MovieChat Forums > Instinct (1999) Discussion > Flawed masterpiece

Flawed masterpiece

posted 20 years ago by alncam2
3 replies | jump to latest

This is a weird hotch-potch of a film. In my opinion the story is brilliant, especially the parts where Hopkins becomes welcomed into the Gorilla family are fascinating. Hopkins is very convincing in his part and Gooding is fine too.

The film is extremely badly let down by half a dozen or so brief scenes where the director just seems to lose all judgement and goes completely over the top . Shovelling on masses of cheap Hollywood sentimentality that make you laugh or cringe. I dont understand why people didnt spoet the potential of this film and didnt tell him that he was ruining what could have been a great film. It is still a very interesting film but its never gonna make any top 250 lists now, which it could easily have done if some of the scenes had been re-done with a touch more class or taste.

Were they perhaps on a short timescale with this one, so it just had to be finished quickly, ready or not. Hopkins must have been gutted to see a film that could have earned him more oscars cheapened like this.

[–] Captain_Fantazmo 19 years ago

Could you please give examples of the scenes you feel were over the top?

[–] Memegan2005 19 years ago

i agree alncam2.....i was watching the movie today on tv, and i was thinking almost exactly what you said. the story is wonderful, but there was just something missing...the music, the cinematography, something.....there was something about the film that was almost cheesy, dispite the wonderful acting and the wonderful potential of the script...

[–] BabiAnjing 19 years ago

Me too. I don't think Ethan would have got so far in his escape attempt at the airport, where were his leg irons? but the biggest let down was Cuba Goodings tearful monologue just before Ethan went out the window, just did not seem convincing. Very impressed with the daughters performance (Maura) would like to see more of her.