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Jessica Alba, Parker Posey, Alessandro Nivola. Suspense/horror. Written by Sebastian Gutierrez. Directed by David Moreau & Xavier Palud.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Remake of scary Japanese film has a young blind woman seeing visions and dead people after she undergoes eye surgery. Haunted by one particular specter, our heroine is soon convinced that her anonymous eye donor has somehow opened the door to a terrifying world only she can now see.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Hey, this actually has a moral. It’s scary, with smoky demonic beings protruding from walls and hovering over people about to die, but it also contains an adage; it’s best to see life from a spiritual perspective. But you have to undergo a great deal of jolting imagery, not to mention faux-literate dialogue, less than inspiring direction, and a misleading look at the spiritual world. And Jessica Alba, though determined to be a good actress, is just too hampered by the incredulous script and her limitations as a thespian, to give her character or the story much depth.

Studios wisely refrain from inviting press to prior screenings of films they know will meet with little but negative comment. Such is the case with this film. However, even if people don’t read reviews, they should be leery of a film the studio made sure reviewers couldn’t see. Beware, there’s a reason.

DVD Alternatives: Awakenings. A man is brought out of a catatonic state after 30 years. Although rated PG-13 for 4 obscenities and the use of an Ouija board in two scenes, it does carry a message of hope and a reminder that the soul needs to be nourished. Robin Williams, Robert DeNiro.

Or:

The Canterville Ghost. A parable about finding courage within, this classic fantasy has a cowardly ghost bound to his ancestral home until a descendant does a brave deed. This film teaches a life lesson rather than seriously promoting the existence of ghosts.

Or:

The Enchanted Cottage. Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire star in this heart-warming fantasy about a scarred war vet and a homely woman, both made beautiful by their love. Like way old, and in B&W, but a very romantic film that teaches love looks beyond the superficial.

Or:

The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. A gothic romance without promiscuity, starring Rex Harrison, Gene Tierney and George Sanders. No, I don't believe in ghosts (angels and demons, yes), but the serene love affair is difficult to resist. It contains, you should excuse the expression, a “haunting” score by Bernard Herrmann. I know, it’s also old, but man, great filmmaking. And folks, it’s difficult to find more recent films with a positive message that don’t reflect today’s acceptance of objectionable material.

Distributor: Lionsgate