Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Let's be realistic.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

It's pointless to go into all that went on behind the scenes of this monumental turkey, superb articles and a truly excellent documentary (Lost Soul) have already done so. Suffice to say, had we gotten the original Richard Stanley film (the script is to be found online), we might have gotten a modern Science Fiction/Horror masterpiece along the lines of John Carpenter's The Thing. Instead we got one of the biggest film fiascos, perhaps, of all time. Marlon Brando looks (and acts) an utter fool as Moreau. So sad to see what was America's greatest actor as an overweight mime/clown, his glory days long gone. Val Kilmer is equally horrible in his role, on an incredible ego trip via the Batman film he was in, he gives a truly embarrassing performance that rightfully helped to derail his career. Fairuza Balk, at least, tries real hard. She was utterly disgusted at Stanley's firing and wanted desperately to quit the film. But contractually bound, she was forced to stay. She does well to hide the strain and give a good performance. But it's a shame she has to be associated with this. Other than that, it's the magnificent make up FX of the Stan Winston Studio that shines, and the beast men and women are very, very impressive.In the end, it gives misfire a new name and only further sullied the later, downward spiral, career of John Frankenheimer. Island of Lost Souls easily trumps this. Even the 1977 version is better. Honestly.

This is adapted from the story by HG Wells in 1896, which was famously filmed as 'The Island of Lost Souls' in 1932, concerning animal/human hybrids.Initially, Douglas's (David Thewlis) disrespectful comments about Moreau's cross-bred children, whilst in their presence, grinds alongside their exemplary manners. Indeed, the agent is told there is not one note of malice in them. However, it soon becomes obvious that Moreau's control over them is far from humane, and the good doctor is – not that there was ever much doubt – insane.Marlon Brando wrestles with an upper-crust British accent and some outsized false teeth. The accent is perfect, the prosthetics less so, rendering occasional moments of dialogue incomprehensible. His performance though, is terrific. Dangerous and a lot of fun. From his first appearance, draped in white, outsized sunglasses and a full face smothered in white 'sunblock', he is delightfully bizarre.The film loses something when Brando's presence is removed, and events become a bit of a jumble. Val Kilmer's Montgomery, who takes Moreau's place, is good, but he's no Marlon Brando.Ultimately, 'The Island of Doctor Moreau' is a thoroughly enjoyable film. David Thewlis (who joined the film after shooting had started, replacing another actor) initially seems miscast as Douglas, but he soon proves himself as the talented actor he is. The same can be said for the various hybrids, most of who really take advantage of the excellent make-up jobs and imbue them with tangible emotion which would be lost if everything was achieved with CGI.It is difficult to ignore the critical mauling the film received, due in part to a series of unfortunate occurrences behind the scenes. Viewed almost 20 years after its release – and I speak as someone yet to see the original Charles Laughton version, so therefore have no other film to compare this to – I found it hugely enjoyable.

UN peace negotiator Edward Douglas (David Thewlis) survives a plane crash and other survivors in the Java Sea. He is rescued by Montgomery (Val Kilmer)'s ship. Edward is dropped off with Montgomery on a mysterious island. He meets Aissa (Fairuza Balk) and then Dr. Moreau (Marlon Brando). Moreau has been on the island for 17 years obsessed with animal research.There are some interesting makeup jobs. I think Thewlis is miscast for Douglas. He should be more of an innocent and maybe younger. The start is kind of interesting but then a white-out Marlon Barndo comes in with his Popemobile. It turns something interesting into something ridiculous. It's like Brando insists on being stupid looking. It just deteriorates from there on. The movie loses all tension as the plot meanders. Thewlis is such a cool customer that he can't project fear from the mounting danger. It's also not campy enough to be funny.

Balk smolders. So what? Brando emotes. Interesting. Kilmer embarrasses himself. Perlman growls. Thewlis tries. Worth watching just to see how bad a movie with a great cast and a great director can be. Gratuitous violence, but tame by today's standards. Doesn't help. The 1977 version had Barbara Carrera, so we forgive that. The original (Island of Lost Souls), even in black and white, with a low budget, is far better. This cast makes the ailing, hammy Bela Lugosi look like Oscar material. Brando, for all his talent, doesn't touch Laughton. Frankenheimer makes a couple of points. Men and animals aren't that far apart. The law is determined by the point of a gun. And artistic pretension doesn't make a bad movie better. Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.