Horror Movie Review:The Eye (2008)
Jessica Alba Sees Dead People in the Latest Asian Horror Remake
Jessica Alba stars in a remake of the successful Japanese horror film "The Eye". Directed by Xavier Palud & David Moreau, co-starring Parker Posey, and Alessandro Nivola
“The Eye” marks the North American directorial debut of Xavier Palud, and David Moreau, who directed one of the tenser, and more finely crafted horror films of 2006; “Ils”. This film also marks one of the first credible performances by the notoriously bad actress, Jessica Alba. The film is one part beautiful direction, another part stilted screenplay, and another part inconsistent performances. The result is a film that can be described at best as “not that bad”.
Jessica Alba Sees Dead People.
A young blind violinist, Sydney Wells (Jessica Alba), is convinced by her sister (Parker Posey) to get a corneal transplant. As Sydney hasn’t seen anything since a very young age she struggles with adapting to her new vision and how to interpret the world with a dominant new sense. Helping her with this struggle is Dr. Paul Faulkner (Alessandro Nivola), an awkward, blunt, and occasionally helpful doctor who may care a little too deeply for his patient. Through disturbing dreams, and visions of the dead, Sydney comes to realize that she may have a problem even larger than that of adapting to regaining her sight. It is with help of her doctor, and a trip to Mexico, that Sydney’s mystery is resolved.
Sebastien Gutierrez's Script Lacks Substance.
At the core of this film is a relatively uninspired, “screenwriter-by-hire”, script by known hack Sebastien Gutierrez (Gothika, Snakes on a Plane). Gutierrez makes little effort to develop any of his characters, and even less effort to establish convincing relationships. There is some insight and research on what it would be like for a blind woman to regain her sight, but that is really as far as the script goes in its depth. This is unfortunate as the subject matter allows for some reflections on the human condition, and the supporting cast is capable of grounding our protagonist on her journey.
Jessica Alba Delivers a Credible Performance.
Both Nivola and Posey are unremarkable in their supporting roles. Posey isn’t bad, but clearly isn’t putting much effort into the part. Nivola alternates between overacting, and delivering his lines like he’s reading a cookie recipe. Perhaps this is why Alba was as convincing as she was. She clearly did some research into what it might be like to be blind, and deals with her struggles and acceptance really well. Her character is meek, but never comes across as weak or incapable. This was a surprisingly layered balance that was somewhat unexpected. The audience is able to identify with her character, and in turn can accept the film on a visceral level.
David Moreau & Xavier Palud Show Talent Behind the Camera
Where this film stands out is in its direction. The visuals are genuinely disturbing, and are given to the audience in a way that progresses Sydney’s emotional state rather than being horrific for the sake of being so. The film has no gore, yet manages to chill in a way that most R-rated fare is unable to. This is due mainly to top-notch pacing, crafty editing, and some beautifully framed cinematography from Jeffrey Jur. The script doesn’t allow Moreau and Palud to show the same flair they did with their debut “Ils”, but they really made the most of a potentially flat movie. It will be interesting to see what they get behind the camera for next.
A Better Than Average Asian Horror Remake
Overall, "The Eye" is a decent film that should satisfy its’ core audience. There are obvious flaws, and many may dismiss it as simply another Asian Horror remake, but it may also surprise some of those who watch it with very low expectations. "The Eye" flounders with meaning but scores with tension, which is the complete opposite of another recent horror film "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane"
