* Terrible * * Below Par * * * Not Bad * * * * Good * * * * * Brilliant
WARNING *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Five young strangers go to live in a house in the deep woods for six months.Isolated and miles away from no where their motivation is the fact that thay are taking part in a small scale reality programme.Cameras are strategically placed around the house and the prize for making it through the six months is a cool $1 million.There are of course rules to the game.The most important being that if one of the contestants leaves the confines of the house, everybody else immediately forfeits from gaining the prize sum.It becomes the ultimate test of the Quintets mental and emotional endurance.Particularly when one of the strangers, Danny's(Stephen O'Reilley) grandfather dies for instance and a lone wanderer comes by the house and leaves(not before making an impression on one of the twenty somethings).But most of all when tragedy strikes one of the five.Soon though the truth begins to unravel about the mysterious game the five players are taking part in and the enigmatic benefactors who constructed it.
What was it that somebody said art imitating life.I can't remember.But in some way thats what 'My Little Eye' as it seems sets out to do.Of course the premise while simple and not bad might not be altogether far fetched.Sure there is no way that a major television station would allow what occurs in the movie to happen.Who knows what some sick mind out there would have in mind.That aside though is the film any good.In short I would have to say absolutely not.The premise while quite good is about one of the very few and I mean very few things that could be said for this complete waste of time and money(At least in my opinion).
For what is about three thirds of the movie we the audience are mostly subjected to utter tedium as the movies five protaganists go about their business and get on each others and to some extent our nerves.To be quite honest I have had more enjoyment watching the likes of 'Big Brother'.The film makers through out in some way attempts to show the greed,egotism and selfishness of the characters as well as their clear shallowness.The inclusion of a lone hitch hiker called Bradley(Travis Patterson)who happens by the house(or so it wuld seem at first)only wakes you from your hypnotic state for about a minute before you're lulled in to that state by the sheer monotony of the movie.The fact that Bradly gets it on with one of the female contestants lifted my spirits mometarilly before I realised that it wasn't supposed to an adult blue movie.Although I suppose It's supposed to be a commentary made by director Marc Evans on the voyeurism of reality tv in today's society.
By having little happen for most of the movie Evans I believe is trying to make his movie as close to the thing as possible as well as make a commentary perhaps in horror movies and the media in some way.But over all what we get is a dull snooze fest which is an hour and a half too long.In the movies favor it does carry great performances from a cast of fresh faced unknowns and the direction is eerily authentic.You do believe you're watching the real thing.But by the movies grisly and what is supposed to a shocking and telling denounment about reality television you can't care less what Evans is trying to say.In selfishly trying to make a point Evans has forgotten the one and most important thing of all when it comes to film making.To entertain and in the case of it's genre,chill and thrill.Making satire and putting across a message is one thing and is very worthy when done well.But when it becomes a labored,somewhat self indulgent piece of rubbish like this it just results in a piece of trash no one cares abouts.
If in the end you want to see a creepy,tense horror flick I would recommend the likes of Wes Craven's 'Scream' or 'Final Destination 2'.On the other hand if you want to see a satirical movie on the likes of reality tv look no further than 'ED TV' or maybe even another earlier film that covers the media called 'Network'.Both are superior movies and put across their point a good deal better.Most importantly though, they're both entertaining.
Robs Rating: *
WARNING *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Five young strangers go to live in a house in the deep woods for six months.Isolated and miles away from no where their motivation is the fact that thay are taking part in a small scale reality programme.Cameras are strategically placed around the house and the prize for making it through the six months is a cool $1 million.There are of course rules to the game.The most important being that if one of the contestants leaves the confines of the house, everybody else immediately forfeits from gaining the prize sum.It becomes the ultimate test of the Quintets mental and emotional endurance.Particularly when one of the strangers, Danny's(Stephen O'Reilley) grandfather dies for instance and a lone wanderer comes by the house and leaves(not before making an impression on one of the twenty somethings).But most of all when tragedy strikes one of the five.Soon though the truth begins to unravel about the mysterious game the five players are taking part in and the enigmatic benefactors who constructed it.
What was it that somebody said art imitating life.I can't remember.But in some way thats what 'My Little Eye' as it seems sets out to do.Of course the premise while simple and not bad might not be altogether far fetched.Sure there is no way that a major television station would allow what occurs in the movie to happen.Who knows what some sick mind out there would have in mind.That aside though is the film any good.In short I would have to say absolutely not.The premise while quite good is about one of the very few and I mean very few things that could be said for this complete waste of time and money(At least in my opinion).
For what is about three thirds of the movie we the audience are mostly subjected to utter tedium as the movies five protaganists go about their business and get on each others and to some extent our nerves.To be quite honest I have had more enjoyment watching the likes of 'Big Brother'.The film makers through out in some way attempts to show the greed,egotism and selfishness of the characters as well as their clear shallowness.The inclusion of a lone hitch hiker called Bradley(Travis Patterson)who happens by the house(or so it wuld seem at first)only wakes you from your hypnotic state for about a minute before you're lulled in to that state by the sheer monotony of the movie.The fact that Bradly gets it on with one of the female contestants lifted my spirits mometarilly before I realised that it wasn't supposed to an adult blue movie.Although I suppose It's supposed to be a commentary made by director Marc Evans on the voyeurism of reality tv in today's society.
By having little happen for most of the movie Evans I believe is trying to make his movie as close to the thing as possible as well as make a commentary perhaps in horror movies and the media in some way.But over all what we get is a dull snooze fest which is an hour and a half too long.In the movies favor it does carry great performances from a cast of fresh faced unknowns and the direction is eerily authentic.You do believe you're watching the real thing.But by the movies grisly and what is supposed to a shocking and telling denounment about reality television you can't care less what Evans is trying to say.In selfishly trying to make a point Evans has forgotten the one and most important thing of all when it comes to film making.To entertain and in the case of it's genre,chill and thrill.Making satire and putting across a message is one thing and is very worthy when done well.But when it becomes a labored,somewhat self indulgent piece of rubbish like this it just results in a piece of trash no one cares abouts.
If in the end you want to see a creepy,tense horror flick I would recommend the likes of Wes Craven's 'Scream' or 'Final Destination 2'.On the other hand if you want to see a satirical movie on the likes of reality tv look no further than 'ED TV' or maybe even another earlier film that covers the media called 'Network'.Both are superior movies and put across their point a good deal better.Most importantly though, they're both entertaining.
Robs Rating: *