Flawed, but brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (12 December 1998)

Flawed, yes...but also brilliant. Kubrick's meticulous attention to detail is apparent in every shot. Nicholson was criticized for "chewing the scenery" but I thought his performance was excellent for the part he was playing. Kubrick was also much maligned for opting for the hedge maze rather than the topiary animals coming to life, claiming that it was unworkable. Naturally, a sequence such as that would have required extensive special effects and/or animatronics. Kubrick is not the type of director that crafts such films, and Warner bros. should have been smart enough to realize that going in. Kubrick's films always center on dehumanization which require brilliant acting, not to mention the ever present steadicam and slow zooms to the actors faces. The only real problem that I have with the film is Shelley Duvall's atrocious acting. Pretending to be hysterical is not her strong suit(see: The bathroom scene where Jack hacks his way through the door).