Kilmer is just a bit less bizarre as the drug doctor heading into insanity. His Brando Junior impression is a masterpiece of the grotesque and fantastic. Yeah, the extravagant make-up, sets and dark and murky feel of the film are grand, but occasionally the story rears its ugly head and that's the downfall of the movie. The religious overtones are extremely heavy handed and the add-on preachy montage at the end is just horrid. Very little happens for a reason.
Characterization is minimal and often sacrificed for sensationalism.
We have no idea who any of these people are or what lead them to the situation they find themselves in. The animals are easier to care about than the humans. See this film if you're up for a disturbing visual treat, but don't expect anything beyond that. Douglas soon learns that Montgomery is working for Dr. Moreau, who incidently, owns the island and also a reputable geneticist who has been awarded the Nobel prize.