3 August 2026

Review: Eyes Wide Shut 4K UHD

Directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ is based on a 1926 novella Dream Story (German: Traumnovelle) by Arthur Schnitzler, and is amazingly a more or less exact retelling of that story, the main difference being that the ‘action’ is transferred from early twentieth-century Vienna to 1990s New York City.

Infamous for the length of time it took to film, and for its ‘perverse secret cult’ subtext, this is a film that is still getting attention from YouTubers, who make endless conspiracy videos about it; some claim Kubrick was murdered because he exposed billionaire elite sex clubs (I wonder if Epstein wore a mask and cloak?), then there’s the ending involving their daughter (no spoilers, watch the film then google it).

Released three months after Kubrick’s death, it’s likely this version of the film isn’t the one he intended, as several sources claim it was originally planned to have a narration (possibly by Cruise, though he’s not confirmed this) throughout. This may be true, as one scene in a mortuary seems ‘awkward’ like something is missing – it’s a narration.

Eyes Wide Shut is a long film, and some of the acting in it may be purposely stilted, hammy even. But of course, knowing who the director was, you know that there would have been a purpose, a theme behind it. Clues are abundant: mirrors with no reflections, masks, Cruise’s emotionless performance, warm colours turning cold halfway through, a lot of naked Nicole Kidman, prostitution… but to me, having seen this film several times over the years, I still feel like something is missing, but I can’t put my finger on what that is exactly, and that’s the genius of Kubrick, you don’t know.

This new Warner release on 4 K UHD is gorgeous; the sets, especially in the orgy house, remind me of Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon: sumptuous, dangerous, it’s a film made for High-def, while keeping the original cinematic film grain structure. But perhaps the biggest plus is the soundtrack. That constant chord smash as Cruise’s doctor gets sucked into chaos, the BONGING is purposely ear-splitting.

There’s some great extras too; I especially liked the ‘Unfinished films of Kubrick’, a really fantastic package and beautifully presented in the steelbook release, which would be a great addition to anyones movie shelves.

Did I like the film? Well that’s hard to say; sometimes I love it.

Eyes Wide Shut Blu-ray Disc contains the following new special features: