The future might make you queasy

Rating: 7/10 (22 June 2002)

The "look" of this movie is excellent. It is too long for its content. I found myself looking at my watch, though self-indulgence was to be expected from this director. Once again (cf. A.I.) the handling of subjects related to children is both central and so disturbing that I would not recommend this movie to my wife and would not let my young son see it. I gave the movie an overall 7 because of the worksmanship. I give the movie a -1 for its real central theme of disturbed (I use this politely) childhood and its pea-brained handling of the free-will vs. predestination question that is supposedly at its core but which gets pushed aside when convenient. I was also not happy about the use of multiple scenes that were violent or stomach churning. Question: What is it with Tom C. and eyes: "Eyes Wide Shut", "Abre los Ojos" (Open the Eyes aka "Vanilla Sky") and this movie in which eyes play a central role?