Two out of
Five stars
Running time:
98 mins
Dull, slow-moving and largely nonsensical chiller, which is further scuppered by a trite script and a subdued performance by Jessica Alba.
What's it all about?
Yet another remake of a successful Asian horror flick, The Eye stars Jessica Alba as Sydney Wells (why are so many horror heroines called Sydney?), a blind violinist who is given the chance to see again for the first time since childhood, by way of a miraculous corneal transplant. However, things don't quite go as smoothly as planned and Sydney is haunted by terrifying visions.
Unsurprisingly, no one believes her, until she meets Paul Faulkner (Alessandro Nivola), a sympathetic doctor who listens to her story because, well, because he fancies her. Together, Sydney and Paul have to uncover the mystery of exactly whose eyes Sydney has inherited, before it's too late.
The Bad
The film's biggest problem is that it's not remotely scary, with co-directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud frequently having to resort to screeching cats jumping out and that sort of thing. In addition, the script is dreadful, combining laughably bad dialogue with a largely nonsensical plot and long, tedious stretches where nothing happens at all.
Jessica Alba is a likeable actress but she's given very little to work with here and her performance is subdued and unengaging as a result – it's also hard not to snigger when she's doing her blind violin-playing, though you have to admire her commitment to the white-out contact lenses. In addition, there's zero chemistry between Alba and Alessandro Nivola, while Parker Posey is largely wasted as Sydney's sister.
The Worst
The film also relies too heavily on obvious CGI effects for its big set-pieces, which diminishes their impact. There's also a depressing feeling of deja vu with the climactic scene, even if you've never seen the original film.
Worth seeing?
In short, The Eye is something of a disappointment, thanks to a tedious script, dull direction and unengaging central performances. Rent the original instead.