I got the feeling there was more to Jim Morrison than this.....

Rating: Null/10 (10 April 2004)

I first watched Oliver Stone's The Doors many years ago....I was only about 13 and didn't know any better. Since then I've grown as a person and opened myself to all types of music, and am now a fan of The Doors' music. Watching this movie again now on the Bravo channel, I have a totally different outlook on the film (maybe my first outlook, since I was so young when I first saw it). Basically, I can't help but feel that there was so much more to Jim Morrison than what Stone chose to portray in his film. Now that I've listened (and continue to listen) to the Doors' music, based on the music alone I know that there was more to Jim Morrison. There was a beauty with Morrison and, quite frankly, it's not shown here. Stone's film is very one-dimensional, which is an inconceivable crime to commit seeing how multi-dimensional Morrison was....even his music alone! I'm not saying that he didn't lead a wild life of sorts, but Stone paints Morrison as if that was all he was. He doesn't delve into the man and his music....it's just a rock star living the wild life who just happens to be a pretty damn good lyricist/entertainer. To make his talent a sidenote is very irresponsible in my opinion, and that is what kills the movie. I don't think Stone poured himself into a movie, where it really HURT the film, more than The Doors. Natural Born Killers was basically his story, his baby....so you can put yourself in the film, as you're making a point about an issue. But you can't do that with a so-called bio flick, it takes so much away from the person you're trying to tribute/acknowledge. The effort is there, but The Doors is overdone and unfortunately not truly representative of the subject (Morrison).
** out of **** stars.
P.S. This is Val Kilmer's best performance ever....and the casting of Meg Ryan was a BIG mistake.