Review: The Eye (2008)

Review Written By: Gaius Bolling

Release Date: February 1, 2008

Despite it being a neutered PG-13 horror flick, ,I think "The Eye" is a technically well made ghost story. I've never seen the 2002 film on which this is based, but the basic ideas here are intriguing and it's a visually strong film. The film suffers from a lackluster script and a very absurd climax. This is what prevents "The Eye"from being a truly good film but at least it's not as bad as it could be.

For Sydney Wells (Alba), renowned concert violinist and all-around nice girl, every day is to be treasured, even if she can't see the world around her. Blind since the age of five, she has learned to live through her other senses. But that's about to change. Her sister, Helen (Parker Posey), who feels responsible all these years later for Sydney's infirmity, has arranged for a cornea transplant. So Sydney goes into the hospital blind and emerges sighted. But, although all the tests are normal, Sydney is convinced something has gone wrong. She is suffering from Haley Joel Osment syndrome: she can see dead people. And the better her sight becomes, the more horrific her visions are. Her apartment changes before her eyes. Voldemort look-alikes hiss at her in the street. She stares in the mirror and sees another face. And restaurants she visits aren't serving the living any longer.

Ever since The Ring, updating Asian horror has been all the rage. I'm guessing a large part of this is financial but from a filmmaking stand point I think the visual liberties must be interesting to work with. Visually, The Eye has more in common with Dark Water rather than the Ring and like that film, atmosphere is its biggest asset. The first hour of The Eye is actually quite effective as we adjust to seeing images as Sydney sees them. The filmmakers do a good job of making the audience see things through her eyes. This technique makes for some effective boo moments that genuinely work. I won't lie, there was a jump moment in a restaurant that made me jump out of my seat. The film uses a lot of cold and dank colors, that work well for the material. The film loses some of its visual flair once Sydney's vision begins to improve but for the most part the films atmosphere offers a few genuinely frightening moments.

The last 20 minutes are extremely problematic. It's so bad that it nearly derails the whole film. Once "The Eye" shifts locations to Mexico, it loses its footing. It's as if I began watching a totally different film. The first hour is dark and moody while the last half an hour becomes a generic by the numbers thriller. The climax is so disappointing because the first hour promises something so much more but it doesn't live up to that promise.

This is Jessica Alba's film. She has to carry it on her shoulders and for the most part she does well. Because of how she looks, she is known more for being a pretty face rather than for whatever talent she may possess. I will say that this is the first effective dramatic performance she has given as an actress. She plays paranoia and panic very well but she still has some issues convincingly delivering long lines of dramatic dialogue. There are times when her performance is incredibly convincing (the scene in the Asian restaurant) and there are times when the script makes her utter some incredibly awful dialogue that makes it seem like she needs more acting classes (the last 20 minutes of the film). I'm going to say that she does bring it for the most part and presents a very likable character that we ultimately feel sorry for when she's in danger. Her co-stars are another story. Parker Posey clearly did this for the pay check because she's not even trying to be good (she looks great though). Alessandro Nivola is also as bland as they come. It's safe to say that Jessica Alba outacts them all.

In the end, "The Eye" is an intriguing premise that ultimately collapses when it needs to explain itself. I will give the film credit for it's fairly strong first hour but unfortunately it can't maintain that momentum. However, there are some aspects to respect so I'm giving a slight recommendation based on those merits.

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