1996
Unrated
New Line Cinema
1 h 36 m

1996
Unrated
New Line Cinema
1 h 36 m

Summary After being rescued and brought to an island, a man discovers that its inhabitants are experimental animals being turned into strange-looking humans, all of it the work of a visionary doctor.

Directed By: John Frankenheimer, Richard Stanley

Written By: H.G. Wells, Ron Hutchinson, Richard Stanley

1996
Unrated
New Line Cinema
1 h 36 m

1996
Unrated
New Line Cinema
1 h 36 m

The Island of Dr. Moreau

Name: The Island of Dr. Moreau
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Released: 1996-08-23
Duration: 1 min 36 s
Rating: 37
Cast: David Thewlis, Marlon Brando, Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk, Daniel Rigney

Metascore Generally Unfavorable Based on 23 Critic Reviews

User Score Available after 4 ratings

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Summary After being rescued and brought to an island, a man discovers that its inhabitants are experimental animals being turned into strange-looking humans, all of it the work of a visionary doctor.

Directed By: John Frankenheimer, Richard Stanley

Written By: H.G. Wells, Ron Hutchinson, Richard Stanley

Where to Watch

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Generally Unfavorable Based on 23 Critic Reviews

13% Positive
3 Reviews

48% Mixed
11 Reviews

39% Negative
9 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Generally Unfavorable Based on 23 Critic Reviews

13% Positive
3 Reviews

48% Mixed
11 Reviews

39% Negative
9 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

The Seattle Times

Under the steady direction of John Frankenheimer, the movie's most memorable scenes involve the beasts' half-human limitations, their blind allegiance to "father" Moreau, and their discovery of the painful implants he uses to control them. They often make up for what was the chief shortcoming in Wells' original: its thin plot. [23 Aug 1996]

By John Hartl FULL REVIEW

Entertainment Weekly

He’s become such an obvious parody of himself that Frankenheimer has permitted Kilmer to do a wicked mid-movie impersonation of Brando’s character; it’s funny, but it also gives The Island of Dr. Moreau an extra layer of camp it certainly didn’t need.

By Ken Tucker FULL REVIEW

Miami Herald

Unfortunately, there isn't enough of Brando and Kilmer: Too much screen time is eaten up by the monsters, plotting their perfunctory uprising against their creator. Worse, the confusing climax never comes close to fulfilling the promise of the opening credits sequence (the best of any movie this the summer). But The Island of Dr. Moreau has sublimely weird moments in it that are hard to shake, and for starved horror fans, nowadays you take what you can get. [23 Aug 1996, p.5G]

By Rene Rodriguez FULL REVIEW

Austin Chronicle

Frankenheimer resorts to gunfire and explosions to bring the film to its predictable end. It's when things get mundane that you find yourself wishing that Brando would reappear on the screen to make things interesting again.

By Steve Davis FULL REVIEW

San Francisco Examiner

Sympathizing with Moreau would be difficult in any case. But with Brando in the role, there is the added obstacle of needing to suppress laughter every time he opens his pursed mouth.

By Barbara Shulgasser FULL REVIEW

Philadelphia Daily News

Frankenheimer and company, perhaps realizing they were making a bad movie, have taken steps to make "Dr. Moreau" gloriously bad, with comical dialogue that can only have been meant to elicit laughter. [23 Aug 1996, p.44]

By Gary Thompson FULL REVIEW

New York Daily News

This movie is not just bad, it is breathtakingly, spectacularly, awesomely bad. You might want to see it out of curiosity. [23 Aug 1996, p.40]

By Jami Bernard FULL REVIEW

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Details

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Production Company New Line Cinema

Release Date Aug 23, 1996

Duration 1 h 36 m

Rating Unrated

Genres

Tagline On the sixth day, God created man. On the seventh day, He rested. And on the eighth...

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Awards

Razzie Awards

• 1 Win & 6 Nominations

The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards

• 1 Win & 2 Nominations

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA

• 2 Nominations

The Island of Dr. Moreau

Where to Watch

Where to Watch

Top Cast

David Thewlis

Douglas

Marlon Brando

Dr. Moreau

Val Kilmer

Montgomery

Fairuza Balk

Aissa

Daniel Rigney

Hyena-Swine

Temuera Morrison

Azazello

Nelson de la Rosa

Majai

Peter Elliott

Assassimon

Mark Dacascos

Lo-Mai

Ron Perlman

Sayer of the Law

Marco Hofschneider

M'Ling

Miguel López

Waggdi

Neil Young

Boar Man

David Hudson

Bison Man

Clare Grant

Fox Lady

Kitty Silver

Sow Lady #1

Fiona Mahl

Sow Lady #2

William Hootkins

Kiril

Agoes Widjaya Soedjarwo

Captain

Ron Vreeken

Soldier #1

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

Details

Details

Awards

Awards

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