The Island of Dr. Moreau

At the time this flop’s release, it was the worst film that I had ever seen on the big screen. I’m giving it one star only for the make-up and costumes and for the fact that the scene with the mutant’s birth gave me chills. Otherwise, it’s a bad joke in every way, as if everyone involved actually wanted to make the worst movie possible. The presence of Marlon Brando is bewildering! (25.05.2002)

I wouldn't dare to say that The Island of Dr. Moreau is a good movie, as it has a problematic script, a painfully wooden performance by its lead actor David Thewlis, and the performances of the other actors can also be debated. However, when I read those venomous reviews that often label this film as the worst in their movie experiences, I think to myself that they either had incredible luck or carefully chose their movies because I have seen much, much worse things. The problem lies in the book itself, which can be adapted into a film either as a very, very loose interpretation or as a certain allegory. An attempt at a literal film adaptation is doomed to failure because the book has long been surpassed in terms of genre, and it's the same as the umpteenth adaptation of King Kong or Godzilla. The film cannot be denied a certain, albeit sometimes forced, effort to capture the viewer's attention, decent masks, and the wild charm of Fairuza Balk. Overall impression: 40%. (24.11.2007)