Per Matt
The best type of stories involve mysterious characters, dark family secrets and at least one character who can see through the haze that’s clouding the vision of everyone else in order to combat true evil. And those that include supernatural elements are even better! Included within the Welcome to Blumhouse umbrella series, Evil Eye is a welcome addition to the spooky season.
Throughout my life, I’ve always believed that chance encounters are hardly that. Fate and destiny can be a tricky thing to figure out, but I just don’t believe in coincidences. Evil Eye, which has a dark supernatural theme, is a psychological thriller that deals with characters employing head games, as well as terror, and an arranged marriage (or two) is also thrown into the mix. So, is it possible for evil to be reincarnated or reborn until a mission is actually completed? Blumhouse Productions explores that question.
Turning 29, Pallavi’s mom thinks she’s cursed because she’s not married yet. Her parents moved to India for her father to pursue a university job, leaving their daughter in New Orleans. She falls head over heels for a stranger she randomly meets at a coffee shop, while waiting for an arranged date (who is incredibly late). As the story moves along (at a progressive pace), the superstitious mother is deathly afraid that this new love interest is the reincarnation of her former lover, who tried to kill her (and her wounds haven’t fully healed, all these years later).
When you really think about it, aren’t marriages and curses one and the same?
Sunita Mani portrays the youngest of this family unit. Dark secrets eventually get revealed among family members, no longer being hidden. But as the story moves along, astrology and horoscopes are not actually the main focus, but revelations of past indiscretions. The devil you know is better than the one you don’t and the film’s conclusion is cloudy, but the mother character eventually comes full circle, not expecting any more trouble to find her, or her family.
“If you’re not careful… bad things could happen.”
Traditional vs. modern worlds clash in a showdown of who’s right, while searching for Mr. Right. Is this really madness or paranoia? Did a former lover really put the evil eye on his lover before dying? And does karma actually exist? These are the questions Evil Eye attempts to pose, as well as the downfall of obsession. Safety is viewed within the eye of the beholder and superstitions are addressed, that may not be too far from the truth.
Based on an Audible original, Evil Eye is the best (of the three I’ve watched, so far) of the Welcome to Blumhouse films produced for Amazon Studios. Star Sunita Mani (G.L.O.W.) is the best thing this film has going for it. Absolutely a fan of horror films featuring other cultures (and countries where they originate), there’s not enough of them, actually, released within the United States. This is really a great Halloween treat.
I actually ran into Sunita during the 2019 Nashville Film Festival. As one of the featured actors in The Death of Dick Long, she made a quick announcement before her movie screened, which included a decent role for the actor. I enjoyed watching both of her roles. The storyline of Evil Eye seemed to move much faster than that of The Lie and Nocturne, but I did notice at the hour-long mark, a new urgency for all involved in reaching their goals.
As a lower-budgeted film released on Amazon Prime Video during a global pandemic, this is really great quality entertainment. I actually enjoyed watching it the entire time. And as soon as it ended, I was kind of hoping there might be a sequel. That almost never happens when I’m watching a movie. Especially a streaming horror film during a pandemic.
Beware, the Evil Eye! And please watch this movie. It’s released at just the right time (before Halloween!) to be fully enjoyed. You’ve been forewarned!