MOVIE REVIEW: The Mind's Eye

The Mind's Eye (2016)

Horror, Sci-Fi

Directed By: Joe Begos

If you are the horror fan who believes the genre is dead or dying because you've only seen the latest studio flick doing its best to mimic the latest trend then I suggest diving into the world of indie horror. Rather than mimic what's popular many of these filmmakers are taking influence from the masters of the genre and finding ways to create their own unique stories. Take, for example, the latest film from writer/director Joe Begos The Mind's Eye which plays as a giant love letter to the Scanners franchise and other films and filmmakers of its time. This could have easily been a cheap knock-off of movies people love but Begos took the influence and injected it right into the heart of a story that stands entirely on its own.

The film focuses on two people with extraordinary abilities, Zack Connors (Graham Skipper) and Rachel Meadows (Lauren Ashley Carter). Unbeknownst to most of the world, these two belong to a small portion of the population with telekinetic capabilities. When a sadistic doctor by the name of Michael Slovak (John Speredakos) finds out about their special talents he abducts them in hopes of harvesting their abilities for himself. The two manage to escape his facilities and now the crazed doctor will do whatever it takes to get them back. What he doesn't know is that the powers he has been suppressing in them are slowly coming back, and a man with a gun may not be able to do much when the person they are pointing it at can control their brain.

We are hardly seeing an acting clinic on display here but we still gets solid performances from both of the leads Graham Skipper and Lauren Ashley Carter. Doctor Slovak however, played by John Speredakos, literally descends into madness by the end of the film and the performance by Speredakos is so much damn fun. Watching him and Skipper go back in forth in the finale is real treat. I also have to mention horror community favorite Larry Fessenden also has a small role in the movie and we all know anytime he pops up it usually means you're watching a pretty good flick.

When it comes to sci-fi horror one of the keys to success is making sure the sci-fi aspect of the film isn't buried. Nothing is more disappointing than going into a film with promise of something like aliens or telekinesis and have them be an afterthought. Begos gets this, his low budgets haven't stopped him from interjecting tons of interesting science fiction elements into his horror movies. He also doesn't beat you over the head with exposition to make sure the audience is picking up on it either, he stages these moments in a way where we are able to pick up and understand exactly what's going on. We easily understand these characters powers and the extents to which they can use them without having to be told directly why. 

This isn't to say the film shies away from being a full on horror movie, telekinesis can be used in some pretty terrifying ways and we see more than a few of them on display throughout. Unlike Scanners though, a film this one is drawing huge influence from, they aren't just exploding heads all willy nilly the entire time, it's not so easy for this world's telekinetics. The Mind's Eye builds off of what that movie introduced and rather than try to imitate it turns it into something new. Instead of just exploding brains (which I'm not saying isn't in the movie) they can use their powers in a multitude of different ways, like wielding weapons or tossing bodies across a room in a ultra-violent fashion. If you are the fan that goes for unique kills and buckets of blood this movie is entirely for you. 

The story draws influence from all over the board, not just horror. the opening scene of film is it's own version of The First Blood intro. A drifter wanders down an empty road only to be stopped by police and thrown into the hellish situation that is to follow. You can tell Begos just wanted to make a movie with the feel of all of his favorites from the late seventies and eighties while shaping it into his own vision with some modern tendencies. He's not trying to pull on nostalgia as much as create a familiar atmosphere in which he can show us something new, and he succeeds at doing so. 

At the beginning of the movie a title card pops up that prompts the viewer to "watch this movie as loud as possible" and though they may seem like a cheap gimmick to some it's actually a perfect piece of advice. The sound design and score are incredible and it is only enhanced when you crank the volume to eleven. The film boasts a wonderful, old school synth dominant score that plays a key role in creating that familiar atmosphere for the viewer. Add that to the impressive and creepy sound design surrounding the telekinetics and violence, and you have a truly unique experience.

The Mind's Eye isn't the type of film that plays gangbusters to any type of crowd, but for the right audience (which I am a part of) this movie plays as a totally insane rollercoaster ride through hell that we never want to get off of. Begos is making the kinds of films we love and cherish as "cult classics" from the past, only in modern times. I have a good feeling with time each of his films will have a growing audience of dedicated fans. This is easily one of my favorite horror films of the year and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for us horror geeks next. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!