4 out of 5 Stars
Maybe it's because I was expecting this to be god-awful (hype puts me off), maybe it's because I just like Kubrick. But this movie surprised me and excited me (no, not in *that* way; there's really no sex in it, and the brief snippets of sex that are in it isn't sexy, but aren't meant to be).
Everyone knows the plot. I'll just make a couple of comments:
Tom Cruise is perfect for the film. This is a film that demands an amiable Everyman, and Cruise fits the bill perfectly. Had the protagonist been the skeezoids Michael Douglas or Harvey Keitel, I would have been put off. But Tom Cruise is such a likeable, "normal" guy it's quite easy to follow him through his sexual odyssey. His best performance to date. Perhaps is only truly *good* performance.
The "Sex Cult Conspiracy" is well-done. Oh, you know what you're going to be seeing in advance. Masks, cloaks, debauchery, semi-Satanic rituals. What makes this Sex Cult work is how well done it is. The masks are frightening. The Satanic singing -- done in some deep sythesized voice in no language Man has ever spoken -- is spooky and convincing and effective.
There are two ways to handle this material: As a straight thriller, in which case there'd be a resolution but it would be rather trite. The other way to do it is is in the spirit of magical realism, a bit like Crying of Lot 49. The film goes the second route, of course. So don't expect a quite satisfying conclusion with lots of anwsers. (Suprisingly, some answers *are* provided, but you don't know whether those answers are true or false. I was actually surprised that Kubrick didn't just leave the audience hanging; and I actually think perhaps the film would have worked better (though in a cliched way) had the Mysteries been left entirely unsolved.)
Bottom line: Do not expect answers. Do not expect to be satisfied with the answers provided. And you should be fine.
As to everything else: Kubrick has Kidman talking -- so -- slowly -- you -- will -- pull -- out -- your -- hair in the early going, which I suppose is meant to achieve a dream-like mood, but it also causes the film a longish time to "get going." But still, I had no problems with the early scenes -- I was interested enough to keep watching. And I'm a retard with a very short attention span.
Every scene is a mini-movie. Lots of good performances, lots of interesting stuff.
In final analysis, this film must be labeled "Very Self-Indulgent," but Kubrick's instincts are quite sharp and even his self-indulgence is quite entertaining. There are hints -- but only hints -- of the profound; and I suppose that's really all one can expect from a film.
