I am quite surprised that this film does not have a higher viewer rating on the IMDB. Recently I saw the English zombie-flick '28 Days Later' and actually preferred this film, 'My Little Eye.' Recently there has been something of a cultural renaissance in horror films. The 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and 'Cabin Fever' are two such recent examples. This dark and worrying fact cheers me up, as I myself have always been a huge horror fan. As early as I can remember I have enjoyed horror films. From werewolves to chainsaw wielding rednecks. There was even once a time that I was petrified of those cheesy vampires from the 'Hammer horror' series. However, I was wearing Star Wars pajama's at that particular point. Now all Hammer films do is give me the uncontrollable giggles like I am on acid or something.
Why I am surprised that 'My Little Eye' did not get a higher rating is because this is a very nasty little film. A film that has gotten very little press. Well at least here in New Zealand it got very little press. I actually think this is very unfair when pieces of crap like 'Final Destination 2' can get advertising hype.
'My Little Eye' is a film that keeps the viewer tense and wondering what the hell is going on. It uses many interesting features. Firstly the setting is very important, America is the land of the conspiracy theory. Many people can find it plausible that someone can go out into the middle of nowhere and disappear into the frontier forever. If you want to be creeped out at how easy this actually is, go to the 'Unsolved Mysteries' website. In America, from time to time, people quite literally vanish without a trace.
This film plays as a combination of the 'Blair Witch Project' and the reality show 'Big Brother.' Oh why could they not have used the cast from the original Australian Big Brother series? I would have loved to see Sara Marie die horribly! Better that than having to watch her do the butt slapping dance! The viewer observes a bunch of wannabe famous kids get together in an old and empty house. They are all played by unknowns and this adds to the atmosphere because it does seem to be natural. I was actually surprised when many people commented that they thought these characters were stereotypes. Compare them to the contestants of 'Big Brother.' These characters were relatively calm in comparison. The dialogue is somewhat banal at times but I never had the feeling that it was particularly clunky. I mean reality tv shows have the most banal dialogue ever uttered. That is why I don't watch the abomination that is reality tv.
Marc Evans also uses interesting footage. Using not film stock but camera's that a bad reality tv show would have. The viewer is guided through shots of the house like in a 'real' reality tv show. Sound effects are minimal. However, instead of going for complete naturalism, Evan's decides to throw in some savage horror sound effects. I thought they worked and enhanced the horror and the tension of the film. The bleakness of the setting helps. But this also points to the overall problem in the film. If it had been me, as soon as I saw that house I would have walked away! I mean, who the hell is going to stay in a house out in the middle of nowhere? It just makes you to vulnerable. This is a definite plot-hole but I digress.
Basically as in all horror movies things start out fine. But combine the eventual cabin fever with the sexual tension between a bunch of young people. Then throw in a bucket of 'you suck, I hate living with you.' Mix that crap with the strange events that begin to take place...Events like a bloody hammer being left on a pillow. Strange noises occurring in the middle of the night and a seductive stranger showing up just to inflict more stress. This is to give the whole situation that extra bit of powder just before the whole keg explodes. The 20-something characters who are all just as naive as each other, have no idea how to cope. Unknowingly they have placed themselves into what is basically a horrific psychological mind game that is being played on a Godzilla like scale. These tensions help propel the film into the horrific state that it locks itself into to.
The film is actually very nihilistic and seeks to utterly destroy those who are desperately looking for their 15 minutes of fame. How far would you go? Obviously, the concepts of this film are not that original and I think this is what ultimately hurts 'My Little Eye.' It certainly is not as good as 'Series 7,' which I thought was a brilliantly dark satire on reality tv. Also films like these live under the curse of the 'Blair Witch.' Ever since 'Blair Witch' people have always felt ripped off by anything that is in the reality tv format.
The scene where the guy goes to give a back massage. Oh dear! This scene did make me jump! Strangely enough I was actually watching this film with my Dad. He jumped as well and kept asking me why do I keep getting out such 'sick' films. This film is genuinely nasty. A horror film like 'Jason versus Freddy' is fun for its camp value but does not contain the overall nasty vibe that this film has. The massage death makes the film feel like snuff and the whole thing plays like a nightmare.
I also liked the ending. The woman at the end, was she trapped in a meat-locker? I can't remember. 'My Little Eye' certainly does not have a happy ending, which to me is the first rule of a horror movie. NO HAPPY ENDINGS!
Personally I liked this film for its bleak nastiness. Everyone pays for their sins in this film and the bad guy wins. Despite its problems I'll go against the grain and give it 7 out of 10.
As I said it is a nasty little flick but you gotta love it. Plus it does not deserve it's 'rep.' I would rather watch this over '28 Days' and 'Gothika' any day or night.
Why I am surprised that 'My Little Eye' did not get a higher rating is because this is a very nasty little film. A film that has gotten very little press. Well at least here in New Zealand it got very little press. I actually think this is very unfair when pieces of crap like 'Final Destination 2' can get advertising hype.
'My Little Eye' is a film that keeps the viewer tense and wondering what the hell is going on. It uses many interesting features. Firstly the setting is very important, America is the land of the conspiracy theory. Many people can find it plausible that someone can go out into the middle of nowhere and disappear into the frontier forever. If you want to be creeped out at how easy this actually is, go to the 'Unsolved Mysteries' website. In America, from time to time, people quite literally vanish without a trace.
This film plays as a combination of the 'Blair Witch Project' and the reality show 'Big Brother.' Oh why could they not have used the cast from the original Australian Big Brother series? I would have loved to see Sara Marie die horribly! Better that than having to watch her do the butt slapping dance! The viewer observes a bunch of wannabe famous kids get together in an old and empty house. They are all played by unknowns and this adds to the atmosphere because it does seem to be natural. I was actually surprised when many people commented that they thought these characters were stereotypes. Compare them to the contestants of 'Big Brother.' These characters were relatively calm in comparison. The dialogue is somewhat banal at times but I never had the feeling that it was particularly clunky. I mean reality tv shows have the most banal dialogue ever uttered. That is why I don't watch the abomination that is reality tv.
Marc Evans also uses interesting footage. Using not film stock but camera's that a bad reality tv show would have. The viewer is guided through shots of the house like in a 'real' reality tv show. Sound effects are minimal. However, instead of going for complete naturalism, Evan's decides to throw in some savage horror sound effects. I thought they worked and enhanced the horror and the tension of the film. The bleakness of the setting helps. But this also points to the overall problem in the film. If it had been me, as soon as I saw that house I would have walked away! I mean, who the hell is going to stay in a house out in the middle of nowhere? It just makes you to vulnerable. This is a definite plot-hole but I digress.
Basically as in all horror movies things start out fine. But combine the eventual cabin fever with the sexual tension between a bunch of young people. Then throw in a bucket of 'you suck, I hate living with you.' Mix that crap with the strange events that begin to take place...Events like a bloody hammer being left on a pillow. Strange noises occurring in the middle of the night and a seductive stranger showing up just to inflict more stress. This is to give the whole situation that extra bit of powder just before the whole keg explodes. The 20-something characters who are all just as naive as each other, have no idea how to cope. Unknowingly they have placed themselves into what is basically a horrific psychological mind game that is being played on a Godzilla like scale. These tensions help propel the film into the horrific state that it locks itself into to.
The film is actually very nihilistic and seeks to utterly destroy those who are desperately looking for their 15 minutes of fame. How far would you go? Obviously, the concepts of this film are not that original and I think this is what ultimately hurts 'My Little Eye.' It certainly is not as good as 'Series 7,' which I thought was a brilliantly dark satire on reality tv. Also films like these live under the curse of the 'Blair Witch.' Ever since 'Blair Witch' people have always felt ripped off by anything that is in the reality tv format.
The scene where the guy goes to give a back massage. Oh dear! This scene did make me jump! Strangely enough I was actually watching this film with my Dad. He jumped as well and kept asking me why do I keep getting out such 'sick' films. This film is genuinely nasty. A horror film like 'Jason versus Freddy' is fun for its camp value but does not contain the overall nasty vibe that this film has. The massage death makes the film feel like snuff and the whole thing plays like a nightmare.
I also liked the ending. The woman at the end, was she trapped in a meat-locker? I can't remember. 'My Little Eye' certainly does not have a happy ending, which to me is the first rule of a horror movie. NO HAPPY ENDINGS!
Personally I liked this film for its bleak nastiness. Everyone pays for their sins in this film and the bad guy wins. Despite its problems I'll go against the grain and give it 7 out of 10.
As I said it is a nasty little flick but you gotta love it. Plus it does not deserve it's 'rep.' I would rather watch this over '28 Days' and 'Gothika' any day or night.