What Do The Critics Say?

"The real movie is Jessica Alba as a blind girl... Even the story of an eye transplant recipient would be cool, watching her adjust to the world of vision. Luckily, the bulk of the movie is that. That makes it classy and grown-up." Fred Topel CAN MAGAZINE "An effective if redundant fright flick, Jessica Alba's new vehicle, "The Eye", is the latest in an apparently unending assembly line of innovative Asian horror films turned into grist for the Hollywood mill. Luckily, the movie, which features Alba as a blind woman who begins to see ghosts once she regains her sight, is an exceptionally faithful - albeit not slavish - repetition of the Pang brothers' intense, dread-inducing 2002 Chinese-language supernatural story of the same name." Tirdad Derakhshani PHILADELPHIA ENQUIRER "Fans of the genre may still find the film as creepy and scary as it is intended to be." Andrew L Urban URBANCINEFILE "Not spectacular, not a waste, it's clever enough to keep its momentum going, and smart enough to not overreach its mission of being a diverting 90 minutes or so." Andrea Chase KILLER MOVIE REVIEWS "The original movie was relatively popular in Hong Kong, though it only got mediocre reviews when it came over to North America. Luckily for me, "The Eye" is a true Hollywood horror. "The Eye" has plenty of chills and scares to make you jump from your seat, spraying popcorn everywhere." 20/20 FILMSIGHT

"Overall, Alba carries herself through the film, and she works well with indie darling Parker Posey. Considering "The Eye" was held from critics for review, it turned out to be surprisingly decent - much better than the putrid One Missed Call." Kevin Carr FILMSCHOOLREJECTS "While it’s not a patch on the original, The Eye remake is still a decently chilly horror outing that scares up three stars." Michael Adams SBS MOVIE SHOW "The Eye is the latest Western deconstruction of a successful Asian horror movie and it is louder and more literal than its inspiration." Jeannette Catsoulis NEW YORK TIMES "A terrifying treat for horror junkies, as Alba's nervous wreck visionary wards off being attacked by apartments and restaurants, while dealing with a bad case of occult organ rejection." Prairie Miller NEWSBLAZE "When it comes to finding things in other movies that can be re-purposed, the makers of The Eye have a pretty good eye." Chris Hewitt ST PAUL PIONEER PRESS "The Eye’s strengths lie in its superb visuals, effective scares and, above all, the impressive and convincing performance of its leading lady. Appearing in virtually every scene, Alba has you blinking tears when her eyes sting and second-guessing your own eyes when you see what she sees. Has more satisfying echoes of J-horror plus ghost stories such as The Sixth Sense and The Others." Pauline Adamek FILMINK

The Inside Story How do we judge what is real? Can our eyes be trusted to not mislead, to show things as they are? How do we know that what we are seeing is really there? Over thirty thousand Americans undergo corneal transplants each year, a procedure that is quickly becoming commonplace operation. But, what would happen if something unforeseen occurred? "The Eye" portrays the terrifying events that befall a young woman, Sydney Wells, who undergoes such a procedure, but she soon discovers her new eyes bring with them far more than she ever expected. Sydney Wells, the protagonist in "The Eye", is not your typical movie heroine. Blinded in both eyes after a tragic childhood accident, she’s beautiful, confident, and, despite her disability, has managed to achieve a happy, fulfilling life as a successful concert violinist in Los Angeles. At the urging of her sister, Sydney elects to undergo a double corneal transplant in the hopes of regaining her sight. This life-changing surgery catapults her into a nightmarish odyssey that challenges her most fundamental notions of sanity, identity and perception. Is she experiencing the phenomena of cellular memory, or it something far worse that exceeds the limits of the imagination? For Jessica Alba, the stunning star of such hits as "Sin City" and the "Fantastic Four" movies, tackling the role of Sydney offered a unique and exciting opportunity to stretch as an actor and delve into a rich, multi-faceted character. "Sydney is a challenging part that required a lot of preparation," says Alba. "I was really looking for the right thriller/horror movie to do, and most of them are slasher, gore-for-gore’s sake and vulgar. But "The Eye" is very classy, elegant and beautifully written, and Sydney is such a unique, interesting person. Her journey, the process of regaining her sight and then everything that she faces afterwards, it really intrigued me." "The Eye" is based on the 2002 Asian horror film "Gin gwai" ("The Eye") written by Jo Jo Yuet-chun Hui, Oxide Pang and Danny Pang and directed by the Chinese filmmaking duo Danny Pang and Oxide Pang. The film, which was an international hit, caught the attention of C/W Productions, who bought the rights for an American remake. "Great films have at their core characters who are trying to achieve something on either a physical or emotional level," 1997 Producers Guild Award winner Paula Wagner ("Mission: Impossible") states. "Alba’s character Sydney overcomes her physical disability, and following cornea transplant she learns that she must rediscover who she is and her place in the world and must learn to handle the emotional changes that come with it." "The original Asian film is a favorite among critics and horror fans alike," notes executive producer Michael Paseornek ("Monster's Ball" & "Shattered Glass"). "We are excited to be re-inventing this smart thriller with Jessica, our second film with her in a year, as well as with the very respected and creative filmmaker Paula Wagner and her team at C/W." While "The Eye" is propelled by supernatural elements, the film’s plot hinges on an actual scientific phenomenon known as cellular memory. As executive producer Darren Miller ("Suspect Zero") explained: "People who undergo organ transplants have been known to take on behaviors of the individual from whom they received the organ." French directing duo David Moreau and Xavier Palud who had been offered a number of scripts after the success their film "Them" ("ILS") were brought on-board to direct the project. The duo, who wrote and directed the taut thriller, noted, that of all the projects they were offered, "The Eye" was their favorite. "What we liked was the fact that we could really work on what was not obviously supernatural," Moreau explained. "There were great opportunities to play with the audience’s minds, to show them things that they couldn’t determine were real." After undergoing what appears to be a successful cornea transplant, Sydney is convinced that the dark and terrifying visions she sees following the operation are real. Her doctor and her sister can’t help but conclude that she’s undergoing a psychological breakdown. "This story is scary in a different way because the audience is never sure if my character really is seeing things or if she’s just losing her mind. Walking that line allows the audience to really put themselves in Sydney’s shoes," Alba points out. "I think it's the unseen that’s always more scary," adds Moreau. "It’s all about finding the right balance between showing and not showing, and letting the audience use their imagination." The French directors clearly remember the moment they first met Alba. "She came in the room and we were both so impressed with her eyes," Moreau says. "Physically, She was exactly how we pictured Sydney." On set, the directors were thrilled with Alba’s talent and preparedness. "Every day on the set she surprised us with her commitment to the character," Moreau recalls. "She was always on the same track as we were." That's probably due to the fact that their leading lady began preparing for her role four months in advance of the shoot. "The fact that I play a classical violinist was not why I did the movie," Alba says with a laugh. "It was definitely an interesting thing I had to tackle." Producer Paula Wagner, who is Tom Cruise's producing partner at Cruise/Wagner Productions, had plenty of praise for the star of "The Eye". "Jessica Alba is a gifted actress who commits to the role and stays committed throughout the process with great integrity. She is a consummate professional and plays the character with subtlety, grace, and authenticity, and it’s really quite an impressive performance." And, if after seeing "The Eye" you think Alba is faking those violin scenes, think again! "I started taking violin lessons while I was shooting the second "Fantastic Four" movie," says Alba. "I had to train for months just to learn how to hold the bow and violin properly and that’s only half the battle. I’m playing complicated classical pieces in the film, so I had to learn how to actually play the notes." Moreau, who has a musical background and plays the piano acknowleges the "violin is one of the most difficult instruments to play. Every violinist will tell you that if you stop practicing for two days, you have to work for months to get it back. Luckily for us, Jessica was a really good student." Equally challenging for Alba was playing a woman who is blind. That would mean living and training at the New Mexico Commission for the Blind (NMCB), who provided a certified orientation mobility instructor. "She went through the program just like anyone else might who has lost their vision," NMBC executive Director Greg Trapp explained. "The staff helped her gain the confidence to play a blind person convincingly, which is an essential part of the character." Impressed with the script and the character of Sydney Wells, Trapp and his staff consulted on many details concerning Sydney’s blindness and also provided many props, such as a Braille embosser and a note-taking device, which are commonly found in a blind person’s home. Trapp and his staff particularly appreciated the production’s honest portrayal of a blind woman. "What we like about Sydney is the fact that she’s an individual who’s competent, capable, articulate, in all ways normal who just so happens to be blind," Trapp said. For the role of Dr Paul Faulkner, a neural specialist who helps Sydney with her transition into the sighted world, the filmmakers turned to Alessandro Nivola, a big fan of Moreau and Palud’s first film. "In these movies where the primary objective is to scare the audience, it’s such an added bonus if you can create a real relationship between the characters on top of the thrill factor," says the actor who appeared with Helen Mirren, Robert Redford and Willem Dafoe in "The Clearing". "We can rave about Alessandro for hours," says Moreau. "Like Jessica, Alessandro’s first love is the script. He really worked on turning what was a typical doctor into a really original, smart character. He came up with a lot of ideas that added depth to the role." Wagner added: "Alessandro brings a wonderful boyish charm to what is an otherwise serious role. You really get a sense that he became his character." Like Alba, Nivola spent weeks researching, acquainting himself with neural psychology and the details of his on-screen profession. He states, "The research period of a movie has always been arguably the most exciting part of the process for me. The thing that was most fascinating to me, was the neuro-cognitive tests that are run on people when they first come in with a disorder. They're really exotic and eccentric and strange. The doctors were very reluctant to disclose what the tests were, because it could ruin it altogether for people in the future." 1997 Sundance Film Festival Special Recognition Award winning actress Parker Posey ("The House of Yes") was cast as Sydney's sister Helen. "Parker has deftness with character," says Wagner. "There’s something kind of sad about Helen," Posey admits. "Helen’s lived her whole life with this guilt. She always wanted to change her sister’s fate, and when she finally does, it makes things worse and her guilt is stronger than ever." 2000 Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Award winner James Spencer who designed Sydney's home recalls, "During Pre-production, Greg Trapp and his wife, who are blind, hosted fifteen of us in their home for dinner to show how normally people without sight live. They are just like you and me which made designing Sydney’s apartment even more interesting because it was about finding the subtle differences and then finding a way to make it scary." Helping Moreau and Palud facilitate the look of the unreal were make-up artists Matthew Mungle ("Beowolf"), Richard Redlefsen ("POTC: Dead Man's Chest") and the Asylum Visual Effects team. Synopsis

Sydney Wells is a renowned Los Angeles-based concert violinist. Intelligent, accomplished, and strongly independent; she also happens to be blind, the result of a childhood tragedy. Sydney undergoes a double corneal transplant that restores her sight after more than two decades of blindness. After the surgery, neural specialist Dr Paul Faulkner is enlisted to help Sydney cope with the difficult adjustment of regaining her sight and making sense of what she begins to see. Coupled with the support of her older sister, Helen, Sydney’s world slowly starts to come back into focus. But her happiness is short-lived. Inexplicable bizarre and frightening images begin to haunt her. Are they a temporary result of her surgery? Are they caused by Sydney's mind adjusting to sight, or her imagination? Sydney is convinced her new eyes have opened the door to a terrifying world only she can see.

The Verdict "A lot is made of 'classic' Japanese horror films like "Ringu", "Ringu 2" and "Ju-On: the Grudge" by critics when comparissons are made with American remakes. Let's be brutally blunt, these three films may have been horror classics to the Japanese, but for the vast majority of western horror fans the original films were absolutely 'piss weak'. Asian cinemagoers fears are driven by factors that have little effect on western audiences. So it is with Jessica Alba's latest film, "The Eye" ("Jian gui"). Taken on face value it's a film that is reasonably well done, is scary enough, creepy enough and has a leading lady who does the best she can with the material. The premiss in the storyline is an interesting one. But for all that, it isn't a 'big' horror film. It's only six rungs up a very short ladder on the really spooky scale. Now that doesn't mean you shouldn't take in "The Eye", because if you're a fan of the genre, it is worth having a look at. And yes, it will make you jump. Just don't expect a classic 'horror' production. Recommended. 3 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "THE EYE" stars .......
Jessica Alba ["Never Been Kissed", "Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", "Into The Blue" and "Good Luck Chuck"]; Alessandro Nivola ["Jurassic Park III", "Laurel Canyon", "Junebug" and "Goal!"]; Fernanda Romero ["Pit Fighter" and "Carts"]; Rachel Ticotin ["Con Air", "Man On Fire" and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"]; Chloe Moretz ["The Amityville Horror", "Big Momma's House 2" and "The Third Nail"] and Parker Posey ["Best in Show", "A Mighty Wind", "Blade: Trinity" and "Superman Returns"] as Helen Wells.
"THE EYE" was .......
directed by David Moreau ["Ills" and "Back to Saint-Tropez"] and Xavier Palud ["Ills"]; screenplay by Sebastian Gutierrez ["Gothika", "Snakes On A Plane" and "Rise"]; set decoration by Joseph Litsch ["Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and "Stomp the Yard"]; art direction by Naython Vane ["Playboy: Playmates Unwrapped", "Playboy Video Centerfold: Playmate of the Year Dalene Kurtis", "Playboy: Barefoot Beauties" and "Playboy: Roommates"]; costume design by Michael Dennison ["Mona Lisa Smile", "The Chronicles of Riddick" and "World Trade Centre"]; production design by James Spencer ["Stripes", "Poltergeist", "Gremlins" and "Ghost in the Machine"]; edited by Patrick Lussier ["Vampire in Brooklyn", "Dracula 2000" and "Red Eye"]; director of photography Jeffrey Jur ["Dirty Dancing", "The Big Picture", "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"]; original music by Marco Beltrami ["The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada", "Die Hard 4.0" and "3:10 to Yuma"]. Who's Who?

Jessica Alba Alessandro Nivola Parker Posey Rade Serbedzija Fernanda Romero Rachel Ticotin Obba Babatundé Danny Mora Chloe Moretz Brett Haworth Kevin K Tamlyn Tomita Esodi Geiger Karen Austin Ryan J. Pezdirc James Salas Brett O'Mara Landall Goolsby Sarah E Baker Laura Slowinski Richard Redlefsen Amanda Shamis Kisha Sierra

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Sydney Wells Dr Paul Faulkner Helen Wells Simon McCullough Ana Christina Martinez Rosa Martinez Dr Haskins Miguel Alicia Millstone Shadowman Tomi Cheung Mrs Cheung Nurse Mrs Hillman Nurse Room Attendant Jim Brett Alex Cousin Sarah Cynthia Richard Amanda Kisha

Run Time 97 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.