David Thewlis appears as if he has mistakenly walked onto the set of “The Island Of Doctor Moreau Movie” from a completely different production, a sentiment that unfortunately encapsulates much of this heavily criticized adaptation of HG Wells’ classic novel. Rescued at sea by the peculiar, toothy veterinarian Montgomery, played by Val Kilmer, our UN representative protagonist finds himself on the infamous island, encountering the feline-like Fairuza Balk and the bizarre, heavily made-up Doctor Moreau himself, portrayed by Marlon Brando with a questionable accent reminiscent of Ealing comedies.
Moreau’s eccentricities extend far beyond bizarre pronunciations. As it turns out, the mad scientist has been deeply engrossed in genetic manipulation, resulting in the creation of a population of humanoid beasts, brought to life through the special effects expertise of Stan Winston. Moreau maintains control over these creatures using electric shock implants, but his fascination with his creations leaves him woefully unprepared when the beast-men, predictably, begin to rebel. The narrative’s trajectory inevitably descends into a chaotic scenario echoing aspects of Jurassic Park, as the engineered beings run amok.
Despite the film’s overall disjointed nature, there are glimmers of merit within this cinematic hodgepodge. The opening title sequence is undeniably striking, a welcome visual treat considering the narrative’s slow initial pace. Thewlis delivers a compelling performance, standing out amidst the chaos. And the film manages to pull together a reasonably satisfying finale. In fact, segments of the movie devoid of Brando and Kilmer’s performances possess a certain captivating quality. This can be partly attributed to the screenplay, initially crafted by Richard Stanley, which showcases moments of brilliance amidst the evident studio interference and extensive revisions.
“The Island of Doctor Moreau movie” is arguably more renowned for its tumultuous production than its final cinematic form. Richard Stanley, the film’s original director, was dismissed from the project and barred from the set. Remarkably, Stanley returned in disguise as an extra, dressed as a dog-man, to witness the remainder of the filming process. One can’t help but speculate that had Stanley been allowed to complete his directorial vision and retain final cut, the resulting film might have been significantly superior.
Nevertheless, John Frankenheimer stepped in to salvage the production, and delivers a reasonably competent job given the challenging circumstances he inherited.
