Almost identical copy of ABRE LOS OJOS, but better and more efficient

Rating: 8/10 (21 January 2003)

I had extremely bad feedback from friends and critics about this film, so I watched it without any high expectations. I normally don't like Hollywood remakes, nor am I a big fan of Tom Cruise, but I have to say, I really liked this movie. It is haunting and beautiful, and after seeing the original ABRE LOS OJOS, it is clear to me that Crowe did a great job. The original is far less efficient than the remake, and believe it or not, I found VANILLA SKY to be less melodramatic. Also, Penélope Cruz's character is more present and complex in VANILLA SKY. The photography is breathtaking and I loved the music (although it does seem as if Cameron Crowe just threw in all his favorite songs on a CD and pressed 'shuffle'... it's more of a playlist than a real score).
This said, VANILLA SKY is not to be missed. You can question the relevance of making the same movie twice (it's almost a shot by shot copy of the original, and many lines are the same), but to me VANILLA SKY is a great improvement over ABRE LOS OJOS. The only element that remains as flawed as in the original, is the vacuous and insignificant character of the best friend (Jason Lee/Fele Martínez).
I give this movie an 8 out of 10.