Director: Alejandro Amenábar
Year: 1997 Runtime: 117 minutes
Rating: Rated R for some strong sexuality, language and some violence.
Language: Spanish
Country: Spain
IMDB rating: 7.8/10 Tomatometer: 84%
Abre Los Ojos is a command that translates in English to “Open Your Eyes”. It is the original film that the remake Vanilla Sky is based off of, only better. At just the age of 25, Alejandro Amenábar, made one of the greatest Spanish films of all time. Abre Los Ojos is a psychological thriller that messes with your mind. The story shifts in and out of reality. It’s a puzzle to figure out what is real and what is not. Is what you’re watching really happening, is it a memory, or is it a dream?
The movie stars Eduardo Noriega as César, a handsome and wealthy playboy, used to having everything his way. In the beginning of the movie, we see César at his fancy birthday party which is crashed by an obsessive fling, Nuria, that just won’t go away. His sees his best friend has brought the beautiful Sophia, played by a young Penelope Cruz, to the party. César starts chatting to Sophia in an attempt to shed Nuria (and to possibly gain a new conquest).
He ends up taking Sophia back home to her apartment where they spend a magical night together that simply ends with a kiss. She is different from all the other girls, and César has fallen for her. As he walks back to his car, Nuria suddenly appears in hers. She tells César that she also tried to hook up at the party to no avail and that she is still horny. Against his better judgement, César hops in for a ride. As they talk, Nuria is not happy with César’s answers to her questions and decides she will drive the car off a cliff and end both their lives. But César survives the crash only to have his face badly disfigured; this is when his nightmare begins.
The film reminds me at times of the David Lynch film, Lost Highway, which as it happens was also released that very same year. The viewer is left to deconstruct the story as it is unfolding. As you’re watching it, you’re not exactly sure what is happening but the film certainly creates strong emotions in you. When the movie ends, it is open to several interpretations. It is not clear cut.
Abre Los Ojos helped to establish Alejandro Amenábar as one of the premier directors in film today. He has two other films, Tesis and The Sea Inside, that have also made the Spanish-Language.com top Spanish language films list which will be reviewed soon. He also directed a film you may know with Nicole Kidman called The Others.
Abre Los Ojos is an amazing film although it is not for everyone. If you like surreal films that mess with your mind like the Matrix, Mulholland Drive, Memento, Donnie Darko, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and ones like these then you’ll probably love this movie. It’s the kind of film that requires more than one viewing to fully appreciate. It’s a great way to practice your Spanish, and I highly recommend it. Check it out.