35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Depends on what you're looking for in a horror film., October 22, 2004
This review is from: The Eye (DVD)
If it's important for you to have jump-out-of-your-skin scares and lots of gory violence, you can pass on "The Eye." But if you savor a creepy and atmospheric film, this is worth a look. It's pretty formulaic: A woman, blind since the age of 2, gets a corneal transplant and can see again. But it turns out that the corneas came from a woman with the gift of clairvoyance. You can figure out the rest. The story plays out in a fairly predictable way .... but there is one unexpected climactic scene that really blew me away and took the story to a whole new level. It's the grisly aftermath of this scene that is so unsettling and moves "The Eye" into R-rated territory. This movie requires a little bit of patience, but the payoff is pretty satisfying.
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54 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Creepy Suspense Horror, June 11, 2004
This review is from: The Eye (DVD)
Mun (Angelica Lee) is a girl who has had the misfortune of being blind since the age of two. When she undergoes a cornea transplant to restore her sight, both she and her family are overjoyed at the chance for Mun to see again. When Mun begins to see odd shadows and vague, blurry images, it is difficult to discern at first whether or not this is a mere side effect of the surgery. Clearly, her eyes need time to readjust to their surroundings, and her brain time to accept and interpret this new information.
Once Mun leaves the hospital and arrives home, it becomes clear that something is terribly wrong. Her room constantly changes, and she not only sees, but also has conversations with the recently departed. Mun, traumatized by these images and living in a constant state of anxiety, retreats for a while back into the dark world she was familiar with for most of her life. After some coaxing from her therapist, Dr. Wah, (Lawrence Chou), who eventually believes that there is more to her story than meets the eye (no pun intended), Mun realizes that she needs to face her fears and this new way of life. Of course, the fact that Mun's therapist sees her as something more than a mere patient only serves to help Mun's cause. Together the two set out to understand these images and their meanings. Does Mun only perceive things differently due to the fact that her "visual vocabulary" is under-developed? Or has she inherited an unexpected "gift" from her cornea donor?
"The Eye" is everything a suspenseful horror/thriller movie should be. Though this film, at many times, highly resembles "The Sixth Sense," the Pang brothers have managed to put their own unique twist on the story. Using subtleties and ambiance rather than expensive effects and visuals, this film conveys a truly inimitable sense of spooky, inescapable claustrophobia. This film trades the in-your-face horror for dark, atmospheric suspense, and the result is highly effective.
The eerie combination of music, cinematography, and an outstanding performance by Angelica Lee will have you cringing in your seat as you watch this film and are placed into Mun's less-than-idyllic and feverishly surreal world. This tension created early on in the film is maintained at a deliberate and methodical pace all the way up to the explosive finale that is not soon to be forgotten.
It will be interesting to see what is done with this film when Tom Cruise's American remake comes out, as this version of the film will certainly be difficult to beat. Grab some popcorn, turn out the lights, and enjoy this incredible film!
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie!, August 26, 2006
This review is from: The Eye (DVD)
Great movie. It's fantastic visuals, it's got edge of your seat shock, but most importantly it's got a great storyline. That is what sets the Pang Brother movies apart from other horror movies. The blood and violence aren't necessarily gratuitous, but it's appropriate. The movie gets to you on two level: visually and mentally. Occasionally there a movie makers who by name alone (like hitchcock) you know you're going to get a good movie. I'll be bold enough to say that the Pang Brothers not only try to surpass Hitchcock, but the also do so with great success. I'll watch their movies sight/review unseen simply because I know what to expect. Great visuals and an even greater "life-affirming" beautifully disguised as horror.
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