K-PAX (2001)

Boring, long, and too preachy.

A Major Disappointment

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

This movie is not awful in itself--but it is awful that Universal Studios continued with the project AFTER two producers in 1994 saw Man Facing Southeast, and could not fail to notice that the novel K-pax whose rights Universal had purchased, plagiarized said movie. Man Facing Southeast (Argentina, 1987, dir. Eliseo Subiela) is a beautiful movie that leaves you wondering, that evokes nostalgia and magic and sadness and joy. The scene with Ode to Joy brings tears to your eyes, it is that beautiful... while K-Pax is a simplified story written by a simple, thieving little mind, where the magic and the ambiguity and the wondering are substituted by environmentalism. Wow. So if you feel like watching a movie about a man who may or may not be an alien, or a lunatic, and his relationship with a psychiatrist, please see Man Facing Southeast.

Sometimes a movie comes out that takes your breath away. This is such a movie, the cast are excellent, Bridges and Spacey scenes alone are worth the price. The visuals with light is mesmerizing, Iain Softly the director did a wonderful job, especially with the lighting, casting and choice of composer for the music. Edward Shearmuir is a great composer. His music blends so well with the abstract of the story line, intensifies at the appropriate tense scenes and just does the job. The story is very cleverly crafted to keep the viewer guessing right until the end and, even then, no definitive answer is given. However I would like to think there are enough clues and signs as the tale unfolds to point to the more extraordinary possibility as being the case. At the end of the day, if aliens really did travel to our planet from great distances, they could only do so by means we cannot even begin to comprehend. Once here, they are more likely to take form or a host which allows them to exist among us, than arrive in V style spaceships.There is a lot to learn from this film (which, although not as detailed as the book, is better that the book for mystery and realism). I loved this film from the start (even the music is excellent); it is a slow, unfolding mystery that manages to install different emotions and feelings within the audience. You don't have to like Sci-Fi to enjoy this film - there is something for everyone in it, and a lot to learn and think about. What we do in life, how we treat people and how we live our lives is the central theme for me. If someone is mad, does that make them less of a person? Does science, medical test and medication have all the answers? Happiness is a road, it is happening now, trap the spark and hold it there, you won't be disappointed. This provoking film is one that will stay with you for a long time after seeing it and is even better the second time.Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

As time goes by this movie proves/reproves itself as a a pinnacle of life's hard earned wisdom. While i loved this move 10+ yrs ago, i decided to re- watch with my other daughters... and wow i found that i had not even come close to really understanding the full message, and i'm not sure that i ever will entirely. "Every being in the universe knows right from wrong" is the line in this movie that makes me question government, religion and pretty much everything. It's extremely rare movies like this that i go to in order to having a remote chance at understanding the real nature of why were here. I have to give this a 10 because it just continues to stick with me in way that is different from most.

This grew on me as it went on. It has an intriguing premise but starts off a little slow, and is a quiet sort of movie. It's helped along by the talents of Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges and also a large secondary cast who are all interesting.Kevin Spacey is pretty awesome (funny, sarcastic, heartbreaking) as "Prot", a homeless man who claims to be from another planet. Committed to a mental hospital, he's treated by a psychiatrist (Bridges) who is at first is intrigued by his tales and then as he becomes more involved realizes the effect Prot is having on the other patients and tries to figure out how to help him.There is a scene where Spacey is under hypnosis and he switches from manic to calm in a blip, super impressive.I found myself throughout this wanting to believe that Prot was actually from K-Pax. And there's a bit of a mystery involved as Bridges tries to find clues as to his real identity, where is he from, what happened to him, How does he know all the science/universe stuff he does? Is he really an alien or just a damaged man who has chosen to live in an alternate reality because of some kind of trauma? I really wanted to believe. Towards the end Prot sets himself a time to return to K-Pax, promising to take one of the patients with him and so he does...This is one of those science fiction based on reality types of movies which can be tricky to pull off and I'm not really sure this works as its neither sci-fi or drama but I will say that I was affected by the end and left with questions which means I'm still thinking about it -always a good sign. 1/13/15 Nice little cameo from a very young (and cute) Aaron Paul.