FEATURE: The Eye vs. The Eye
Feb. 16Want to see the unnerving horror film about a blind woman who begins to see ghosts after getting a cornea transplant, but don't know whether you should watch the new remake or the original? Read on as we compare the American version of The Eye (2008) to the Hong Kong version (2002) in several categories to determine which is the superior film.
At least the new version of The Eye has one thing going for it...
I: Leading Lady
Winner: The Eye (2008)
Strictly going by acting ability, the original's Angelica Lee has the edge over Jessica Alba, but only slightly. While both actresses aren't horrible in their portrayals of the young blind violinist in the two version of The Eye, they hardly deliver memorable performances. In the end, Jessica Alba's nice ass (though she never gets even 1/10 nude at any time during the movie) and relatively-cute face triumph over either of their acting.
The remake's story is a cheap imitation of the first film's.
II: Story
Winner: The Eye (2002)
This category's winner is a no-brainer considering the fact that both version of the horror film contain nearly identical storylines and plots. The main difference between the two is that the Hong Kong version does it much better, while the remake comes off as just mimicking damn near everything that happened in the original while failing to present anything fresh in terms of story or plot.
A ghost lunges at the main character in The Eye (2002).
III: Ghosts
Winner: The Eye (2002)
You'd think that after six fucking years and what has to be a considerably bigger budget for the remake, they'd at the very least be able to whip up some better looking ghosts in the new movie. Well, the phantoms in both films are almost the same and we prefer the somewhat scarier ghosts from the 2002 original.
Looking for the version of The Eye with more gore? Old hole-head here is proof that the original is far more grotesque in imagery.
IV: Gore
Winner: The Eye (2002)
While neither film is by no means a bloodbath, there are a couple of grisly moments in the Hong Kong version that are tastefully placed in the film to emotionally intensify certain key scenes. And the American version has been neutered in order to maintain a PG-13-rating (as opposed to the original's R-rating).
The Hong Kong version is a better film in just about every way you can imagine.
V: Ending
Winner: The Eye (2002)
Without spoiling what exactly happens in the climactic finale of the films, let's just say that, yet again, the American version of The Eye totally pussed out. The ending of 2002's The Eye is not only one of the greatest moments in the movie, but one of the greatest in all of Asian horror. The excellent ending was removed from the remake and replaced with a happy ending. Boo!
So out of five categories, the 2002 version of The Eye takes four of them and the sole category the remake won was a mix between charity and my hard-on for Alba. While I won't claim that all horror remakes are inferior (The Hills Have Eyes is one example of a remake improving upon the original), The 2008 version of the Eye is essentially a complete waste of time.
Comments
I don't understand the point of remaking these movies. They are almost identical, scene by scene but are inferior in every-way. They put some hot young thing in the lead role, ie. Sarah Michelle Gellar or Jessica Alba, and dumb down the story to the point where it no longer makes sense and translate it to english. Are Americans so lazy that we can't read subtitles anymore? Because that seems to me to be the only reason for butchering these movies. Next they are going to make a PG version of Audition with Jessica Beal in the lead...
Agreed. And as for an Audition remake--you know that at some point it will be done...
I have high hopes for Alexandre Aja's remake of Geoul Sokeuro (Into the Mirrors). Aja's High Tension and The Hills Have Eyes remake were badass.
Was there any doubt a girl as fine as Alba would have a child with a guy named Cash? Too bad she can't act a lick, he should buy her an acting coach.
I loathe all Asian remakes. Most American horror is so...over stated and obvious...they hardly spend any time trying to create the mood or feeling which make Asian films so great.
I would LOVE to see an american redo Ichi the killer...haha
The day they remake A Tale of Two Sisters...will be the day I quit going to theaters all together.
I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you MissMacabre, but... A Tale of Two Sisters is being remade for American audiences (it's just about out).
Search for "A Tale of Two Sisters" on IMDB.com and you'll see some photos of the 2008 version :/
"The ending of 2002's The Eye is not only one of the greatest moments in the movie, but one of the greatest in all of J-Horror"
hey, the original eye movie is a honk kong movie, not a japanese one!
Whoops! Thanks for noticing that error OSS.
Tale of Two Sisters is coming out soon. And I can't believe anyone still pays Jessica Alba to be in movies. The extras seem better qualified for her paycheck.
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