Eyes Wide Shut

I was waiting to watch this movie for an awfully long time. And when it finally happened, I had a hard time to accept its poetics for the first twenty minutes of the movie. The storytelling is slow and intensive but after half an hour it gets faster and it turns into a decent psychological flick with a mysterious atmosphere of 90s thrillers. After all I have to admit it was pretty clear that this is Stanley Kubrick’s film. Sometimes I felt I was not watching Eyes Wide Shut but The Shinning sequel. The camera shots or an intensive piano music confirmed that this film is again a completely unique experience for the audience. The end could have been a bit more daring and it didn’t have to end with simple ‘fuck’ but otherwise it was great. True Kubrick. It’s hard to find similar directors nowadays… (06/22/2018)

The master's wonderful farewell to the world of film and to the world as such... What does he leave behind as a testament? An exciting, erosive and mysteriously poignant essay, a parable of the inconspicuous crisis of a relationship between two people who are pushed apart for a moment by one dream, one feeling. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's fascinating duet is primarily a sign of the visual superiority of the former, but better convincingness of the latter. Dr. William Hartford, an inherently happy, contented and confident man, learns one fine evening from his wife about an unrealized love adventure, and this story, rather an unfulfilled dream, gives him the impetus to go on a surreal and unreal journey for temptation, to soothe his painful male ego. During this journey, he slowly ceases to be himself and becomes a man who wears a mask... and, surrounded by pleasure, perversion, and pervasive temptation, he eventually becomes involved in a strange game that is full of dangers and unknowns. And even his mask can't protect him from the inevitable. Kubrick is as disturbing and suggestive as ever, the atmosphere of pre-Christmas New York adds a great inner strength to his film with geysers of gaudy colors, beautiful female nakedness and a story of tremendous inner strength. Every shot is a delight. Sensual, riveting. The acting... fantastic. The music – minimalist, fitting. A masterful parable with one single point...fucking. Fact. Dream. Agitated perception. Deep dreaming. Eyes wide shut. (10/25/2004)

This desire truly burns the viewer and most importantly, it matures within them. It may have been a long time since I saw the film, but the suggestive feeling of presence at the ritual or paranoid thoughts of Bill still remain. Cruise and Nicole are brilliant, and Kubrick's construction of atmosphere with the help of minimalist musical accompaniment is also exceptional. (09/14/2006)

I had my eyes really wide open, but the film failed to win me over. Yes, it’s technically precise, it couldn’t be otherwise with Stanley Kubrick, Cruise and Kidman were perfect, the cinematography was impressive and the musical score was evocative in places (the simple piano notes really worked and fit the atmosphere), BUT… there was no emotional or intellectual experience for me. The film is very cold and shallow in its message. It's also possible that I misunderstood it, and I don't really care in this case. I'm not sorry that I wasn't invited to the Kubrick’s last party this time, because I have fond memories of the previous ones. So Arrideverci! Sir, I have enjoyed all your creative life. (10/26/2004)

I once saw a bit of A Clockwork Orange in a summer camp movie theater, but otherwise I had been virtually uninitiated in Kubrick up until that point, save for a few documentaries and trailers. It was the master's last (and ironically my first) film that I saw in its entirety :)) and it must be said that it is a well thought out and functioning film combining elements of a psychological thriller and drama with an erotic touch and featuring a strong above-average performance by Tom Cruise (although I don't like Tommy otherwise, here he proves again that he is capable of acting really well under capable direction – just like in the case of Magnolia) and incredibly seductive Nicole Kidman. The slightly lighter soundtrack from the opening half hour is then replaced by a four-note (or five-note, I'm not sure now :))) piano motif, which at times gives you chills and gets under your skin quite unpleasantly.)) Otherwise, I can't remember a film in a long time that has so many memorable scenes (Alice's haunting monologue, the billiards scene, the opening dance with the "Hungarian", where the sexual tension between the two actors is masterfully captured). Before I got my first and Kubrick's last film home :)), I read somewhere that Kubrick's films resemble chess games – at the beginning they play with you, then they attack you quite sharply and thoughtfully, and at the end they might show you their method, and while you still feel only total defeat, you are totally fascinated (as in my case :)). So I have to say in conclusion that there is something to the chess comparison :)) 100% (02/03/2010)