Gin Gwai (The Eye)
DIRECTORS: Oxide & Danny Pang, WRITTEN BY: Jojo Hui, Oxide & Danny Pang, STARRING: Angelica Lee, Lawrence Chou, RUN TIME: 98 minutes., RELEASE: 2002, LANGUAGE: Cantonese
Wong Kar Mun (Angelica Lee/Lee Sin-Je), a twenty-year-old blind violinist since the age of two, undergoes a cornea transplant after receiving a pair of new eyes from a donor. At first, she’s happy to have her sight restored. However, after a short time she starts to see strange figures and apparitions that seem to foretell terrible deaths of others and haunt her new-found vision. Troubled by the frightening things she is seeing, Mun sets out to find the original person that the cornea's belonged to and discover the truth about her haunting visions.
The Eye is billed as being 'based on a true story'. Whilst it is based on several supernatural reports and testimonies, that is for you to privately determine as to its validity depending on your own personal views. I have no intention in going into my beliefs. I just thought I'd point that out as it states that in the trailer. This is easily one of my favourite supernatural horrors. I have seen many foreign language horror films over the years and this one certainly does rank high on the list, in my opinion.
Admittedly, this one does feel much more mainstream and 'Hollywood' than most of the others I have watched but, it still has that fantastic creepiness and edge to it that a lot of western world countries consistently lack in the horror-film genre. The story is well written and wonderfully delivered and the Pang Brothers again prove their directorial metal with this engaging edge-of-your-seat drama. The camera work and cinematography certainly don't stand out as anything ground-breaking and new but, it works just fine, although the editors have done a fine job in putting The Eye together.
There are many moments in this great film where you can feel the hairs standing up in the back of your next and it also succeeds in what most horror films fail to do; make me jump. There are great scenes - where I just felt uncomfortable if my back wasn't pressed against something and my feet weren't safely tucked under my body - that really had me on the edge of my seat and made me feel like there could have been someone standing behind me and breathing down my neck. I'm mostly referencing one particular scene that had me gritting my teeth all the way thought but, I won't spoil it by mentioning what part. Trust me, you will know when you watch it which scene I am talking about.
The talented Angelica Lee really sells her role as Mun. She displays the array of emotions of her character with seemingly natural ease. Whether it be despair, sadness, fear, happiness, contentment or many of the other sensations that swirl and change throughout Mun's journey to discover the truth behind her torment. I won't go into the ending however, I will say that it is not the greatest or most inventive but again, it is based on an actual story, if this is to be believed, so I will just take it for what it is. Either way, I don't really care too much. It was good enough for me and hasn't stopped me watching the film several times over.
If you are a fan of foreign language horror, I recommend checking this awesome little film out. That being said, I would stay clear of the appalling 2008 remake starring Jessica Alba. Watch this one if you want to see how this film should really be experienced. Alternatively, If you really insist on watching a remake of this then I would personally suggest the Indian version: Naina (2005). Whichever way you go, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.