Eye, The
From FilmFile
Taglines:
- What if the reflection you see is not yours
- Some things are better left unseen
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Synopsis
A woman, blind since the age of 2, is given a chance at seeing again by way of a retinal transplant. Undergoing the operation, she finds she can see again. Initial pleasure gives way to confusion when she begins to see shadow like people which apparantly are not there. Then she begins to see people that others cannot. Her doctor explains this as the brain being confused with all the visual stimulus after so long, that it is playing tricks on her. However this does nothing to comfort her.
Is she going insane, or is there really an afterlife, and do the spirits of the dead roam the earth?
Review
Danny Pang's last film, Bangkok Dangerous, was a brilliant example of eastern cinema, with hi octane action, and fantastic direction. Now, he has tried his hand at horror with The Eye.
The Eye is a superbly scripted example of classic ghost story background. There is no lull period which threatens to kill the pace. Instead each scene nicely weaves into the next. This is thanks to the fantastic direction from Pang and Pang Chun. The ghosts are realised in truely chilling ways, and are some of the most disturbing images put on film. Very reminiscent of Sixth Sense's approach to ghosts, you will know when they are on screen as your hackles will be rising on the back of your neck.
It is always hard to grade the acting on a foreign film, due to not really being able to tell if the words are being said in the correct context. However, the visual acting, and the emotions on display here are powerfully performed. You begin to empathise with the characters right from the start, and you soon forget you are reading subtitles.
So, good story, good cast, good direction. Anything wrong? Well, not really. The effects (ie the ghosts) are distubing, chilling, creepy, and powerful. You will feel the tension in the elevator scene with the old man, and will be un-nerved by the actions of the woman with the baby at the rib-counter. This is all complemented by a soundtrack which can only be described as Silent Hill-ish!! Melodic at times, and at others it is topped with radio noises, or just strange sounds. Truely chilling sounds that manage to send shivers down your spine and play with your feelings, much in the same way that the famous Jaws theme music manipulates you.
If you can cope with subtitles, then you have to see this film. If you don't like subtitles, then I pity you, as some of the best films of the past 2 years have been foreign (Crouching Tiger, Amelie, Bangkok Dangerous, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Battle Royale, etc etc etc) and you are missing out on pieces of film that America can never emulate.
On that note, it is worth pointing out that the script of The Eye has already been picked up for US remake. Can we expect Vanilla Sky or Ring style remakes, or will it be more The Assassin? Only time will tell.
So, The Eye....now "Made In Taiwan" no longer means cheap rubbish!
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Current user rating: 96% (1 votes)
