|
PREMIER MOVIE REVIEWS HOMEPAGE - RECENT CINEMA RELEASES - RECENT DVD/VIDEO RELEASES - THE ARCHIVES - LINKS K-Pax (12's) Main Cast
Director: Iain Softley Rating: 4 STARS - RECOMMENDED Plot Summary: Psychiatric patient “Prot” (Kevin Spacey) tells his doctor, Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) that he is not human and that he has travelled from the planet K-Pax to do some research on earth. Dr. Powell tries to find out Prot’s real identity but Prot is adamant that he is from another planet. The doctor’s job is made harder by the fact that Prot is very convincing and has plenty of answers to the doctor’s questions. In fact Prot seems to know an awful lot about outer space! Review: I have to admit that the first time I saw the trailers for this movie they got my attention and having seen the movie I wasn’t disappointed. This unusual, humorous story maybe a little too long but it is, nonetheless, very entertaining. The storytelling is excellent and keeps you guessing until the end. Even then the ending isn’t spelt out for you. The story unfolds at an easy pace and while never overly exciting there is a certain easy charm and humour that carry it along. The dialogue between Dr Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) and his patient Prot (Kevin Spacey) is cleverly written and the battle of wits between them is intriguing. These two are very much the main characters and while some of the other patients are introduced they have little or no depth. The same applies to Dr. Powell’s wife and kids who, while introduced, do not play a major part in the story. Kevin Spacey doesn’t have the perfect “Hollywood” looks and this makes him more credible in his roles. In K-Pax he gives another strong performance and it’s hard not to like the subtle humour of his character. Jeff Bridges is also excellent in his role. Dr. Powell is the one that should be in control but he finds it difficult to deal with Prot. Jeff Bridges convincingly portrays the frustration that the Doctor feels when he makes little progress with his patient. He tells his colleagues that maybe the only problem Prot has is that he really is from K-Pax! Lasting thought: Prot tells Dr. Powell that it is amazing that mankind has made it this far. Maybe he's right! Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews 2002 HOMEPAGE - RECENT CINEMA RELEASES - RECENT DVD/VIDEO RELEASES - THE ARCHIVES - LINKS |