People have their opinions on what constitutes a good film. Some think it’s good character development or a good story, and some feel that a good film need only be entertaining -- even if it means watching a flower in a vase sitting in a dark room with Muzak playing for an hour and a half. Oh well, to each his own.

Though some may feel like K-PAX is boring or that you've seen these characters and plot before, what makes this Kevin Spacey film entertaining for me is the dense, warm atmosphere. Like the sunlight that pokes and prods through the darkness of each of its scenes, there’s a comfort and humanity to K-PAX that makes it exceedingly enjoyable to watch. There was never a time where I felt bored or uninterested in the characters. I was drawn in by director Iain Softley’s wonderful camera work and subtle insight into the Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey characters.

The film does such a good job of convincing the viewer of one reality, then flipping it on its ear, that the ambiguity of the ending feels right. Though we think that Dr. Mark Powell finds the answer to Prot’s situation, we can’t be sure that earth-bound science satisfies all aspects of his condition. Is physical and emotional death truly the end of life? Or is the human spirit in possession of a strength that can survive beyond a physical form? And if so, is that spirit alien? K-PAX doesn’t feed the audience a tidy resolution, but it does do a fine job establishing credible characters that provide a firm foundation for compelling ideas.

Spacey almost single-handedly carries this film, while Bridges, though good, looks like he inhabits a character from a previous film. There are moments of genuine humor. One scene involving Prot’s deadpan description of how his alien race procreates is a howl, while his various eccentricities (his love of produce, for example) whip up enough smiles to sustain the film’s good nature. There are also moments of tension that feed off human curiosity and discovery. In particular, a scene involving Prot mapping out his planet’s star system offers a nice feeling of tension, without overdone drama or crazy camera work. It’s apparent that director Softley has enough faith in the script to let the narrative and undercurrent of music drive the scene.

Along with its pace, much of this film’s mood is conveyed by the brilliant visuals and caressing score. The pictures, as well as the excellent sound mix, are beautifully captured on this DVD. Logical use of surround speakers convey rich ambience, while John Mathieson’s cinematography uses a high-contrast palette to give a warm, lush feeling to the sun-soaked visuals and semi-dark interiors. Of special mention is Ed Shearmur’s brilliant synthesizer score, which infuses the film with melodic textures that both express the innocence and tragedy of Prot’s character.

Extras were merely OK. A short junket-type documentary, a commentary by Softley, deleted scenes, and an alternate ending did an average job of taking the viewer behind the scenes and adding insight to the filmmaker’s technical decisions.