The Eye 10 (2005)
Reviewed by: Taijikid on 2005-11-28
Let me say this right off the bat: "The Eye 10" is not a horror film. It's a Hong Kong ghost flick, somewhat similar to "Ghostly Bus," "Magic Cop," or "Troublesome Night." Keep that in mind, and it'll make the movie much easier to watch. The actual plot follows four teens from HK who travel to Thailand to visit their friend. Night falls, and they're all sitting around telling ghost stories, when their friend asks them if they'd like to get some firsthand experience with the supernatural. It turns out that through a series of strange events, he got his hands on a book entitled "The Ten Encounters." It's basically a how-to guide listing ten different ways to see ghosts. So the teens, being teens, eagerly agree to the game, and the fun begins. Sort of. As I said before, this isn't really a horror film. There are a few creepy scenes (like the midnight meal), but nothing that I'd really label as scary. In fact, some of the scenes are downright ridiculous! For instance, if there's one thing "The Eye 10" teaches you, it's that you can ward off ghosts by farting. Yes, you read that right: flatulence drives away spirits. Another is that if you make a ghost angry, it might just possess you for a hip-hop dance-off competition. Of course by this point in the movie, I'd completely turned off my brain. I'm not exactly sure what the Pang brothers were going for here, but the end result is something akin to a low-budget ghost flick with high-budget special effects. Speaking of which, there is something to be said for the visual aspects of the film. The CGI is for the most part top-notch, and the cinematography is great. The soundtrack is a bit odd, as it's a blend of moody instrumentals and upbeat techno. In any other movie this might seem strange, but considering the fact that the film itself has a bit of an identity crisis, I suppose it's rather fitting. When all's said and done, "The Eye 10" is an entertaining enough ghost movie. It's not a masterpiece, but then again, it doesn't really try to be. What it is, is a strange, offbeat, sometimes spooky and sometimes funny ghost romp by the brothers Pang. Hey, for a Friday night popcorn movie, you could definitely do a lot worse.
Reviewer Score: 6