Stars: Angelica Lee, Lawrence Chou, Chutcha Rujinanon

Director: Danny Pang

Summary: In this chilling horror movie, a young woman, Mun, undergoes a corneal replacement operation to restore the sight she lost at the age of two. At first the operation seems to have been successful but then Mun begins to see terrifying visions and she discovers that she is not seeing her own face when she looks in the mirror. Terrified she sets out to discover the horrifying secret behind the nightmare.

THE EYE, directed by twin brothers Danny and Oxide Pang, is a Chinese/Thai horror film that focuses on Mun (Sin-je Lee), a cornea-transplant recipient who has been blind most of her life. As Mun adjusts to her newfound sight, she begins to see haunting visions of dead people. As these terrifying visions become more frequent, Mun turns to a young psychiatrist, Dr. Wah (Lawrence Chou), for help. Eventually the two track the identity of the deceased eye donor to Thailand, and there the mystery is finally brought to light. With THE EYE, the Pang brothers enter the increasingly populated subgenre of contemporary Asian horror. Drawing on the visual language of recent Japanese films such as RING and PULSE, as well as Hollywood films THE SIXTH SENSE and STIR OF ECHOES, this chilling tale implies more than it reveals, building a deep sense of dread, even from the opening credits. Although the "I-see-dead-people" plotline has been investigated numerous times, THE EYE manages to put a different lens on the idea through subtleties in the story and the charismatic performance of the radiant Sin-je Lee. Featuring scenes that will make all viewers wary of elevators, hospital recovery wards, and calligraphy, this film offers truly startling moments that will linger in the mind's eye for a long time.

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The Eye ("Jian gui") incorporates a very old suspicion that has prevented many people from ticking the "cornea" section on their Donor card. From the age of two, Mun (Angelica Lee) has been blind and has learnt to live her life through her other four senses, but after a cornea operation she discovers she has a "sixth sense". As her sight slowly returns she notices shadowy figures prowling around her that are definitely not normal human beings. So begins a quest for the eye donor, during which Mun discovers that people's superstitions still remain as strong as ever.

Hong Kong directors Oxide Pang Chun and Danny Pang have not made another generic horror in the wake of Ring, nor an ultra-violent picture in the style of Battle Royale. A clearer comparison is with The Sixth Sense, but unlike M Night Shyamalan's film The Eye uses stunning visual effects to evoke a deeper sense of the unknown and a deeper understanding of death without the trappings of Christianity (here suicide does not lead to eternal damnation). Ultimately, The Eye is a supernatural suspense story, with Mun turning detective and learning a little more than she bargained for about her own mortality.

On the DVD:The Eye offers a short (eight-minute) "making of" documentary which is extended further in the Pang Brothers documentary. As with all Tartan products the disc is full of trailers, but has some added value with Justin Bowyer's film notes. There is the option to play the film without English subtitles, and the subtitles have been improved in contrast to earlier Tartan releases by the addition of a black rim around the italics. Sound and vision are exceptional and will certainly add to any jumpy reactions. Let's hope this one also gets the two-disc special edition treatment in the future. --Nikki Disney

Aspect Ratio:	Wide Screen
Main Language:	Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Star And Director Filmographies, Scene Selection, Original Theatrical Trailer, Justin Bowyer Film Notes, Making Of Documentary, Pang Brothers Documentary, Promotional Art Gallery, Asia Extreme Reel
Subtitles:	English
Year:	2002
Release Date:	January 27, 2003
Runtime:	99 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	T V D 3407
Label:	Asia Extreme
Keywords:	Eye, Subtitled, General, Wide, Screen, Horror, Mandarin, Occult, Thai, Cantonese, Sci, Fi
Genre:	Horror/Occult