The Eye 2

Lions Gate Entertainment

R1 DVD

The Eye 2 is the sequel to the Pang Brothers’ immensely popular 2002 psychic horror film starring Angelica Lee, considering the quite extraordinary conclusion to the first film it is a hard act to follow. The Eye 2 is a different sort of tale, in many ways it is more low-key and has a stronger philosophical content with a marked emphasis on drama. It centres on Joey who has had some difficult relationships, when she is dumped for a third time she decides to opt out altogether. Her suicide attempt not only fails but she finds she is pregnant, cannot get rid of the child and sees ghosts.

While these ghosts seem intimidating they are different from what we are used to seeing in J-Horror films. In most Japanese horror the spirits are the “hungry ghosts” of Buddhist mythology returning to wreak revenge, fulfil a grudge or right a wrong. Here the ghosts are reincarnating spirits waiting to be reborn. While Joey is terrified by their presence she slowly comes to understand their role in the cycle of reincarnation. The Eye 2 is certainly a film heavy on Buddhist philosophy and while this will not appeal to all, it does give the tale a very different twist. These are not bloodthirsty ghosts but lost souls simply wishing a chance to return to the land of the living and try once again.

Joey sees a spirit which seems to be personally attached to her and who committed suicide at a local rail station. The tale becomes more complicated as Joey comes to understand that the ghost she sees is her ex-boyfriend Sam’s wife of whom she had no knowledge of. When his wife found out about Joey and Sam’s affair she committed suicide, now she wishes to return to the world through Joey’s child as reincarnation not only offers a new life but involves the loss of the painful memory of the last incarnation.

This is quite a fascinating tale; it takes quite a while to get a handle on the ghosts and when you come to understand what they are you realize what a novel approach the directors have taken. The film has excellent character development, an interesting plot and some superb CGI and horror effects. The slow revelation that these are ghosts wishing to return to the world of the living rather than the traditional vengeful spirits takes quite a period of time during which the suspense is well handled.

The Eye 2 certainly is not quite as “tight” as the first film, but is certainly innovative. Many have felt the high drama and emotional content over-rides the horror aspects of the tale and while this may be so, especially in the final quarter, the uniqueness of this take on the ghost tale is refreshing.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No. 3 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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