A very intriguing film. (K-Pax (DVD))

Member Name: GR-Design

Product:	K-Pax (DVD)
Date:	23/04/03 (143 review reads)
Rating:

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Why is it I always end up reviewing some of the hardest films to actually write a review on? It?s probably because I like films with a bit of intrigue surrounding them, films which don?t give you everything laid out on a plate and films which make you use your mind that little bit more.

K-Pax is one of these films. It makes you believe what you are going to see at the end of the film, promising you something with snipits of information here and there and leading you to believe everything that is going on. Just like the characters in the storyline, you are put on the spot, do you believe everything that?s going on?

K-Pax was directed by Iain Softley, responsible for such films as Hackers and The wings of a Dove. He?s a British born director, nice to see in Hollywood blockbusters. He?s only directed 4 films and K-Pax was the last one in which he had a role, but I hope to see him directing more after this performance. K-Pax did pretty well when it hit the big screen, but not so well as some of the all action big hitting films out there. It took $50m in the US and £1.4m over here in the good old UK. It?s one of those films which people wouldn?t have had the urge to get up and go too, but one of those films that still comes through excellently on DVD. It scored 7.2 on the IMDB, so it sits proudly amongst some of the finest films out there.

Were introduced to this film via a mugging in a train station (or somewhere like that). This being comes from no where, standing watching the mugging, surrounded by bright light, in shades, just standing watching. Another guy in a wheelchair witnessed everything and tells the cops that it isn?t this strange man, he didn?t do anything, but the Police arrest him anyway because of his unusual nature, having no I.D whatsoever and telling them that he doesn?t come from this planet. He ultimately ends up in the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute.

Here we are introduced to Dr Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges). He?
s the head doctor at the institute and his life is focused more upon his work than his wife and children back home. He meets this ?Man from outer space? and starts questioning him, finding out that his name is Prot and he comes from the Planet K-Pax which is hundreds of light years away from the Earth. Obviously he looks a bit mental, but as we find ourselves deeper into the film, Prot (Kevin Spacey) becomes a very convincing ?extra terrestrial? coming up with answers that no body could know about various astrology stuff apart from four people in the world. He goes onto amaze the top astrologists of the US with his knowledge and then unsolves something they have been working on for years, yet still hadn?t come up with an answer until Prot laid it out for them.

That?s it, I?m not saying anymore!

K-Pax is a break from the normal trend of movies we have out there. Special effects are absolutely fantastic and basic, there are no huge explosions, there are indeed no real special effects, but I said they were fantastic?.I have never seen a film make so much use of light before, in nearly every scene, the lighting is of high importance and it shows it right the way through the film. Attention to detail is extremely high and I really was blown away at the use of something we all take for granted to be used in the kind of way it was used in the film.

Music also plays a huge part in the film. I would say that 90% of the scenes have some kind of music playing, normally of the very calming, high pitched piano variety, nothing upbeat, but more smooth, calming, mellow music playing behind most of the scenes, but all of it meaning something. There were no songs, just music, something else which was very enjoyable and very apparent.

The film looks at our basic human nature, how we are all out for ourselves, how our jobs can destroy our basic lives, how people themselves can cure themselves instead of wallowing in self pity. Being set in a psy
chiatric institute this becomes more apparent, with the other inmates turning to Prot for advice and getting it, they really are curing themselves of things which we might find trivial, but to a person who has it engraved in their brain that they have an illness, it?s not trivial, it?s their life, but they can change, it just takes Prot to help them.

But who is this Prot, where does he come from, things do start to come out towards the film, is he a space alien afterall? It?s only a film, he could be, but is he? Clues lead us to believe so, but clues also head in the other direction, in the end it?s completely up to you and how you saw the film.

The film has a 12 certificate slapped on it?s face, though a 12 year old wouldn?t really get the film and would probably end up pretty bored, I?m not sure that some 18 year olds would get the film either, or 40 year olds, infact no one can, but that?s besides the point. I can?t remember why it has a 12 rating, there might have been the odd swear word, there certainly wasn?t any naked bodies. A bit of blood, but that?s about it.

Acting as usual was spot on. You can't really go wrong with an actor like Kevin Spacey playing the lead role, he's just such a convincing actor it's untrue. Remember Se7en, remember The Usual Suspects, he had us all fooled, and he does it again, acting of the best quality shines through from Kevin, a bloke I would love to meet. Jeff Bridges is his usual self, normally playing the more serious roles and doing them extremely well.

I?d recommended this film highly to all of you. It?s not a fast paced film, it doesn?t have any tits and it doesn?t have any explosions, but at the same time, it?s one of the best films I have seen for some time. Looking at us humans, our basic human nature, our complaints, our lives?.this film does all that, it just doesn?t do it in an obvious way.

Reccomended.

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