Hypnotic intensity; absorbing performances; perfect direction; one of the greatest films of all time. **** (out of four)

Rating: 9/10 (7 November 2000)

Stanley Kubrick's last film, "Eyes Wide Shut" is a cross between an exotic fantasy and mysterious illuminating thriller. The movie also resembles a dream, whether it be a nightmare or preoccupation, as various characters drift in and out of focus during two nights of sexual exploration where opportunities are missed, and or avoided. Audiences have complained about lack of story, immaturity of characters, and slow moving atmosphere, but those elements are what make "Eyes Wide Shut" distinct: the story is not so much a plot other than a series of events that transpire each other through identity clarification; the characters are extraordinarily deep and involving, mostly because there are too many loose ends for our attention to stop paying attention. This is one of the best movies of the year, possibly decade, another landmark achievement by one of the best American directors of all time.
True couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are the wealthy Dr. Bill and Alice Harford, who are raising a seven year old daughter in Manhattan. During the film's long, indolent opening sequence, the two attend a society ball thrown in the costly mansion of Victor Ziegler (Sydney Pollack). There, Bill meets an old friend from medical school, Nick Nightingale (Todd Field), now a pianist. During the party, Bill is nearly seduced by two aggressive, shapely woman and a tall, suave Hungarian tries to sweet talk a drunken Alice. This occurs before Victor requires the medical assistance of Bill after a hooker overdoes in the middle of sexuality.
This first half hour is slow and stretchy, but luminous and necessary to develop the intentions and suspicious of characters later on in the story. For instance, when the party is over and Alice and Bill return home, and in their bedroom, stoned on pot, she questions his fidelity using enough perverse terns to startle fans of "Cruel Intentions." She eventually admits to fantasizing over a young naval officer she witnessed the summer before while she and Bill where visiting Cape Cod. "At no time was he ever out of my mind," reveals Alice, "And I thought if he wanted me, only for one night, I was ready to give up everything ."
It is here where the audience realizes the conflict is the current tension between Alice and Bill. Alice's secret confession is tantalizingly tense as we witness the jumble of emotions in which Bill experiences. This scene is important, and well crafted, and propels the plot into the second act where various, well-structured plot points occur.
From this point on our attention is captivated and the film never loosens its grip on the erotically appealing style and an odd, unsettling, sometimes lewd mood for the characters. The film is shot in high-contrast style, with back-lighting, underlighting and convincing primary colors. The story takes place near Christmas so the filmmakers can take advantage of the fantastic holiday tone.
Propelled by flashbacks of his wife making love with the naval officer, it is at this point where Bill begins his two night sexual odyssey, entering a world in which nearly everyone reacts to him sexually. He first stumbles upon Marion (Marie Richardson), who's father, an old patient of his, has recently died. She tries to seduce him literally on her father's death bed. Vinessa Shaw plays a particularly friendly hooker in which he has an alleged encounter, maybe intercourse, maybe not. Milich (Rade Sherbedgia) is an eccentric, patriarch costume store owner who seems to be advertising sexual favors for his young daughter (Leelee Sobieski). Arranged by Nick, Bill is then given the password to a secret country house orgy, in which he watches, but never experiences, ritual-like sexual activities. He later comes in contact with a queer hotel clerk (Alan Cumming), who makes it clear that he finds Bill attractive.
The film's story feels as if it revolves around the illustrative orgy sequence in a country estate, where Bill wanders around viewing masked individuals performing a variation of sexual acts with each other. This sequence is of the best ever witnessed in film; it has extraordinary intensity and hypnotic suspense. The cinematography is eye candy for the mind; the architecture is dreamlike in appearance. This tantalizing famous scene has undergone digital alterations to hide the most graphic sexual content. The more explicit sex is seen in question from a distance, and is more for the imagination to ponder upon rather than actual acts. If these alternations where not made, the MPAA would have slapped this masterpiece with an unwanted NC-17 rating. However, even with the cuts "Eyes Wide Shut" deserves an NC-17 rating with the profound amount of nudity and sexual explicitness. This movie is strictly intend for adults to experience. Warner Bros. has sacrificed Stanley Kubrick's masterful vision in order to make the film more appropriate to younger viewers. That is a joke.
The film is true Kubrick material; the way he pays attention to each individual scene and character; the aggressive and perverse sexual content; the ample amounts of female nudity. All elements follow tradition with his pervious achievements, such as "A Clockwork Orange." Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are perfection as they explore themes of morality, sorrow, remorse, emotion, grief, seduction, jealousy, pleasure, and love. Kubrick also produced and co-wrote the production; with precise, distinct dialogue, Alice's confession scene has intense verve. Stanley Kubrick knew exactly what he wanted with "Eyes Wide Shut" and it appears he got it.
Stanley Kubrick tragically passed away in March of 2000. We lost a true component to the defining of American cinema. It is hard to believe he would have accepted the modifications placed on his success. "Eyes Wide Shut" should have been released as he made it, regardless of the MPAA mumbo jumbo. Nevertheless, "Eyes Wide Shut" is an engaging, memorable and haunting experience for mature audiences only. Kubrick has constructed his final contribution to audiences and fans everywhere, and it is one of his most artful and brilliant. He will be missed for the great director he was.