A woman gains sight thanks to a transplant. It comes with a side effect: she can see the dead, and they can see her. The Pang Brothers’ 2002 film The Eye is an effective and empathetic horror film, holding up well in Arrow’s new 4k LE release.
The Film
I remember the time just after Gore Verbinski’s remake of The Ring hit American shores in 2002. That still palpable film set off a wave of not only Asian horror remakes, but importing that region’s terrors as they were, both archival and at release. The Eye, from China (with some pan-Asian aspects), was one of the big players in that initial wave. The Pang Brothers’ film of a blind woman who gains sight, both physical and metaphysical, after an operation was lauded in the circles. I worked at Blockbuster then and would push it at renters when The Ring or Ju-On was out (or if I thought they might go for it: Audition). Remade and sequellized itself several times, including poorly in the US with the Jessica Alba-led 2008 version, the original stands as one of the best of the era.
The Eye, written by the Pang Brothers and Jojo Hui, is effective as a legitimately scary film, but it truly works because those scares are tempered with sadness. It gets under the skin thanks to a through-line of loss and ennui. Ghosts like the elevator spirit may illicit a skin-crawling terror, but most of the dead linger for their own losses, close to others, or in that limbo between death and moving on. The sadness is especially true when it hits with a weighty climax, closing the film with a strength of felt emotion. I’m reminded of Poltergeist, with the lost souls troubling the Friedmans, sad rather than harmful, looking for the escape (outside of The Beast/Kane). Death isn’t a release from poison and pain. And for the living, there’s little one can do to help; the knowledge of the pain or events that might happen weighs the soul.
Angelica/Sin-Je Lee delivers a fantastic, empathetic performance as Wong Kar Mun, the musician whose whole world changes after she regains her sight. She shoulders a great deal with believable layers and levels. What might seem like artifacts of healing eyes become terrifying truths, along with reorienting everything. And dealing with the “you’re just seeing things” (heh) disbelief of everything around.. At least for a bit, a strength is in the people around her: a doctor she connects with and her cousin, who understand and help quickly, allowing the plot to move forward as she tries to figure out the whys behind the sights.
The Pang Brothers set up their scares with a measured matter-of-factness that creates an amazing atmosphere of simmering horror. While there are a few jump moments, their production is more of a world where the dead exist; sometimes aware of those around and otherwise just present. Thus, a young boy asking for help can be just as scary as the elevator ghost, just in different ways. Oh man, the elevator ghost. There’s an example of how to be massively effective with minimal push. The Pang brothers don’t push it; they let it all sit. Ultimately, it’s a film looking at empathy for others, dead and alive; the lack of sets up those sticking around and having feelings for those around who live keeps us going and finds the connections.
After 24 years, The Eye remains a sad and scary example of confidence and effective storytelling. The Pang Brothers lend a knowing understanding of how to make it all work with efficiency and simplicity. Put your eyes on The Eye, or revisit if caught up in that initial wave.
The Package
Arrow presents The Eye on a single 4K disc with no Blu-Ray option. The disc features an eerie image of Lee with ghostly hands reaching for her. The said image, new to this release by Tommy Pocket, is also one side of the reversible sleeve. The other is the original poster. Inside is a collector’s booklet. The package slides into an O-ring with the new artwork.
The Presentation
Okay, so this one is odd. Yes, the 4k, a new transfer from Arrow, looks great. It’s clear, detailed, and looks amazing. However, my memory of the film was darker and moodier, with more pervading darkness on the edges; a sickly tone (not too different from the US Rings blue/green hue). After the viewing, I pulled out the 2003 DVD. I was right. That one was noticeably darker, but not in the VHS transfer style, but looking deliberate. So maybe I’d rate it a toss-up; it’s a prettier presentation (23 years and newer formats will do that), but it loses some of the tone. Maybe it was changed to match the Ring by those who brought it here, and now it is as intended? I couldn’t find the information, but I do trust Arrow to present as it should look. I did take a glance at other, already posted, reviews, which say it looks great. So maybe it was me, my TV, or even the check disc provided. So I defer to others’ writing. That said, it still looked great.
Audio is in Cantonese with English subtitles. The film has a great soundscape with the noises around the spirits encompassing and effective.
The Features
Sadly, this is a pretty light release, with two new features and the archival making-of from the DVD split into two parts. I would have really loved to hear from the brothers and their thoughts.
Reflections on the Eye (new)
Producer Peter Ho-Sun Chan talks about his career, finding the Pang Brothers after their Bangkok Dangerous (which they later remade), and how they all brought The Eye to the screen. A great talk on his duties and how they mesh or don’t with filmmakers and the creative process. (22m)
To See and Feel (new)
Heather Wixton provides a fascinating depth with a video essay on feminism within the Eye. Some great points, and it’s more so interesting in other cultures’ approaches (15m)
Making-of
The above producer, another, and stars Angelica Lee and Lawrene Chou do the EPK, but it’s a good one. (8m)
Pang Brothers
This featurette focuses on the Pang Brothers themselves and how they work. (7m)
Trailers
4 trailers
Image Gallery
Behind-the-scenes photos
Booklet
A 25-page bound booklet with production stills and an essay, “Seeing Ghosts” by Hayley Scanlon, is included. The essay is a great exploration of not just a direct ghost story but how the world around her changes, offering ghostly aspects of moving through a world she’s not familiar with. Great stuff.
Final Thoughts
While the features may be fewer than normal for Arrow, they still present The Eye in a fine release. It’s a fantastic movie, remaining talked about in horror circles since its release. For good reason – it holds up. Check it out.