That's the set-up. But, as in any Kubrick film, the trip taken involves more than meets the eye. It is true that there's a bothersome separation between what the movie presents as lurid and what's, mostly, no problem, simply an issue of consenting adults. Among the film's highlights are Kubrick's use of camera movement and bare bulb lighting, which inspire a sense of a starry dream trap. The big sex scene between Cruise and Kidman is fascinating, although less amorous than advertised.
Cruise is gloriously well-used throughout.
Kubrick makes the most of the actor's vaunted need for control, his protective strategies. There are some reasons for suspecting this film was not complete when Kubrick died. Still, this film remains fascinating. And with its claustrophobic intimations of mortality, it's an appropriate sign-off for our greatest director of metaphysical mazes since Orson Welles . The DVD version looks as sharp as a Kubrick film should.