Reviewed by: Brandon Johnson
CONTRIBUTOR
Moral Rating: | Very Offensive |
Moviemaking Quality: |
|
Primary Audience: | Adults |
Genre: | Romance Mystery Thriller Drama Remake |
Length: | 1 hr. 47 min. |
Year of Release: | 1999 |
USA Release: |
January 28, 2000 (wide—1,751 theaters) |
Featuring | Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, K.D. Lang, Jason Priestley, Genevieve Bujold |
Director |
Stephan Elliott |
Producer | Nicolas Clermont, Tony Smith |
Distributor | Destination Films |
“Eye of the Beholder” is a mystery of a movie from beginning to end. With no clear details about either of the main characters I found it hard to stay interested in the plot. There were obviously high expectations of a quality film from fans of Ashley Judd and Ewan McGregor. But “Eye of the Beholder” is a huge letdown that seems to take the moviegoer everywhere, yet nowhere, at the same time.
The movie tells a story of a man (Ewan McGregor) that works for a secret agency (that is never revealed), who while on a stakeout, instantly falls in love with a woman. This happens as he is spying on her and watching her kill her male companion. Ashley Judd (“Double Jeopardy”) plays the woman who murders many men throughout the film. McGregor follows Judd’s character throughout, helping her to get away from the authorities many times, without her knowledge. The rest of the film consists of glimpses into the main characters pasts’, which I assume are the writers attempt at explaining their murderous behavior.
The material of this movie is very offensive, mostly consisting of very violent murders, nudity, and plenty of bad language… all wrapped up with a disturbing cast of characters. The only plus in “Eye of the Beholder” is the moviemaking itself. The director makes you feel as if you are being taken on a flight with every new scene. Unfortunately, every flight goes nowhere as the movie leaves most viewers that I’ve spoken to with a sense of depression.
Overall, the plot is not interesting, at all. The characters are a very sick display of all that God teaches us to stay away from. And finally, “Eye of the Beholder” is a movie that will make your heart feel disturbed spiritually, as it did to my wife and I.
But the fact that you can empathise eventually with them is a mark of the quality of actors and director. Depraved, fallen humanity is not a pretty sight. Feeling compassion for it is something that Jesus was—and is—known for. This film encouraged compassion in me for the main protagonists—it may do for you.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½