Synopsis:
When tragedy strikes her quiet countryside abode, Francisca (Kika Magalahes) learns to live her life how she pleases; no matter how dark that may be.
The Eyes of My Mother is an immediately beautiful film. It is shot in black and white and feels like a moving painting. The shadows and darkness that dominate the frames are reflected in the inner darkness that resonates through the film. Simply, some of the events that occur in The Eyes of My Mother are as nightmarish as they come, but at only 75 minutes long, it could have gone even further. Don’t get me wrong, there were moments that were so disturbing they took my breath away, but there is an overall lack of punch prevents The Eyes of My Mother from being the pure tale of terror that it could have been. It’s quietly disturbing and crawls under your skin, but this artistic tale is so desperate to impress us with its picture-perfect exterior, that you can’t help but feel the tick-tocking of director Nicolas Pesce’s mind as he tries to craft his beautiful, but otherwise severely hollow, masterpiece.
The camera is frequently static, capturing the events that are allowed to unfold as naturally and intricately as possible. The preoccupation with naturalism and minimalism becomes one of the film’s most unsettling aspects, because no matter how dark the events that unfold are, they are delivered carefully and quietly. It’s a jarring deliverance of something so terrible which will easily bring out a sense of unease within the audience. There is very little sound and very little dialogue within the film and when combined with the absence of colour, the actions are left to speak for themselves and there are times when they are as loud as a car crash. There are images within the film that will linger long after the credits roll, but a lot here is owed to classic shockers like Nekromantik, modern thrillers like The Woman and, of course, fellow black and white horror Eraserhead. The Eyes of My Mother takes elements from all of these films to craft its own identity that may not be wholly unique, but is interesting nonetheless.
The leading lady Kika Magalahes is the star of the show, embodying an effortless amount of unease and ominous intent that you can’t help but feel on edge. She turns the simple act of eating in to something strange, a discussion about parents into a living nightmare and when she asks to hold someone’s baby you’ll be screaming, “No!” She moves around the house like a wide-eyed ghost; as silent as the film itself and as graceful as a feather. She’s the epitome of a quiet psycho, but there are reasons for why she’s as complicated as she is. The tragedy that struck her family happened when she was just a child and she saw things that would alter her mindset forever. The film is a psychological dream that proves your childhood can pave the way for your adult life. She is now left alone to deal with her twisted mind as a product of the hell that she witnessed all those years ago.
A beautiful exterior and an impeccable leading performance aren’t enough for The Eyes of My Mother to earn its place in the horror masterpiece hall of fame, but there is plenty of dark imagery and unease to ensure you make it to the end. The 75 minute runtime is a blessing and a curse, making the journey short, but not all that sweet.
Words: Jessy Williams (@JessyCritical)
