Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes (DVD))

Name: Slim Lee

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Product:	Open Your Eyes (DVD)
Date:	05/02/02 (856 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great original storyline, Penelope Cruz

Disadvantages: Weak musical score

Otherwise known in originally in Spanish as “Abre los ojos” and as “Ouvre les yeux” in France, this film has been largely unheralded on its initial release in 1997 until the recent remake (Vanilla Sky) hit the silver screen.

As I’m a bit of a sceptic with Hollywood taking on foreign films and completely ruining them (The Vanishing anyone?), and seeing as Channel 4 decided to show this original at the weekend, I decided to see what all the fuss is about before dragging my lazy backside off to the cinema to see the new version.

The first thing to point out, though it should be pretty obvious, is that the film is entirely in Spanish. Natural really seeing as it’s a Spanish film, made by Spaniards for the Spanish market, but you’d be surprised how many people would expect it in English. I’ve always been very comfortable with watching foreign language films and having subtitles as with dubbing you don’t get to full range of the emotions. Keep it natural I say!


• Plot (no spoilers)


César, a young Spanish orphan, has come into wealth via an inheritance from his parents. He lives a luxurious lifestyle and uses his handsome good looks in tandem with this. He is a shallow womaniser, a playboy. From outside appearances he has it all.

Until that is, he meets Sofia at a party. For the first time he falls in love, not just in lust with a woman. César’s best friend, Pelayo, who is blatantly jealous of his success with women (whilst he has none), is Sofia’s escort that night. This doesn’t stop César who leaves the party with her and spends the night at her home.

The following morning, César’s previous girlfriend, Nuria, cannot accept that it is over and after picking him up for a ride, deliberately careers her car off a road. Nuria is killed in the crash, but César survives with his life but not with his good looks. His face is dis
figured and beyond medical repair. He slips into depression when Sofia won’t see him anymore. Even Pelayo doesn’t want him around.

Then, the next day everything changes for the better, but strange things start to happen. Just as César’s luck seems to be taking a turn for the better then his slide into madness begins………


• Characters


Eduardo Noriega is superbly cast as the increasingly paranoid César. This is a very demanding role as he is essentially playing two distinctly different people, before crash and post-crash, but he does a remarkable job in making his character come to life. His enthusiasm for the role is evident for all to see and not once during the film did I question that he was César.

Although she doesn’t really have that much to do in this film in terms of stretching her acting ability, it is plain to see why Penelope Cruz has been touted around Hollywood for the last year or so as the ‘next best thing’. Her presence on the screen is overpowering, yet with very little in the way of lines for the supporting actress, she manages to pull it off consummately. To say she smoulders across the screen is a big understatement!

Fele Martinez as Pelayo does a decent job as César’s best friend. Not a pivotal role in the film, but he is believable. His distaste of César at the party is easy to see.

Likewise, Najwa Nimri as Nuria doesn’t have all that much to do other than look confused throughout the film. This is possibly one role that should be improved in the Hollywood remake. I could imagine Cameron Diaz doing the jealous girlfriend part far more convincingly.

The other role of note is that of César’s doctor played by Pedro Miguel Martinez, who for me plays the role smartly, mirroring César’s descent into madness and despair.


• Verdict


So, after all that was it actually a
ny good?

In a word, yes. I can’t say I was expecting too much after reading numerous negative reviews on ‘Vanilla Sky’, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good “Abre los ojos” really is. If you like psychological thrillers, particularly those of a Hitchcock slant, then you’ll enjoy this one. On the flipside to this it also has an element of Sci-Fi about it too (without getting too technical with it as many seem to have to do now).

Good solid performances from the lead actors, combined with imaginative direction that despite the storyline jumping all over the place doesn’t totally confuse the viewer. Even the seemingly obvious plot twists are partly hidden and thus keep you interested throughout the film up until the final dramatic scene. For me, the other plus point is the characterisations. They’re strong ones but at the same time not overly complicated, which makes them remain so believable.

The only real strong criticism I have with the film is on the score. It’s not as strong as it could have been and didn’t really get the emotions across (certainly nowhere near as well as the acting did). This is one area in which I’d expect Cameron Crowe to excel in with the remake.

“Abre los ojos” is not a classic film as such but it’s certainly a very decent film to while away a couple of hours. Imaginative, clever and raw, iIt even managed to keep me engrossed a long time after the film had finished! Certainly didn’t help me sleep comfortably that’s for sure.

Overall, I’m still left with the feeling that “Vanilla Sky” isn’t going to be a patch on it though. Will it match the subtly, flair and depth of the original? I just can’t see it…….. Go hunt out the original


• Credits and other gubbins


Cast:
Eduardo Noriega (II) - César
Penelope Cruz - Sofía <
br>Chete Lera - Antonio
Fele Martínez - Pelayo
Najwa Nimri – Nuria

Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Screenplay: Alejandro Amenabar and Mateo Gill
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rating: R/18 years and over (Spain) but curiously only a 15 for the UK (only occasional bouts of nudity and minimal levels of violence)

Available from most good online/offline stores (www.play247.com have the Region 1 version at £14.99 currently)

Summary: