Kubrick's swansong his most underrated?

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2011)

In my opinion, I think it is. Not his best mind you, I personally would put 2001, Clockwork Orange, Dr Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket and Barry Lyndon over Eyes Wide Shut, but while I haven't seen it in quite some time and have been meaning to revisit it I remember not being particularly impressed with Fear and Desire.
I like and respect Kubrick a lot. He is a great and influential director who is of great interest to me, and his skill for directing is in full evidence here. I can understand why people mayn't like Eyes Wide Shut, it is a very lengthy film and slow, but I also find it interesting and find it Kubrick's most underrated. I will admit the first two times I saw it I didn't like it, but I have seen it another three times and each time it gets better.
Like all of Kubrick's movies Eyes Wide Shut is beautifully made and edited, and has a wonderful soundtrack consisting of mostly pre-existing music with Musica Ricacarta by Ligeti standing out the most. The screenplay is mostly very good and the story is interesting. Much has been said of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, either good or bad. In my view Cruise is good, for me it is one of his better performances, but Kidman is just terrific and is memorable in every scene she's in.
In conclusion, interesting and for me Kubrick's most underrated film. 8/10 Bethany Cox