Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tragically underrated, March 5, 2004
By A Customer
I can't stress enough how important it is for anyone considering seeing this movie to ignore the heaps of negative reviews here. Most justify their opinions by calling this film strange, grotesque, or both. Both are fitting, but there's alot more to this film than that, and those two things in themselves are not necessarily reason to dislike a film. Quite the contrary, when Hollywood is so overrun with unchallenging, unoriginal fodder. I could praise the movie on any number of levels. Every actor here carries his or her eccentric role with a perfectly tasteful care not to go over the top or become too cartoonish. The dialogue is free of fluff and carries quite an element of eloquence, which is fitting when considering the overall dramatic intent. On a more basic level, the creature effects used on the half human, half animal hybrid creations inhabiting Moreau's Island are handled by none other than Stan Winston and done very well, and the soundtrack is appropriately eerie, with tribal drumming used in parts to enhance the mood. And, of course, the themes explored here, despite their familiarity (the power of instnct, and the danger of playing God), are driven home with potent efficiency, probably thanks to the extreme and sometimes bizzare nature in which they're handled. The fact that this movie carries such a human element with it is what I really like about it. It's easy to feel for the man-beasts, tragic abominations intelligent enough to know they're nothing but the waste products of a madman's search for genetic perfection. The protagonist, as well, benefits from the fact that he is very much an introvert and probably speaks less than Val Kilmer, who is less vital to the plot. His quiet observation helps add to the realism and mold a film which could have easily been a silly mess into a moving, artfully crafted piece of work. If you choose to judge this movie as harshly as most have, then go ahead, but at least see it first with an open mind. I for one feel a movie this bold deserves every bit of respect.
|
|
|
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Col. Kurtz IF he had survived "Apocalypse Now", June 2, 2005
Ever wonder where Col. Kurtz would've ended up if he had survived the end of "Apocalypse Now"? Well, now we know: He exiled himself to a deserted island to create humanimals -- the horror, the horror.
In light of all the bad press one would really think this is a lousy movie. And I can see WHY some people don't like it, the main portion of the flick is really INSANE. However, if you're a sucker for lost-on-an-island type yarns and appreciate the heavy mood & insanity of "Apocalypse Now," you'll probably like it. I'm not saying it's anywhere near as great as "Apocalypse Now" but Marlon Brando and the jungle insanity make the comparison inevitable.
WHAT WORKS: The title sequence is great, perhaps one of the best in all of cinema (another Amazon reviewer noted this, so I'm not alone); the soundtrack is phenomenal ('nuff said); the plot is intriguing; the humanimal make-up is fine ('Hyena' looks especially horrific); the film possesses an undeniable creative pizzazz (i.e. it's moody, atmospheric and insane); and Marlon Brando's 35 minute stint in the film is as captivating as always (you can probably tell I'm a huge Brando fan -- in particular, "One-Eyed Jacks," "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1962), "The Young Lions," "Superman" and "Apocalypse Now" [not "Redux"]).
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: The third act of the film is almost total insanity, except for the final ten minutes or so; as a result the story will lose the interest of those who have no appreciation for such artistic flair.
CLOSING THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed seeing Brando in his old age in this flick; it proves he had his magnetic charm until the end. If you enjoyed Brando as 'Kurtz' in "Apocalypse Now" you'll appeciate him in "Island;" in fact, as already noted, Dr. Moreau is a variation of Kurtz in his old age (i.e. nutjob in the jungle).
If you're predisposed for such a flick, "Dr. Moreau" is weird, but certainly worthwhile.
|
|
|
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sick, Twisted and Entertaining, April 18, 2000
By A Customer
If you are looking for a litte twisted entertainment TIODM delivers. I made my girlfriend watch it and she had nightmares. As for me, it was just what I was looking for and Brando delivivers a great performance as a scientist gone mad.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Burt Lancaster
DVD ~ Tom Cruise
DVD ~ John Travolta
DVD ~ Gary Oldman
