The Eye (2002 film)
Encyclopedia
The Eye, also known as Seeing Ghosts, is a 2002 horror film directed by the Pang brothers. The film spawned two sequels by the Pang brothers, The Eye 2
and The Eye 10
. There are two remakes of this film, Naina
, made in 2005 in India, starring Urmila Matondkar
and produced by Shripal Morakhia, Sagar Pandya, Anjum Rajabali, and Rakesh Mehra, and The Eye
, a 2008 Hollywood production starring Jessica Alba
and produced by Peter Chan
and Paula Wagner.
Mun goes to see her doctor's nephew, Dr Wah, a psychologist, about the strange entities that she has been seeing with her new eyes. He is skeptical at first, but as he gradually develops a closer relationship with her, he decides to accompany her on a trip to northern Thailand to find Ling, the eye donor. When they ask a village doctor about Ling and her family, he is unwilling to reveal anything but becomes more co-operative when Mun tells him that she sees what Ling used to see. Apparently, Ling has a psychic ability due to her eyes, that allows her to foresee death and disaster. However, her fellow villagers misunderstood her as a jinx and refused to trust her. Once, Ling tried to warn the people about an imminent disaster but they drove her away and her vision came true. She felt guilty for the deaths and hanged herself. Ling's mother is both depressed and angry with her daughter and has never forgiven Ling for committing suicide, until one night Ling's spirit possesses Mun and attempts suicide. Ling's mother saves Mun and breaks down, saying that she has forgiven Ling and Ling's spirit leaves in peace.
On the return journey, their bus is caught in a traffic jam and Mun sees hundreds of ghostly figures lumbering on the road. Believing that a catastrophe is approaching, she runs out of the bus and tries to warn everyone to leave, but no one understands her and thinks that she is insane. In fact, the traffic jam is due to a tank truck that has toppled over and is blocking the road. The truck starts leaking natural gas but nobody notices it. A driver restarts his engine and ignites the gas, causing a chain explosion. Just then, Dr Wah saves Mun from death by shielding her with his body, but Mun is already blinded by glass fragments. In the epilogue of the film, a blind Mun is seen roaming the streets of Hong Kong. Although she has lost her sense of sight, she is happy that she now has the support and friendship of Dr Wah.
in Singapore and Applause Pictures of Hong Kong, and was shot in Hong Kong and Thailand with a pan-Asian cast and crew, including Malaysian actress Angelica Lee
, Chinese-Canadian singer Lawrence Chou
, Singaporean singer-actor Pierre Png
and Thai actress Chutcha Rujinanon. The crew included Thai cinematographer Decha Seementa and the Thai music collective Orange Music provided the score.
Danny and Oxide Pang said they were inspired to write the screenplay for The Eye by a report they had seen in a Hong Kong newspaper 13 years before, about a 16-year-old girl who had received a corneal transplant and committed suicide soon after.
"We'd always wondered what the girl saw when she regained her eyesight finally and what actually made her want to end her life", Oxide said in an interview.
, 69% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 91 reviews. On Metacritic
, the film received an average score of 66 out of 100, based on 26 reviews.
The Eye 2
The Eye 2 is a 2004 Hong Kong horror film directed by the Pang brothers. It is the sequel to The Eye , though the two storylines are not related in any way except for seeing ghosts.-Plot:...
and The Eye 10
The Eye 10
The Eye 10, also known as The Eye Infinity, is a 2005 horror film directed by the Pang brothers, starring Wilson Chen, Kate Yeung, Isabella Leong, Bongkoj Khongmalai, Ray MacDonald and Kris Gu. The number "10" in the title is not an indicator of chronology in The Eye film series...
. There are two remakes of this film, Naina
Naina
Naina is a Hindi horror film released in India in 2005. It stars Urmila Matondkar. It is an uncredited remake of the Hong Kong film The Eye, meaning the original writers received no compensation as opposed to that provided by the American remake The Eye.Its release caused controversy in India...
, made in 2005 in India, starring Urmila Matondkar
Urmila Matondkar
Urmila Matondkar is an Indian film actress.Matondkar, who made her screen debut as a child artist in the 1980 film Kalyug, debuted as an adult in Narasimha...
and produced by Shripal Morakhia, Sagar Pandya, Anjum Rajabali, and Rakesh Mehra, and The Eye
The Eye (2008 film)
The Eye is a 2008 supernatural horror film starring Jessica Alba. It is a remake of the Pang Brothers' 2002 film of the same name.-Plot:Sydney Wells is a successful classical violinist who has been blind since the age of five. Fifteen years later, Sydney undergoes a cornea transplant, which causes...
, a 2008 Hollywood production starring Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
and produced by Peter Chan
Peter Chan
Peter Chan Ho-sun , is a film director and producer.-Life and career:Chan was born in Bangkok to Chinese parents. He spent his teens in and studied in Hong Kong and United States, and he attended film school at UCLA. He returned to Hong Kong in 1983 for a summer internship in the film industry....
and Paula Wagner.
Plot
Blind since the age of two, 20-year-old Hong Kong classical violinist Mun undergoes an eye cornea transplant after receiving a pair of new eyes from a donor. Initially, she is glad to have her sense of sight restored but becomes troubled when she starts seeing mysterious figures that seem to foretell gruesome deaths. The night before her discharge from hospital, she sees a shadowy figure accompanying a patient out of the room and the next morning the patient is pronounced dead.Mun goes to see her doctor's nephew, Dr Wah, a psychologist, about the strange entities that she has been seeing with her new eyes. He is skeptical at first, but as he gradually develops a closer relationship with her, he decides to accompany her on a trip to northern Thailand to find Ling, the eye donor. When they ask a village doctor about Ling and her family, he is unwilling to reveal anything but becomes more co-operative when Mun tells him that she sees what Ling used to see. Apparently, Ling has a psychic ability due to her eyes, that allows her to foresee death and disaster. However, her fellow villagers misunderstood her as a jinx and refused to trust her. Once, Ling tried to warn the people about an imminent disaster but they drove her away and her vision came true. She felt guilty for the deaths and hanged herself. Ling's mother is both depressed and angry with her daughter and has never forgiven Ling for committing suicide, until one night Ling's spirit possesses Mun and attempts suicide. Ling's mother saves Mun and breaks down, saying that she has forgiven Ling and Ling's spirit leaves in peace.
On the return journey, their bus is caught in a traffic jam and Mun sees hundreds of ghostly figures lumbering on the road. Believing that a catastrophe is approaching, she runs out of the bus and tries to warn everyone to leave, but no one understands her and thinks that she is insane. In fact, the traffic jam is due to a tank truck that has toppled over and is blocking the road. The truck starts leaking natural gas but nobody notices it. A driver restarts his engine and ignites the gas, causing a chain explosion. Just then, Dr Wah saves Mun from death by shielding her with his body, but Mun is already blinded by glass fragments. In the epilogue of the film, a blind Mun is seen roaming the streets of Hong Kong. Although she has lost her sense of sight, she is happy that she now has the support and friendship of Dr Wah.
Cast
- Angelica LeeAngelica LeeAngelica Lee Sin-Jie is a Malaysian Chinese film actress and pop singer. She started her career in singing and later moved on to acting in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Lee starred in The Eye, the hit Asian horror film by the Pang Brothers, winning her the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress, Best Actress...
as Wong Kar-mun- Cusnithorn Chotiphan as young Mun
- Lawrence ChouLawrence Chou-Music:Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, Chou developed a strong passion for music since he was a little kid. With his exceptional vocal talent, Chou won numerous singing contests in Vancouver and eventually earned a record deal with BMG in 1998...
as Dr Wah - Chutcha Rujinanon as Chiu Wai-ling
- Tassanana Nuntasaree as Ling (4 years old)
- Damronowiseeatpanich as Ling (8 years old)
- So Yat-lai as Yingying
- Candy LoCandy LoCandy Lo is a Canto-rock singer-songwriter and actress from Hong Kong. She has released 9 studio albums, over 40 singles, 2 compilations, 1 live album and 1 EP with Sony Music to date. On June 11 she released her first EP on her new label WOW Music....
as Yee (Mun's sister)- Dampcingcingtrakulsawadee as young Yee
- Ko Yin-ping as Mun's grandmother
- Pierre PngPierre PngPierre Png is a Peranakan Chinese Singaporean MediaCorp television and film actor and comedian who works on both Channel 5 and Channel 8 . He is best known for his role as Phua Chu-Beng in Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd and as Mo Yangyang in Holland V...
as Dr Eak - Edmund ChenEdmund ChenEdmund Chen Zhicai is a Chinese Singaporean film actor, singer, television actor and host. He is the elder brother of Dr. Loretta Chen.-Career:...
as Dr Lo - Winston Yeh as Taoist
- Jinda Duangtoy as Hospital old lady
- Wong Yuet-siu as Hospital ghost
- Wisarup Annuar as Dark soul
- Chin Wing-wai as Hospital caretaker
- Leung Tou as Highway ghost
- Lau Ka-ming as Dr Wah's secretary
- Ben Yuen as Mr Ching
- Wasarat Thirasarichoti as Mr Ching's assistant
- Poon Ming as Ghost boy
- Cub Chin as Ghost boy's father
- Nonlaporn Scmbatruksasuk as Ghost boy's mother
- Ng Tin-nam as Calligraphy teacher
- Nittaya Suthornrat as Calligraphy room ghost
- Lee Hing-kam as Restaurant boss
- Lau Yuk-ha as Restaurant waitress
- Ho Si-wan as Restaurant ghost
- Chim Pui-ho as Boy in car accident
- Sungwien Cummee as Elevator ghost
- Scmchai Leelanukul as Thai minibus driver
- Busarin Thongtiw as Thai nurse #1
- Panpimol Jeamsakol as Thai nurse #2
- Wang Sue-yuen as Ling's mother
- Sopol Duriensuk as Thai traffic policeman
- Pornchai Hongratanaporn as Bride in car
- Wirasinee Kuntipan as Bridegroom in car
- Narcingsak Junjampat as Newborn's father
- Kanta Aeamsamang as Newborn's mother
- Wanna Mahachanok as Fire engine driver
- Florence Wu as Nurse
Production
The Eye is a co-production of MediaCorp Raintree PicturesMediaCorp Raintree Pictures
MediaCorp Raintree Pictures is a film production company based in Singapore. The company, a division of MediaCorp Group, was established in 31 March 1996. The company occasionally ties up with other film companies to produce Asian or Western films...
in Singapore and Applause Pictures of Hong Kong, and was shot in Hong Kong and Thailand with a pan-Asian cast and crew, including Malaysian actress Angelica Lee
Angelica Lee
Angelica Lee Sin-Jie is a Malaysian Chinese film actress and pop singer. She started her career in singing and later moved on to acting in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Lee starred in The Eye, the hit Asian horror film by the Pang Brothers, winning her the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress, Best Actress...
, Chinese-Canadian singer Lawrence Chou
Lawrence Chou
-Music:Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, Chou developed a strong passion for music since he was a little kid. With his exceptional vocal talent, Chou won numerous singing contests in Vancouver and eventually earned a record deal with BMG in 1998...
, Singaporean singer-actor Pierre Png
Pierre Png
Pierre Png is a Peranakan Chinese Singaporean MediaCorp television and film actor and comedian who works on both Channel 5 and Channel 8 . He is best known for his role as Phua Chu-Beng in Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd and as Mo Yangyang in Holland V...
and Thai actress Chutcha Rujinanon. The crew included Thai cinematographer Decha Seementa and the Thai music collective Orange Music provided the score.
Danny and Oxide Pang said they were inspired to write the screenplay for The Eye by a report they had seen in a Hong Kong newspaper 13 years before, about a 16-year-old girl who had received a corneal transplant and committed suicide soon after.
"We'd always wondered what the girl saw when she regained her eyesight finally and what actually made her want to end her life", Oxide said in an interview.
Critical reception
The film received generally favorable reviews from critics in North America. On the review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, 69% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 91 reviews. On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the film received an average score of 66 out of 100, based on 26 reviews.