MY LITTLE EYE - Bitesize Review # 11

MY LITTLE EYE ***

UK/USA/France/Canada: Marc Evans, 2002.
Format: Original Theatrical Release

Note: My bitesize review was originally published by the Kent Messenger Newspaper Group (17.10.2002) and refers to the theatrical run of the film.

The hottest ticket in television at the moment is the reality TV game show. Whether it is Big Brother, Survivor or the latest 'Pop Star' themed karaoke contest, our desire to play the voyeur has developed into an obsession.

This trend is even more pronounced on the internet with a seemingly endless amount of web cam sites dedicated to broadcasting live 24 hours a day, seven days a week regardless of programme content. My Little Eye from British director Marc Evans employs this very modern phenomenon to breathe new life into the classic haunted house horror narrative.

The plot is simplicity itself, five youngsters agree to be confined in an old house, in the middle of nowhere, for six months with the object of winning one million dollars. Cameras are installed in every room with all the action broadcast live on a subscription pay-per-view website.

However, the situation begins to take on sinister dimensions when our young hopefuls are haunted by aspects of their troubled past. This tension is built upon in the film when it is suggested the broadcast company itself, may be instigating a deadly game in an effort to boost ratings or provoke the housemates into leaving and thus forfeiting the prize money.

Disappointingly, this sense of terror is lost when the plot's finale slips into a series of violent killings, showing little of the assured craftsmanship of the film's beginning. The redeeming aspects of My Little Eye can be identified in its authentic look and superb use of sound.

The majority of the film is shot in a manner mimicking the zooming cameras of reality television. This helps to establish an atmosphere of 'being watched' eeriness from the start. The distorted infra-red night sequences are especially effective with the participants' eyes glowing a startling shade of green.

So while My Little Eye isn't without its flaws it does provide a gripping watch for most of its duration. Moreover, the film serves as a chilling verdict on our attraction to the nature of watching and reality television.