K-Pax: Makes magic using two great actors.
Written: May 01 '02 (Updated May 01 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Spacey and Bridges make a great combination therefore making a great film
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: The intriguing screenplay and the chemistry between Spacey and Bridges make “K-PAX” worth seeing.
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| epinionsuser's Full Review: K-PAX |
One either buys into the idea of a mental patient actually being from another planet, or they write it off as unoriginal fop. They either analyze the project to pieces, or they enjoy the magical prospects presented to them.
I would encourage the latter.
At the beginning of this film, a man appears from nowhere in the middle of a busy train station. He then is mistaken as having mugged an elderly woman nearby and is taken to a mental hospital on the basis that he claims to be from another planet.
The “being,” played expertly by Kevin Spacey, says his name is Prot and he has traveled thousands of light years from his planet called K-PAX to do a report on the condition of this planet. He looks human, but claims he takes the form of whatever being rules the planet he is visiting. If we were to visit his planet, we would take the form of a K-PAXian.
The doctor analyzing him is Dr. Mark Powell, played by Jeff Bridges, who is hard to watch without remembering his role in “The Big Lebowski.” The two men develop a relationship of sorts as Prot becomes more and more convincing as the story unfolds.
He explains he travels with a beam of light--only faster. We humans are eons away from discovering light travel, he explains.
From the audience’s point of view, I think we secretly hope Prot is indeed from another planet, and we become more convinced along with the doctors examining him.
Powell’s goal is to prove to Prot that K-PAX does not exist. By doing so, he hopes to cure Prot of this severe delusion.
To accomplish this task, he enlists the help of a friend, who just happens to be an astronomer, to ask Prot some probing questions as to the conditions of his planetary system. Prot answers these questions without any problem.
His answers impress the local astronomers and he is soon invited to the planetarium to meet some prestigious doctors in the field. He is asked to draw a diagram of the planetary rotation of K-PAX. He does so rather easily. The doctors seem rather put off by this and plug his drawings and calculations into their computer.
The system works by which the doctors are amazed. We are now convinced more than ever there may be something to this mental patient.
Powell also finds himself growing closer to Prot, and possibly even starting to believe him.
Meanwhile, Prot is making friends with his fellow patients and is doing things to bring them closer together. Inmates with seemingly hopeless cases are now showing signs of improvement, and even breakthroughs. He explains he can take only one person with him when he returns to K-PAX at the end of the month. Every patient is convinced they will be the one chosen. Powell is determined to get to the bottom of this case before his “beaming back to K-PAX” on July 27.
If one has seen films like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Awakenings,” they may not be as impressed with the mental hospital aspect of the film. But what is remarkable about “K-PAX” is that it relies solely on the two lead actors, Spacey and Bridges, to communicate all the ideas and emotions the filmmakers are shooting for.
And they succeed.
Kevin Spacey is one of the most talented actors in the nation and Bridges holds his own when sharing the screen with him.
The script by Charles Leavitt provides excellent dialogue between the two characters, and even succeeds in convincing us Prot may have more to him than meets the eye.
Director Ian Powell also has an interesting theme of light running through his film. Notice the extensive use of prisms and different forms of lighting used throughout the film, specifically in scenes between Prot and Powell. It’s obvious if one is paying attention to it.
The intriguing screenplay and the chemistry between Spacey and Bridges make “K-PAX” worth beaming in to your local theater to see.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Family Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
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epinionsuser
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Member: Epinions User
Location: Lubbock, Texas
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