Had different expectations

Rating: 9/10 (19 July 1999)

Eyes started as a great film and had all the makings of another Kubrick masterpiece, but about halfway through the film, the film sort of changed directions and lost its way. I guess what I expected from the film was an exploration of the relationship and deception between the couple after their experiences, both real and fantasized. However, instead of doing that, Kubrick chose to divert the film into almost a suspense thriller. That remains the biggest disappointment of the film. You do not want Kubrick to waste his time (and now we will not see any new film from him) making a suspense thriller, and not a good one at that. He could leave that genre up to the lesser directors.
In a film which is supposed to explore the relationship between a couple, one half of the couple, Nicole Kidman, was missing from most of the latter part of the film - except for two or three sequences - which was unfortunate, because she gave a much better performance than her husband. In my opinion, Tom Cruise was a miscast. It is unfortunate Kubrick could not find anyone better to play Bill Harford. If Stanley had not been such a recluse, maybe he would have found someone better, rather than rely on his agents. One could not help notice how much time Tom spent with his face fully or partially - one can understand Kubrick directing him that way to hide the expressions, or the lack thereof, on Tom's face in critical situations.
Since he died after doing the first editing draft of the film, the editing also left a lot to be desired. However, Kubrick's mastery of the art form shows through at many places. The opening sequence is great, the cinematography, specially the use of colors to depict moods, was excellent. In the first half of the film till the scene of the orgy, you were never in doubt that this was a master at work.