Dir. Guillem Morales, Spain, 2010, 112 mins, in Spanish with English subtitles
Cast: Belén Rueda, Lluís Homar, Pablo Derqui
Review by Eva Moravetz
Guillermo Del Toro has contributed creatively to a wide range of films as producer over the last couple of decades. After The Orphanage (El Orfanato, 2007), he now presents us with another Spanish thriller, Julia’s Eyes (Los Ojos De Julia), directed by talented newcomer Guillem Morales. This is Morales’s second feature film; his first one was The Uncertain Guest (El Habitante Incierto), another psychological thriller, back in 2004. The story of Julia’s Eyes was originally envisioned by Morales and he wrote the screenplay in collaboration with friend and fellow filmmaker Oriol Paulo.
Belén Rueda (The Orphanage, The Sea Inside) plays Julia, a woman who is grieving after her sister’s suicide and terrified at the prospect of losing her eyesight as the result of a degenerative disease, from which Sara, her sister had also suffered. Shielded by a protective husband Isaac (Lluís Homar, Broken Embraces, Bad Education), Julia knows she must rest before the operation which is due, in order not to aggravate her condition. However, she cannot help but feel that Sara did not die by her own hand. Others, including her husband, put this down to paranoia but she starts to investigate and as her sight slowly deteriorates, Julia becomes aware of a menacing presence threatening her life.
Giving more of the plot away would spoil this highly efficient movie, which is fast-paced, stylish and scary. The multiple twists and turns evoke Hitchcock’s influence and there is an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of the European gothic horror of Roman Polanski films as well as the Italian slasher movies of the 1960s and 1970s, the giallo, mastered by directors such as Dario Argento. Just like in gialli, the theme of the film is strongly psychological with the classic whodunit at its core, coupled with stylish camerawork and a heightened, operatic drama around the characters. However, there are no rivers of blood (at least not that much) or sex and nudity here that characterised those misogynistic early classics.
What is disappointing, though, is the lack of emotional range exhibited by the characters. Rueda’s Julia in particular appears detached and curiously unaffected by Sara’s death, and Isaac’s warmth and attentiveness towards her are not reciprocated with equal passion. Her vehemence throughout the film stretches no further than from scared to frightened. It makes us care about her less. Ironically, the most genuine character is the killer (Pablo Derqui), whom we don’t see most of the time but when we do, he delivers everything – intensity, menace and derangement.
The real talent of Morales seems to lie in structuring a highly exciting plot that keeps us on the edge of our seats and creating atmosphere with style. Clever editing enables us to walk in Julia’s shoes and see only what she sees. The characters are often unseen when talking to her, which makes us feel just as bad-sighted as she is. Julia’s Eyes is entirely focussed on the concept of sight; not so much on the ability to see but the ability to see differently. When Julia has her operation and her eyes are bandaged, she finds herself relying more and more on her other sensory perceptions and sees things she couldn’t see before.
In the hands of a less imaginative director, this film could have slipped down to become just another cliché horror movie. What saves it from this fate are the intelligent storytelling and spiritual message, the sophisticated editing style and the maturity of the actors. For lovers of thriller and suspense, it’s a must.
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