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Though totally blind since early childhood, Sydney Wells (Jessica Alba) is an accomplished violinist, a soloist of a philharmonic orchestra in Los Angeles. She has a corneal transplant with the hope of restoring her eyesight. In addition, she realizes she has acquired the ability to see into the supernatural sphere. She has visions of people especially those who died in fires and in other violent situations. Often she finds herself interacting with them so that she would suffer burns herself. She also has visions of impending deaths or disasters. All these experiences terrify her. However, nobody believes her. They think she just can’t yet properly disassociate these “imaginary” images from the new reality she is not used to seeing with new eyes. With these frightening events happening frequently during her waking and sleeping hours, her music career suffers. Then while researching on cellular memory, she realizes that these visions occur because of the transplanted eyes. She now wishes to know what kind of person her donor was. Will her knowledge and understanding of her donor’s life and circumstances solve her problem? What is her future in her musical career?
The Eye 2008 is a remake of a Hong Kong thriller entitled Gin Gwal or Jian Gui by Jo Jo Yuet- Chun Hui, Oxide Pang and Danny Pang. Sebastian Gutierrez bases his present screenplay on the reputedly successful film that had already at least two remakes The Eye 2 and The Eye 10. Advertised as having the same producer as the other Asian horror “classics” like the The Grudge and The Ring, the present film has somehow raised the expectations of horror flick fans, but it does not fulfill that promise. There is the suspense, special effects, ghosts and other devices prevalent in Asian films of this genre, but nothing really different or unusual to make the adult viewer cringe, sit on edge, or sit up to pay more attention. The photography, the editing, the music, the acting, the directing- all are adequate enough but that’s that. Jessica Alba’s fans can have their fill because she’s in every second of the 96 minute film.
The Eye 2008 shows that some extraordinary gifts or abilities have such a strong impact that they can terrify or stun the recipient or “owner”. As when one discovers unexpectedly that one can instantly heal or cure the very sick or one can “see” the past or visualize some events in the near future. The gifted person may be misunderstood, even persecuted in her desire to help. That is what happened to the eye donor Anna who was accused of being a witch. Her gift had become something like a curse to her because she was helpless to do anything to prevent the disaster she “saw” and was instead accused of causing it. Likewise, Sydney Wells does not know the unfortunate people in her visions but she also sees herself involved in their situation so as to help. The scenario is so real to her but even those close to her are unbelieving and may be thinking that she is going crazy. When she realizes that her gift, though something like a burden to her, can also be a blessing, then she learns to accept both aspects of her gift, the hardship it entails and the good it can do to others. Most of us may not have extraordinary gifts but we do have a few abilities, like skills that others never had the opportunity to acquire. Perhaps, we can share those gifts or abilities though we may be burdened or even misunderstood.
(Date Reviewed: 14 February 2008)
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