The Eye (2008)

   
Directed by: David Moreau & Xavier Palud

Written by: Sebastian Gutierrez

Starring:

Jessica Alba .... Sydney Wells
Alessandro Nivola .... Dr. Paul Faulkner
Parker Posey .... Helen Wells
Rade Serbedzia .... Simon McCullough
Fernanda Romero .... Ana Christina Martinez
Danny Mora .... Miguel
Chloe Moretz .... Alicia Millstone

Release Date: Quick Theatrical: February 1, 2008; European Film Market: February 7, 2008 (Germany)

*Images courtesy at www.movies.about.com

 

 

Rating:

 

A young violinist named Sydney Wells (Jessica Alba) who has been blind since she was 5 years of age has a chance to see again through a miraculous corneal transplant.
She thinks it's great that she can see again but yet she is going through dizzy spells especially when there's a welcome back party for her when all her friends talk to her.
She also experiences nightmares on terrifying incidents as well as her room changing colors plus experiences the supernatural world which keeps haunting her as well as her experiencing deadly accidents before they happen as she thinks that she is losing her sanity on all of this.
She tries to go to the aid of Dr. Paul Faulkner (Alessandro Nivola) to explain to him that the eyes she has are not hers as she sees dead people but he assures her that they are her eyes. But Paul is soon experiencing what Sydney is telling him and to find out who's eyes they belong to as well as save some people before their near death experiences.

 
We spot many nice discussions between Sydney Wells and Alicia Millstone in a hospital room which looked heartwarming and friendly like.
We have a good conversation between Sydney and a doctor when he tries to test her sight skills as it looked nicely done.
There are good camera shots circling around Sydney in a hospital hallway as well as a spooky and blurry image of a ghost.
Good camera shots on many people at a welcome home party which also involves Sydney as it psychs you out on her troubled vision when others greet her.
There's also a good shot on a ghost of a sickly woman in a cafe with vicious eyes staring and talking.
We spot a good shot on Sydney walking down a street at night as well asa teenage girl walking through her which was a good effect along with the two of them staring at one another carefully.
We spot a good moment with Sydney crying on her cell phone in a chinese restaurant along with good close up shots on a cook dicing up some meat along with fire blowing out of everywhere.
Good shot on Sydney staring through a peephole in her door with smoke around her along with a shot through the peephole on a smoky hallway and suddenly BAM! A surprise shot on a burned hallway man. There's also good smoky shots withSydney coughing and choking.
There's a nice strong conversation between Sydney and Dr. Paul Faulkner discussing that she sees dead people and her eyes aren't hers.
We have a good creepy shot on Sydney in an elevator along with a shot on an elevator ghost with his feet not touching the elevator ground and trying to stalk her which gives a good creepy feel to it.
Good shots on Sydney smashing her room lights and closing the drapes to make everything look dark.
We spot a perfect creepy moment with Sydney looking at her reflection in the mirror and it isn't her as there's a terrifying result when she asks her reflection what she wants and forces to pull her eyelid open which makes you cringe.
We have a good ghostly moment on Alicia Millstone speaking to Sydney and walking down the dark hallway in the hospital along with Sydney trying to call to her and run after her.
Nice shots on Sydney climbing down a ladder to a cellar as well as her struggling battle to try and rescue Ana Christina Martinez from hanging herself.
A great suspenseful moment with Sydney and Paul during a traffic holdup when they try to get everyone out of their vehicles due to what she imagined with an explosion. The explosive effects looked amazing too.
Bottom line: Well this remake of the Hong Kong film Jian Gui is really nothing that spectacular yet there are some neat haunting moments here and there. It's half good and half bad. It's neat that a blind woman with new eyes are seeing the supernatural world and the insanity behind it all. It's almost like a cross between the Sixth Sense and Final Destination except those films had alot more class than this one.

The acting is not too bad but not too memorable. We have a nice performance by Jessica Alba (Sydney Wells) putting alot into her role and with her emotions too. She puts alot of energy trying to force it out of her to try and get something out of someone in a certain scene.
Alessandro Nivola
(Dr. Paul Faulkner) seemed to pull his part off well too as a serious doctor in the film.
Parker Posey
(Helen Wells) wasn't in every scene of the film but seemed to pull off her part nicely as the understanding and sympathetic friend.
Child actress Chloe Moretz (Alicia Millstone) brings her charm perfectly as a hospital patient in the film and shows off a good ghostly performance too.

We have some hissing and thumping sound effects to make the film sound truly effective for the haunting moments along with some cold piano playing all composed by Marco Beltrami

Sydney Wells: I'm seeing things I shouldn't see!

Sydney Wells: I see...
Dr. Paul Faulkner: ...what? Dead people?

Alicia Millstone: I know you're scared. Don't be. 'Cause the world really is beautiful.