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53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Creepy Suspense Horror, June 11, 2004
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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