Instinct 2 and 1/2 Stars (Out of 4) Reviewed by Mac VerStandig critic@moviereviews.org http://www.moviereviews.org
Jon Turteltaub's Instinct is the ultimate deja vu for anyone who has been awake over the past several years. Completely and utterly unoriginal, the movie is a collection of other Hollywood hits, Jane Goodall's well known ventures into the wild, an exceptionally strong musical score, some of the worst cinematography of the year, and a performance so award worthy, that it already received one 8 years ago! These elements result not so much in a picture, but rather a collage. Messily assembled, with glue sticking out on the edges, and some great old photos that got a little too cut up, the "artwork" really isn't much to behold.
Dr. Ethan Powell (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is an extremely respected psychiatrist. He works for a prestigious medical center and boasts of a family life with no apparent problems. Much of his research is done in Africa, having taken over 20 trips in a decade alone. His last trip to the continent found him missing in action (MIA), when he failed to return from field research one day. What followed was his spending nearly two years in the jungle, living among the gorillas. In short, the film takes what Jane Goodall accomplished when she observed these animals, and pushes it one step further, having the protagonist live among them, not as a human living a human's life, but as a human living the lifestyle of a gorilla. By the time Powell is brought back to the USA, two African police are dead with three more hospitalized, and he has spent a year in an African prison, all as a result of his newly found primitive inner self. What emerges when the plane lands in America is a cross between Hannibal Lector (Played by Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs) and John Patrick Mason (Played by Sean Connery in The Rock), a killer so well educated that he can use every day objects to wreak havoc, but possessing an unparalleled degree of wisdom at the same time.
Following in the early footsteps of Powell is Dr. Theo Caulder (Cuba Gooding Jr.). A young, energetic, and driven psychiatrist, whose potential is endless. His mentor is Dr. Ben Hillard (Donald Sutherland) who is extremely encouraging and helpful to the young doctor. So when the opportunity to treat Powell comes up, Caulder immediately sees not only the chance to further his career, but also to write a best selling book as well. With the help of Hillard, the assignment is soon his.
Many surprises await Dr. Caulder as he begins his treatment of the killer. Not only does Powell not talk, but his vicious, primal behavior has led to an estranged family as well. Caulder sees a source of information in Powell's daughter Lyn (Maura Tierney), who in turn wants to be reconnected with her father, a man she still deeply loves.
Many similarities exist between Instinct and other Hollywood films. Some are major, and some minor. But none approaches the level of near plagiarism found in regards to The Silence of the Lambs. Not only does Hopkins' presence and similar performance draw a parallel, but the other lead roles do as well; One of the most notable similarities being the role of Clarice Starling (Jodie Fostor) in the 1991 film, versus that of Dr. Caulder in this production. Both are energetic young people handling the "case" of their careers. Neither of them has an objective consistent with that of the genius they are studying. The question of how much of this work was really suggested by Daniel Quinn's novel Ishmael, and how much Screenwriter Gerald DiPego may have borrowed from his video rack, must be asked.
Both Hopkins and Gooding have Academy Awards to their name. Neither of them fails to meet the expectations that they are held to in this film. Gooding's performance is his finest since Jerry Maguire. This is best demonstrated in a scene where he enters a gymnasium full of mentally ill inmates and attempts to defy the prison staff. His cool, calm, and positive emotions are dazzlingly displayed in his fine performance, and make this scene, as well as many others, flow smoothly.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is absolutely marvelous in his role. Despite the obvious resemblance to his earlier work, the character acting in his part is still breathtaking. His finest moment, and perhaps the most memorable of the film, comes when he is describing his adventures among apes, "They accepted a man - they took me in as family - that's the miracle." he explains. As these nearly melodramatic words come out of his mouth, he transforms them into tense, horrifying comments that send chills down your spine.
Danny Elfman delivers a score to accompany this film that is absolutely majestic. Often the music serves to compliment the dramatic and thrilling elements of the film, provided by the two lead actors. The score brings out a whole array of emotions, and often makes the scene complete. However, it also accompanies the weak cinematography. For a film largely based in Africa, certain visual expectations are naturally established. Unfortunately they are never met. The color is dull and boring, the landscape limited. An ineffective series of shots from the African jungle begin the film, one of the unfortunate examples of the lacking cinematography. It is not by any means a stretch to say that an average tourist could better capture these images, than Director of Photography Philippe Rousselot and Art Director Chris Cornwell do here.
This movie is not original by any means, and is often soar to the eye. Certainly, the acting is phenomenal and the score is awesome. But unless you have a desire to see Hopkins' interpretation of a murdering genius, then this isn't worth the money, not even on video. And if you do want to see it, The Silence of the Lambs is already at a store near you.
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