Kubrick's Bows Out With Style

Rating: 9/10 (28 May 2014)

Like pretty much all of Kubrick's other films, I think that "Eyes Wide Shut" will grow in stature with time. Although not his strongest film, "Eyes Wide Shut" is still a compelling picture, mostly due to the trance-like atmosphere it creates.
The dreamlike mood that permeates the film, as well as the strange characters Tom Cruise's character encounters, almost makes this seem like a David Lynch film. Nevertheless, one is never in doubt that this is a Kubrick film, as each shot is meticulously crafted with Kubrick's trademark visual elegance.
"Eyes Wide Shut" is meant to be Kubrick's exploration of sexual relations. Its deals with themes of lust and jealousy, and how these innate human characteristics can take their toll on a relationship. Bill (Tom Cruise) and Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman) play the married couple whose relationship begins to unravel when Alice admits she had sexual fantasies about another man, sparking Bill's jealousy and causing him to go on a sexual adventure that takes him to places he never could have imagined. Its here that the film is most compelling, and delivers some of the most memorable scenes ever to grace a Kubrick film. Although the pace of the film is quite slow, this is important in creating the dreamlike atmosphere, and the plot still remains intriguing. I was never bored.
Cruise and Kidman both deliver strong performances. However, as per usual with any Kubrick film, its the director that is the star of the show. Although I'm a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick, this is probably the one complaint I would have about his style, as I feel that his perfectionism can sometimes detract from the raw quality of the performances. Its not often that I come away from his films feeling like I truly know the characters or have gone through fire and hell with them. Nevertheless, the film is a visual treat, and that is the reason that I keep coming back to Kubrick: he is a visionary with images.
"Eyes Wide Shut" is the last stunning work of the director's illustrious career. Its a fitting end to his legacy.