Watch Abre Los Ojos instead!!!

Rating: 2/10 (28 January 2002)

I can find no justification for this remake other than as a trade off for Amenavar to get Cruise to produce The Others. And the story for the Others and Amenavar's track record is so good that I'm sure this wasn't necessary for his jump to "studio" flicks. Abre Los Ojos is not some old black and white movie or low production value gerrilla film which could really be rediscovered by the gloss "contemporary" hollywood treatment. Abre Los Ojos is fine as it is, more elegant, shocking, and intensely directed than Vanilla Sky and it's not even 5 years old. Come on. I'm sure Crowe might've enjoyed the break from both writing and directing, but his upbeat talents, gracefully evident in Almost Famous are totally out of place in this work-for-hire remake of what is a dark, current, exhilarating film: Abre los ojos.