Kubrick Leaves Us With Our Eyes Wide Open - A Review of Eyes Wide Shut

Stanley Kubrick has made some of the most unique films in history. Although I don't dispute his originality and unique vision, I have found a number of films very trying to sit through from an enjoyment perspective despite their great ideas and visuals. His last masterpiece, "Eyes Wide Shut", is without a doubt my favourite, probably because it taps in to a more accessible theme; that being the exploration of the various complexities to do with marriage. For me, the essential theme of the film is just because you sign a piece of paper saying your married doesn't mean that you become totally immune to outside attractions and temptations. Of course, there's a lot more going on, especially with star Tom Cruise going on a wild, psycho-sexual journey through the course of the film where he explores his darker desires away from his wife, but ultimately, he finds himself back with his wife without ever really having crossed the line. It's a strong film with accessible themes and in this reviewer's humble opinion is the most engrossing of all of Kubrick's films.

A masterstroke was of course casting then real-life married couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Given what this film is about, in retrospect, considering what ended up happening to their marriage in real life, it makes the film all the more fascinating. They star as a high-society couple Dr Bill Harford and Alice Harford. In a great opening sequence where we are introduced to them in their luxurious New York penthouse, we see them seemingly amicable but there seems something a little off, perhaps under the surface of all their interactions. They eventually go to a party where both split up through circumstance; Alice eventually gets hit on by a rich bachelor and although she rejects him she definitely entertains his advances, while Bill is sequestered by two very sexually aggressive models who want to play 'doctor' with him. Nothing ultimately happens and they end up back at their apartment where they smoke pot. In their induced state, Alice reveals her concerns about seeing Bill with the two models to which he protests his innocence. She then questions him about whether he trusts her not to run away with anyone to which he innocently replies, "women, just aren't like that." Alice proceeds to confess of a time when she would have done anything to run off with a sailor she met one time but in the end they didn't meet again so nothing happened. This sets off a number of jealous emotions in Bill and he proceeds to disappear in to the night, moving from one journey to another, exploring the possibilities of infidelity from various sources.

Eyes Wide Shut is by and large very dream-like, especially when Bill begins his journey. He goes from potentially soliciting a prostitute, to ending up at a mysterious cult-like mansion where elite members of society where masks are proceeding to have sex with each other in one big orgy. When Bill is revealed to the cult, he is brought before them all and in a very scary, chilling moment, surrounded by people wearing eerie masks, he is forced to reveal himself and is threatened with death. He is eventually let go but this entire episode is a brilliant, arty, and very chilling and dark side of the desires Bill is exploring. As he goes further he discovers that if he had sex with the prostitute earlier in the film he would have most definitely contracted HIV as the prostitute was just diagnosed, leading him to freak out even further. Ultimately he ends up back with Alice where they confess to each other in the end, "no desire is just a desire and no dream is just a dream." A perfect piece of advice for a marital relationship; all of these external factors have to be taken in to account if there's any chance of a successful relationship within the marriage.

Kubrick shot Eyes Wide Shut in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio which is approximately a square picture. Despite not utilising a widescreen format, the images are gloriously rich in colour and very detailed, still exhibiting a very big screen aura despite not utilising the more often used widescreen formats. The opening sequence at a party is wonderful to watch, with the images bathed in rich golden colours. But there's more to be seen; Kubrick doesn't always give us rich pictures. In scenes where Cruise is treating his patients, there's a very cold, clinical white feel to the images. And then, when Cruise appears at a bizarre, cultish party with everyone screwing each other while wearing masks, we get an almost fantasy-like tone to the images, with vibrant colours and masterful steadicam shots. No matter what, Kubrick has always been known as a technical master and Eyes Wide Shut proves to be no exception to the rule.

Eyes Wide Shut will probably not be for everyone, but it is a highly intelligent, thrilling film with a original vision making for a very esoteric and unique film experience.

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