Blindness (DVD)

note: originally written for my film review website, ShaunMunro.co.uk! ~~~ The concept of Fernando Meirelles' Blindness is certainly of the more fascinating ideas of the year - a blindness epidemic begins sweeping an unnamed city without any indication as to its origin or means of propagation. From the opening moments of terror and confusion, this film has all the makings of a great picture - it is seemingly high-minded, socially conscious, artistically competent, and boasts a stellar cast - and whilst Blindness is certainly a solid thriller, a far smarter, more insightful film was possible inside of this premise. As the blindness ...  Read the complete review

Based on Jose Saramago's much-loved novel BLINDNESS, this film tells the story of an epidemic of 'White Blindness' hits a city, Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (CITY OF GOD) takes the reins for this interesting film that in many ways throws up a whole lot more questions than answers. The Plot: An epidemic of instant White Blindness hits a city, those who are infected are quarantined to avoid further spread of the illness, they are quarantined in an abandoned mental hospital, but this new society of outcasts quickly breaks down as lack of food and social contact creates a feeling of exclusion and victimisation. A ...  Read the complete review

Blindness is a weird low budget film about a whole unnamed city of people who rapidly go blind one after another, being able to see only whiteness, like swimming in milk. It begins with one man and spreads like a virus, mystifying the doctor who first encounters it (Mark Ruffalo). Soon everyone who comes into contact with a victim becomes affected, including the doctor, but surprisingly not his wife (Julianne Moore). Characters don't have names in this film, so I'll just refer to them as the doctor etc. The doctor is sent into quarantine in an abandoned mental asylum, and his wife pretends to be blind as well in order to go with him and take care ...  Read the complete review

Director: Fernando Meirelles Screenplay: Don McKellar Novel: José Saramago Genre: Drama - Mystery - Thriller Country: Canada/Brazil/Japan Certification: 18 Language: English/Japanese DVD Release: 30th March, 2009 MAIN CAST: Julianne Moore (Doctor's Wife) Mark Ruffalo (Doctor) Yusuke Iseya (First Blind Man) Yoshino Kimura (First Blind Man's Wife) Alice Braga (Woman with the Dark Glasses) Mitchell Nye (Boy) Danny Glover (Man with the Black Eye Patch) A man is waiting in his car at a red light during a busy rush hour... the light changes to green, and as it ...  Read the complete review