The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut)
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Movie Reviews of The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut)
Movie Review: ALL PLEASURE WITHOUT THE GUILT
Summary: 5 Stars
THE CAST WAS SUPERB, THE SPECIAL EFFECTS SUPERIOR. THE PLOT A CLASSIC....WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK OF A FILM?
Movie Review: An insult to the genius of H.G. Wells
Summary: 1 Stars
I wasn't planning on writing a review of "Dr, Moreau" 1996, as it is an inconsequential and wholly forgettable movie, but when I read reviews that described it as "intelligent," I felt I had to write a response. "Dr. Moreau" 1996 is NOT an intelligent movie. Like most bad science fiction it shows contempt for the viewers' intelligence.
The plot revolves around a scientist, Dr. Moreau (Brando) who lives on an island where he is turning animals into humanoids in order to create a race without malice. Now, while this motive (a huge departure from the original book) has a grain of interest in it, that single grain is lost as the plot unfolds. Dr. Moreau controls his race with pain and injections of street drugs, hardly elements condusive to discouraging malice. He has given them a set of laws to obey, but in previous tellings of the story the law was simple and easy to repeat in an almost ritualized fashion. This movie has Ronald Perlman reciting the law in long, pretentious speeches. How are the humanoids supposed to rememeber, and thus obey, these long narrations?
Assisting Dr. Moreau is Montgomery (Kilmer), who is described as a brilliant neurosurgeon. Despite this description, he neither says nor does a single brilliant thing during the movie. At various times he behaves oddly, a forced attempt to make him seem unstable that only comes off as goofy. At other times he flaunts the order of the island and ignores the potential for rebellion among the humanoids. It is hinted that he is so erratic because of drug use, which only begs the question of why the "genius" Dr. Moreau keeps this dangerous and unstable individual around.
The hero of the story, Douglas (Thewlis) is supposedly a UN negotiator. This implies that he is capable of dealing with differences among people and tense situations, including potential violence. However, he shows unbridled disgust for most of Moreau's creations and continuously comes across as a coward. For example, there is a boat that can take him to Timor, a few days away. He won't take it, however, because there is a ratman in a cage (yes, in a cage) guarding it. Plus, whenever there is gunfire, he cringes into a ball, some hero.
And speaking of gunfire, there are evidently tons of guns on the island for the humanoids to use during the predictable (and unimpeded by the "genius" Moreau) rebellion scene. Why does Moreau keep guns around when he is trying to build a malice free society? Why does he need so many when he and Montgomery are the only ones who might use them? Why didn't some one involved in the movie wonder about this?
I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. I would add that the special effects, while entertainingly gruesome at times, contribute little to the story. The humanoid make-up does not represent an improvment over the 1977 version of the story, and thus cannot be cited as a saving grace. Overall, "Dr. Moreau" 1996 presents as just another insipid, poorly designed movie that Hollywood frequently tries to pass off as "science fiction."
Movie Review: With this range of opinion, don't pass this one up
Summary: 5 Stars
The vehemence of some of the many negative reviews intrigues me. I loved the original Burt Lancaster version years ago, and found this one better to my tastes. The acting and direction is just right, IMO, *for this particular story.* It is not a happy tale.
My guess is that the negativity here is partly or mainly the result of subconscious rejection of the quite disturbing plot and realistic portrayals. Winston's "makeup" is marvelous. It goes to the core of what is it to be a human animal versus all the other beasts. If you liked "Artificial Intelligence," check this one out also. Rent both versions, this and the Lancaster one, and judge for yourself.
Movie Review: The line between animal and man has been evolutionized.
Summary: 4 Stars
An ocean plane wrecked diplomat (David Thewlis) is rescued and brought to an island inhabited by a Nobel winning now reclusive scientist (Marlon Brando) and his children; the animals he has been genetically manipulating with human DNA in an attempt to create his vision of a pure species.
When this film opened it was panned by the critics. I was never sure why. It opens strong, both visually and musically. The locale is beautifully claustrophobic, appropriate for a secluded tropical island. Stan Winston's creature make up is excellent. The body language of the "humanimals" is very interesting. The underlying commentaries on the savagery of society and the morality of biological scientific experimentation are intact. Performances are excellent (Brando makes a daring, and critics said poor, choice in his interpretation of Moreau in that he plays him like an effete, physically feeble, unbelievably polite British University English Professor, more eccentrically insane instead of the usual madly insane that most crazy scientist characters are portrayed as). This is a well done film.
Movie Review: Crazy Val, Crazier Marlon
Summary: 3 Stars
One of the craziest remakes of a remake of a remake that was totally a waste of talent from such top shelf stars. Marlon Brando walks around most of this picture as if he were on medication. What was that thimble on his head? Or was it an ice chest? Who knows...who really cares. Val Kilmer looks as if he were looking for his agent to get him out of this crazy thing. The one thing this film has going for it is the special effects. Its also very quirky, but stick with the 1977 Burt Lancaster version. Its much better.