The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
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The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
Though Brando & Kilmer are credited first, the larger role is played by David Thewlis, a shipwreck survivor who is the latest arrival on the island. Brando - as Moreau - only appears at the half-hour mark and he doesn't last that long either (this reflects most of Brando's small roles since the seventies). He wears strange make-up (to ostensibly ward off the sun) and strange hats, and speaks with an unfocused Brit accent. He was also quite heavy by this point. Kilmer plays Montgomery, his assistant, as half-asleep and, later, partially crazed (or drunk). He also mimics Brando during his later scenes which just comes off as silly. But, Thewlis doesn't come off much better; he's either puzzled or dumbfounded in most of his scenes. Fairuza Balk plays Brando's most successful creation - she looks pretty human, but used to be a cat. Ron Perlman is the Sayer of the Law - the most articulate of the manimals; Perlman was a natural for this since he played the Beast in the Beauty and the Beast TV series.
This was the latest adaptation of the H.G.Wells novel about trying to create a new breed or improving on evolution, preceded by the 1977 version and by the famous Island of Lost Souls from the thirties. In the plot, Moreau & Montgomery control their creations with pain implants, but the Hyena-manimal eventually pulls his out, triggering a bloody revolt. Some of this is intriguing - Temuera Morrison plays another manimal, one which used to be a dog, and he's the house breed variety of manimal, always dressed in a butler's suit; this shows how social stratification is always around, with men and animals. Morrison usually stands around with a strange grin on his bestial features, soon proving to be the most sly of the manimals. But, director Frankenheimer, despite his talent and experience, isn't able to present a thought-provoking story for most of this, only some brief frightening scenes in the final act. The very end is anti-climactic. BoG's Score: 5 out of 10
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