The Eye (2002)

- Gin gwai
Excellent horror film with a weak ending, 17 December 2005

Mun (Angelica Lee) is a young woman who has been blind since she was two years old. A cornea replacement surgery offers hope of being able to see. But once Mun's vision is restored, she gets more than she bargained for. She is bombarded with images of places and people that don't quite seem right. Mun sees ghosts. But that's not the worst of it. When presented with a picture of herself, Mun realizes that the image in the picture is not the same woman she sees when she looks in the mirror.

The first half or so of The Eye is an incredibly creepy little film. There are moments like the elevator scene or the first time we see what Mun sees in the mirror that had me sitting on the edge of my seat. It's all very nicely handled. But the film switches its narrative tone about half way through much to its detriment. The Eye goes from being a subtle, effective horror film to being a special effects extravaganza. The Pang Brothers appear to have the same problem ending a movie that a lot of Hollywood filmmakers seem to have – if you can't come up with an ending, blow something up. Had the movie ended when Mun discovered the secret of her new eyes, it would have been a better movie and worthy of a higher rating.

The acting in The Eye is as good as I've seen in a modern Asian horror film. I've only seen Angelica Lee in one other film (Koma), but she's quickly become a real favorite of mine. The two roles I've seen her play are vastly different yet Lee handles each in a believable, very enjoyable way.

While The Eye may not be the best Asian horror film I've seen, the first half makes it more than a worthwhile watch. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to see The Eye 2.

7/10