and a fitting conclusion to his career. When I watch it now I see a film with some very memorable scenes and rich images, but also a fascinating look at jealousy and sexual temptation. What wasn't apparent to me on the first viewing has become so on repeated ones. The gratuitous sex doesn't seem pointless anymore, it's there for a reason. Give Kubrick credit for making sex seem so unappealing and mechanical, he's making a statement about the human condition. Sex isn't about love in EWS, very little of the sex is an act of love here, it's about filling urges and temptations.
EWS has the same striking visual style as previous Kubrick films. The film has a dream-like atmosphere, which has lead some people to believe that much of what is transpiring on the screen is a dream through Tom Cruise's character. The most memorable scene is the sexual orgy, it's very Gothic with the black cloaks and the masks worn by the characters. This scene ranks up there with the most memorable imagery in Kubrick's films. Another memorable scene is Tom Cruise's character being stalked through the streets of New York.
On the first viewing, I was not crazy about Tom Cruise's performance, I would've described it as "wooden." While I don't view it as great work and there are few instances where the performance falls flat, I think it is a generally solid performance. Nicole Kidman, though she has lesser screen time, is consistently excellent, taking attention away from Cruise every time they're on screen together.
EWS is a complex film that's difficult to describe and hard to take in on a single viewing. This film needs to be watched more than once to be appreciated. Perhaps it's not for everyone, which describes most of Kubrick's films, but for the adventurous film watcher, EWS is a worthy film.