Good thing Kubrick's not around to see the reviews...

Rating: 4/10 (16 July 1999)

First off, Stanley Kubrick's my favorite. I don't care what the movie's about or who's in it -- if he directed it, I'm there.
Imagine my disappointment in Eyes Wide Shut.
Maybe the secrecy was to generate a spectacular opening and then let the film crash under its own plodding, bland, pointless weight. There's a lonnnnnng build up to something that never happens. There's nothing shocking. There's TV drama dialog. There's ridiculous people and illogical situations. The nudity isn't even stimulating. It's a couple of people whom you think would be interesting, one of whom (Kidman) goes on to live a lifeless two days and the other (Cruise) who drives himself to dabble on the darkside -- without success -- while IMAGINING his wife is cheating on him. ZZZZZZzzzzzzz....
I'll admit, I am not a Tom Cruise fan. I've only liked him in three movies (Risky Business, Top Gun and Jerry Maquire), and in this role, Kubrick apparently told him to act like the self-assured dunce he does in 90 percent of his movies. He at least could have been made to LOOK like a doctor in this.. and come to think of it, why does he have to flash his doctor credentials like an FBI agent to everyone he meets?
I am sorry this marks the end of the life and career of Stanley Kubrick. Think I'll go rent "Paths of Glory" or "Dr. Strangelove" tonight and try to forget what I just saw.