Open Your Eyes (1997) User Reviews (241)

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD -- Also brilliant analysis

[damiancarroll · 9/10 · 19 December 2001]

Many previous posters can't seem to get past the "it was just a dream" ending. Fair enough, but what's important here is that the dream is *created* by Cesar. As Duvernois tells him, the virtual reality is set up to show him what he wants to see. Thus when his life takes a turn for the worse, it's because he wants it to happen that way. The question is, why would somebody who had the opportunity to create a perfect life turn it into a nightmare?

The solution lies in the shallowness of Cesar's character. He is a totally self-centered individual, a man who depends on his money and looks to get him whatever he wants. Metaphorically, he is the man in his dream in the opening scene -- alone in an empty city of his own creation. His friendship with Pelayo is in name only. His claims of "love" for Sophia are, at least at first, just as shallow - inspired by pictures on a wall, and easily tossed aside when Nuria offers him a freebie.

Why, then, does the dream go bad? Because once Cesar's face is disfigured, he sees that Sophia only loved his outer beauty. He sees that money can't buy him happiness - it can't even buy him a new face. He sees how easily his "best friend" turns away from him when the going gets rough. And Cesar is never able to resolve these issues while alive - indeed, he chooses suicide to rid himself of the pain. But just as our dreams show us truths we'd rather not face, Cesar's dream brings back these questions in the form of contradictions. What if he, like Sophia, fell in love only have his lover reappear as somebody he didn't recognize? (In his case, Sophia switched for Nuria.) What if only he could see how ugly he really was? Cesar's dream goes bad because he wants it to go bad -- as he is trying to figure out the "reality" of his physical life, he is also probing the reality of his soul.

I found this to be a fascinating movie, not despite the ending but because of it. Like this year's Mulholland Drive, the film examines the way we construct our dreams both to hide reality and to better understand it. I give it a 9.

Mind-bending.

[gridoon · 9/10 · 17 August 2004]

"Abre Los Ojos" is one of the most astonishing movies I have ever seen. It's so full of astounding twists that it constantly makes you sit up and wonder what the next shot will bring you. At the same time, you keep wondering if a movie with so many twists will be able to tie everything up at the end, but Amenabar and his co-writer manage to do just that, in a reasonably (if not perfectly) satisfying manner. Eduardo Noriega's acting is so good it's beyond belief, and so is the "disfiguring" makeup. Pair this off with "The Game" for a truly mind-bending double feature and see what cinema should be like more often. (***1/2)

Very impressive; if you can, PLEASE see this before Vanilla Sky!

[mattymatt4ever · 8/10 · 14 February 2003]

"Vanilla Sky" turned out to be a moderate success and scored great reviews by most critics, and I liked it myself. But if you compare it to this film, there's almost nothing different! But of course, it's all Cameron Crowe's fault and not the fault of the director of this movie. Luckily, I haven't seen "VS" in a while, so certain surprises in the plot still intrigued me. And I was intrigued throughout the film, I think even moreso than with "VS."

Tom Cruise is a fine actor, and I have nothing against him. But I always appreciate seeing unknown actors (at least they're unknown to me; I don't live in Spain, so they might be superstars there) give fine performances. The actor who plays the main character in this film as just as effective as Cruise. He is an extremely attractive man and knows how to express a plethora of emotions. I've never been a big fan of Penelope Cruz's work in the states, because her English still isn't great and that clearly shows in the mangled expression of her dialogue. But in her native language she shows great talent. And since I find her much more attractive than I used to, I'm more appealed by her in the looks department. Plus, as a man I must reveal she has a great nude scene in the film.

One element of the plot that I don't think Crowe's "VS" expressed as well was the jealousy between the handsome main character and his best friend. I was able to connect with that portion of the story, since I have a best friend like the main character who's charming girls left and right, while I (the average guy) have virtually no appeal to the ladies. I know what it's like to possess that sort of envy, and so do the average guys all around who see handsome guys doing the same things we do, but get more favorable results just on account of their good looks. The film also expresses the theme that no matter how many times most attractive men claim their looks are of no importance to them, if their looks were one day to be stolen from them, they'd lose the will to live.

I'm sure if I saw "Vanilla Sky" after this movie, I'd enjoy it a lot less. This is sheer proof that the general American public is too lazy to read subtitles. Because if you were watching the DVD of "VS" and switched the language channels from English to Spanish, it's the same damn movie! And now I feel sorry for the director of this movie, since he's the genius behind this genuinely original story, but Cameron Crowe comes along and takes all the credit. I am not one of those grouches who hates remakes, but if you're going to remake a film, put your own spin on it! Don't take all the original ideas and conduct it with different actors! And wait a couple decades for God's sake! "Open Your Eyes" was released in 1997 and "VS" only four years later. So unless you're illiterate, please see "Open Your Eyes" before you even consider "Vanilla Sky"!

My score: 8 (out of 10)

Attention: do NOT watch Vanilla Sky before watching this first!

[Infofreak · 1 June 2002]

Sadly due to the lack of availability of 'Open Your Eyes' in Australia (until now) I saw Cameron Crowe's 'Vanilla Sky' first. Too bad. 'Open Your Eyes' is the original and best version, and would have impressed me even more if the surprises in the plot hadn't been ruined for me by the remake. So I strongly urge you to watch this movie first for maximum impact. It's a real killer, and especially recommended if you are a fan of mind-blowing movies such as Frankenheimer's underrated 'Seconds', Cronenberg's brilliant 'Videodrome' and 'eXistenZ'), or have read a Philip K.Dick novel or two.

Eduardo Noriega (star of Amenabar's previous movie, the taut, suspenseful 'Tesis', also worth a look) is much more believable than Tom Cruise as the increasingly baffled protagonist caught in a never-ending nightmare, and Penelope Cruz's performance here is subtler and more appealing than her reprise of Sofia in Crowe's overblown and self-indulgent remake. Alejandro Amenabar has made three excellent imaginative thrillers in a row, and looks like being one of the most potentially exciting directors currently working. 'Open Your Eyes' comes with my highest recommendation. This one is essential viewing.

Just great entertainment from beginning to end

[raymond-15 · 8/10 · 26 July 2004]

Although the plot is confusing at times, a second viewing helps to untangle the convoluted story about dreams and reality. Most of the time we are not sure if what we are watching is really happening or whether it is a profoundly disturbing nightmare. Cesar (Edouardo Noriega) whose head is badly fractured in a high speed car crash quite understandably has blurred recollections of events involving his good buddy Pelayo and his girl friends Sofia and Nuria. As his doctor explains: In dreams characters are often substituted, one for the other.

There is much I like about this film. First of all I like the script. The dialogue between Sofia and Cesar at first meeting and afterwards is so natural, so believable. The four main characters are absolutely charming and have a rapport between each other that is rarely seen in films. This is either good casting or good acting, or maybe a bit of both. As the story unfolds we are completely absorbed. This is true entertainment on the highest level. O.K. we may not be fully cognisant of what is happening at times, but we glue ourselves to the screen expecting that an explanation will come in due course.

There are some chilling lines e.g. Just before Nuria steps on the accelerator: "Do you believe in God?"

There are some mysterious questions put to Cesar e.g. "Who is Eli? You called out 'Eli...Eli' while you were dreaming. Is she a girl?" No such person. What then? The mystery deepens.

There is quality photography in the film. The rain in the park. And before that the reflections of foliage flashing in the car windows with glimpses of tense faces.

The make-up team too does a great job On Cesar's handsome face. What a transformation!

On top of all this we get a lesson on cryonics and the possibility of immortality. What more do you want for your money?

Take it from me. This is a film you must see.

So superior to Vanilla Sky that you have to see it to believe it

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 9/10 · 17 June 2005]

How I wish I had seen this film before seeing Vanilla Sky. There is so much subtlety, so many interesting ideas in this that have been butchered or simply lost in translation in the Hollywood version. The ending of Vanilla Sky pretty much explains everything... Abre Los Ojos leaves most of it up to interpretation and the viewers' imagination. Upon my recent second viewing, I realized how many hints there are towards the twist in the film, and how many ideas and subjects for good discussion that are in the film. The direction in Vanilla Sky seemed fine before, but in comparison, it's really daft and unimaginative. The majority of the good stuff in VS is stolen directly from ALO. A lot of it is changed to fit Hollywood's standards(and we all know how... high... they are), and the authenticity of the great idea is almost lost through this. This is the third Alejandro Amenabar movie I've seen(the other two are Thesis and The Others), and definitely my favorite so far. Not many films can catch and keep your interest even when you've already seen a (bastardized and cheaper) version of it already. I couldn't take my eyes off it. Like Amenábar's other films, this is slow and deliberate(whereas Crowe's version, in comparison, seems somewhat rushed, trying to get to the end as fast as possible, despite being a full half hour longer), and it really works to the films benefit. The music is wonderful, and it fits perfectly in every scene. The mood and atmosphere of the film is great. The effects are excellent... by comparison, those of Vanilla Sky are overly flashy and obvious. Here, they're beautiful and very subtle, like the rest of the film. The cinematography is very good, and far superior to that of VS. I realize that this seems more like a comparison between the two films than a review, but I can't seem to find the words to express just how great this is. See it for yourself. And in the name of all that is good and just, see it before you even consider watching Vanilla Sky. I recommend this to fans of intelligent films and/or Alejandro Amenábar. This is quite probably the best film he has made so far(though I haven't seen Mar Adentro yet). 9/10

We See Only What We Choose to.

[nycritic · 10/10 · 10 May 2005]

There are some movies that due to their complex nature defy one interpretation and can't be pegged into a certain category. Much has been said -- in fact, entire books have been written -- about Alfred Hitchcock's VERTIGO which started as a routine thriller to turn into something completely revelatory.

OPEN YOUR EYES (ABRE LOS OJOS) falls into that vein of films and in doing so establishes Alejandro Amenabar as one of the most original writer-directors making films today. Here is the story of Cesar (Eduardo Noriega), a spoiled rich kid who lives in a swanky loft apartment in Madrid, Spain, and who carries an apparently no-strings-attached sexual affair with Nuria (Najra Nimwri), but who one night falls hopelessly in love with his best friend's girlfriend Sofia (Penelope Cruz). Nuria in a jealous frenzy decides to take matters into her own hands and literally drives Cesar into an accident where she dies and he wakes up, his face disfigured beyond repair. His life in shambles, Sofia beyond reach, and virtually a freak of nature, he decides to take one last step in regaining his lost life... and here is when the film becomes something totally unpredictable.

Amenabar is extremely clever in weaving together elements of very different genres in a way one would never tell when it moves from one to the next. In doing so, there is no way one can ever second-guess what may or may not be the next step in this very intricate story that has to be seen at least a second time, and here is where the wonderful suspense lies -- one that would have had Hitchcock beaming with a smug smile in seeing someone had got it right after he had created (and redefined) suspense film after film. Stunning, maybe a little complicated for some, OPEN YOUR EYES will really make you open your eyes and pay attention.

Abre Los Ojos is much better than Vanilla Sky

[epeck15 · 9/10 · 3 December 2005]

I recently watched Abre Los Ojos. That prompted me to then rent Vanilla Sky. I relate that only because the order in which you see these movies is important. Specifically, by the time I saw VS, I knew everything about the story, and there was no longer any sense of unraveling a mystery that is an important part of these movies. But that is not all. On almost every score, Abre Los Ojos is the better movie. First the acting. In ALO, Penelope Cruz is sweet, loving and heartbreakingly beautiful. Reprising the same role in VS, she struggles with her Spanish accent, and there is absolutely no chemistry between her and Tom Cruise. Also, her character in VS repeatedly engages in a strange kind of smart-alecky banter that is not funny and is just plain misplaced in this movie. And yes, I hate to say it, but Ms. Cruz is nowhere near as attractive in VS as she was in ALO. Watch the movies back-to-back and the difference is startling. As for the other characters, I thought the spurned female role was better done in ALO. The actress who played Nuria in ALO conveyed a palpable sense of desperation and sadness, but also vulnerability. When she kills herself, and tries to take Cesar with her, it's believable. Not so with Cameron Diaz's portrayal of that same character in VS, who comes off as a spoiled tramp whose decision to kill herself seems like a hissy fit. That may not be all her fault. For instance, during the critical scene where she kills herself and tries to kill Cruise, Diaz is forced to utter dialog that is dopey and distractingly vulgar. Nuria has more grace, and more depth. Tom Cruise is not a terrible male lead, but the Spanish actor who played Cesar in ALO is much better suited for the role. He is younger, and portrays youthful arrogance and insouciance perfectly. There is also an innocence about him that Cruise can no longer do. Especially physically. At times in VS, I was thinking more about Tom Cruise's weightlifting regimen more than the mental anguish of his character. Unlike the crippling sadness of Cesar, Cruise's character is a turbo-charged superstar. In fact, it's not until the final scene, when the truth unravels itself, that Cruise finally brings his performance down to a human level. Last, the music. ALO has an unobtrusive, Hitchcockian score (see Vertigo to get my drift) that is haunting, and is very effective in creating a brooding, dreamlike atmosphere. Cameron Crowe's blaring soundtrack in VS, conversely, is a slick pop cliché that detracts, instead of enhances, the experience. The musical differences really do speak volumes here. ALO is dark, ethereal, and moving. VS is loud, brash, and coarse.

Vanilla Sky versus Abre los Ojos

[stamper · 7/10 · 20 December 2003]

Well, as it is in most 'fights' one has to see both before being able to see who the winner is and in this case it is Abre los Ojos (the original). It is not THAT MUCH better than Vanilla sky, but the ending does the trick. The ending in Abre los ojos, is much better and more comprehensible than the vague and somewhat pointless ending in Vanilla Sky, which makes the film just a notch better than the star-laden Hollywood remake. The other parts of the films are mostly equal to one another or should I say, the rest Cameron Crowe copied from Abre los ojos. If there is one thing that I didn't like about this film, is how it was spoiled for me by having seen Vanilla Sky earlier. Almost everything Crowe copied, which made this film rather boring at times and which also makes it difficult for me to rate this one. I can tell you though, that if could choose again I'd definitely see Abre los Ojos first and not see Vanilla Sky at all.

7,5 out of 10 (for the statistics, with a 7 to be handed out on voting)

Note: this review has been amended to remove some sexist comments I included at the time. Apologies for any offence caused. I was young and stupid at the time, thinking I was being 'cool'.

A reply to the reviewer who gave title "Empty" for this amazing film

[monicafisheremail · 10/10 · 23 April 2020]

Spoilers..sort of but I don't have time to get detailed. It's late and I'm behind at work. But I can't stop thinking about this movie. No disrespect to the other reviewer and in a way I agree with him/her, the movie DID portray emptiness. But was there a character arc? Yes.Why did the main character ruin his dream world? Because he knew he was guilty, and he understood how Nuria felt (important scene was where Cruz "made a face" and said she was a monster too - yes she was very vain and shallow just like Cesar). Cesar was really in a dream world to begin with. So how did Cesar show his growth as a human being? You see his change in the way he said goodbye to his friends at the end. At the end he chose the messiness of reality over the fantasy, he chose to wake up, he chose to .. what was the title of the movie again?

I Won't Mention That Other Movie ...

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 10 April 2005]

... You know the one I'm talking about , the one with Tom Cruise

OMG this review is impossible without mentioning VANILLA SKY , I mean not only is it a remake of ABRE LOS OJO but it's almost scene for scene the exact same movie , in fact since it's got Penelope Cruz in the exact same role as the original you can't even say VANILLA SKY is the same movie with an entirely different cast !

That's the problem with having seen the remake first because it's very difficult to comment on ABRE LOS OJOS because I knew exactly where the movie was heading when Cesar stepped out of his car and surveyed the empty city scape at the start of the movie . This familiarity of the story ruined the movie for me . If only I'd seen this before Hollywood remade it !

Strangely enough Channel 4 broadcast this the night before they broadcast VANILLA SKY and it's obvious that the strengths of the Alejandro Amenaber original have become weaknesses in Crowe's remake . Eduardo Noriega might not be a film star but he is an actor , when watching him play Cesar he is Cesar . When watching Cruise play David you're aware of a movie star playing a disfigured character , his casting against type makes the audience aware that despite the shock revelation at the end it's only a movie . Amenaber thankfully doesn't drown the audience with pop culture references every five seconds unlike Crowe and because of this the audience can concentrate on the mind bending but totally rewarding plot a lot more

Incidentally I awarded this movie seven out of ten the same mark as I gave the remake . If I saw the prior film first I would have almost certainly have given it a higher mark while possibly giving VANILLA SKY a lower one

Magical, mind-bending, really great movie

[Gelaos · 9/10 · 2 November 2018]

This is exactly the type of movies that I love. Problems of interpersonal relationships, magical atmosphere, mysterious story, unexpecting (but logical in retrospective) plot development, mixing real with unreal, raising questions, and a twist ending.

All characters are perfectly performed, lot of situations feels like from real everyday life (e.g. behaviour of characters at the first party) and the movie also contains some beautiful scenes and ideas (e.g. rain washing away Sofia's mask). And the bittersweet ending is just a final icing on the excellent cake which Abre los ojos undoubtedly is.

Thrilling and surprising story full of suspense , plot twists , intrigue and excitement

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 29 June 2013]

This film Abre Los Ojos or 'Open your ears' (1997) was a huge success in Spain and was distributed worldwide . This suspenseful movie starts when the protagonist appears moving by an empty Madrid's Gran Vía, without cars or people . It concerns about a very handsome young named Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) , as he meets the beautiful and sexy Sofia (Penelope Cruz), currently dating Pelayo (Fele Martinez) , but they are immediately attracted to each other finds the love of his life , but a girl (Najwa Nimri) is completely obsessed with him . He then suffers an accident and needs to have his face rebuilt by surgery after it is severely disfigured .

The motion picture displays genuine chills , suspense, mystery and dark atmosphere with a twisted finale . Packs excellent creation of tension , thriller , emotions and brief violence . The film's title translates to "open your eyes," which is a repeated motif . It's an exciting , bizarre film ; skillfully proceeded by Alejandro Amenabar and turns out to one of the most unusual Spaniard suspense movie ever made and certainly one of the most unsettling . Plenty of twists and turns , the strange images deliver the excitement united a thrilling score by the same Alejandro Amenabar , including some wonderful songs such as the song playing at the nightclub when César first arrives is "Rising Son" by Massive Attack, in which the phrase "dream on" is frequently repeated . Furthermore , Alejandro also wrote , along with Mateo Gil, the interesting plot , embarking into the phantasmagorical, psychological or even quasi-surrealist story . In fact , Alejandro Amenábar imagined the script after having horrible nightmares while ill with the flu. It includes director Cameo , as Alejandro Amenábar appears with other two people in the bathroom of the disco, when César goes there . Intelligent edition, special use of luxurious sets by Wofgang Burmann and slick utilization of shock images make this one, a magnificent film . Abre Los Ojos (1997) is his "remake" of Vértigo (1958), by Hitchcock. In fact, when the character of Sofia appears after hitting Cesar with a jar, it's the same shot of Kim Novak in Vertigo when she appears from the bathroom in the hotel - with green lights . Colorful and glowing cinematography by Hans Burmann which heightens the suspense . It was remade in Hollywood by Cameron Crowe as Vanilla Sky (2001), starring Tom Cruise , Cameron Diaz , Kurt Russell and Penélope Cruz also stars in Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe's remake of this film, playing the same character, Sofia.

The picture was well directed by Amenabar in his second movie, after he achieved various hits . Since his perhaps best-known early short-film "Himenóptero" in 1992, in which he directed , produced, acted and wrote the script and the music, Amenábar progressed and reached his first commercial success in 1996 with "Thesis", Amenabar was 23 when he directed this his feature debut , a film which undoubtedly showed that a major new director had arrived on the scene . Later "Los Otros" (The Others) confirmed his arrival in the cinematographic world and is Amenábar's first English language film . In all his films he also writes the script and the music, as well as composing the music for other films , most notably "Butterflies tongue" (1999). He subsequently directed ¨Mar Adentro¨ with the Oscarized Javier Bardem and finally the epic/historical ¨Agora¨ with Rachel Weisz . Rating : Better than average.

Hype doesn't pay off

[seat850 · 1/10 · 30 January 2002]

If you're convinced that you want to see the "original" before you see the copy (Vanilla Sky) I suspect that you'll be disappointed in both versions. This one is well shot, well acted, and would be a decent if rather boring movie if it weren't for all the hype about the "astounding surprise ending". I found the ending to be far from astounding and even less of surprise- it's practically force-fed to you throughout the movie.

I also found the message to be rather confused and shallow- I interpreted it as "if all you have is your looks, be sure that you hang on to them or you'll be really sad." Not exactly groundbreaking cinema.

Astonishing....and really depressing

[burndown6 · 16 April 2001]

Go see this film. Now. I'll wait.

Okay, this film is truly one of the most excellent mixtures of genres I have ever seen. It will leave you truly moved, truly surprised, and truly depressed. That's okay, though, because this is such a wonderful movie. The film centers around the life of a rich and handsome young man after a disfiguring accident. We are taken along as he tries to find a way to grow accustomed to a life without the things he relied on (mainly looks) before. After hitting rock bottom, things start to get better for him, and it is here that the seamless weaving of genres occur. I don't want to give too much away, but the film constantly keeps you on your toes and never grows dull. "Abre los Ojos" is a truly stunning love story, psychological thriller, and science fiction film all rolled into a flawless whole. Do yourself a favor and see it before the Cameron Crowe remake, "Vanilla Sky", does to this film what "City of Angels" did to "Wings of Desire".

Intriguing and Fascinating Journey to Paranoia

[claudio_carvalho · 10/10 · 13 September 2010]

The handsome and wealthy César (Eduardo Noriega) is very successful with women and is having difficulties to get rid off Nuria (Najwa Nimri) that is his last affair. His best friend is Pelayo (Fele Martínez), who is unlucky with women and jealous of his friend. On his birthday party, César meets the gorgeous and sexy Sofia (Penélope Cruz) that is dating Pelayo and they have a crush on each other and spend the night together in her apartment. On the next morning, César finds Nuria stalking him in front of Sofia's building and he accepts her ride home. However, she commits suicide crashing her car against a wall and César survives the crash, but with his face completely destroyed. The doctors do not have technology to restore his face and César is absolutely depressed and missing Sofia. One night, César meets Sofia and Pelayo in a bar and he drinks too much, falling on the street. However, on the next morning, Sofia finds César on the street and kisses him telling that she loves him. Then the doctors tell him that they are able to fix his face. Out of the blue, César's happiness changes and he finds that he is trapped in a nightmare.

"Abre los Ojos" is an intriguing and fascinating thriller with a journey to paranoia. The twenty-five year-old genius Alejandro Amenábar wrote and directed this masterpiece that is certainly the source of inspiration of "The Matrix", with the concept of virtual reality. This film is among my top-ten ever and the last three times that I watched it was on 16 November 2001, 26 October 2002 and yesterday, but the impact is never reduced with the awesome story and screenplay. The American cinema industry once again decided to destroy this piece-of –art with the ridiculous remake "Vanilla Sky" that is only a shadow of "Abre los Ojos". My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Preso na Escuridão" ("Imprisoned in the Darkness")

The new brains of fantasy film.

[dbdumonteil · 9/10 · 5 July 2002]

Alejandro Amenabar is the new brains of the fantasy film,and maybe of the European cinema.Take the snuff movie topic :he did much better than Shumacher's "8 mm".Now he takes an hackneyed subject which has been treated many times and surprises the audience.

Combining Georges Franju 's "les yeux sans visage" (1960)-for the strange poetry which emanates from the mask the hero(heroine in the French movie) wears-,Adrian Lyne's "Jacob's ladder" and what will be LATER developed in "matrix" or "the sixth sense" ,Amenabar creates a disturbing,absorbing and mesmerizing movie.He succeeds in surprising the audience the way only Alfred Hitchcock could do before:the movie begins as some kind of two-bit comedy,with such futile subjects as trying and picking someone up and parties,then slowly but inexorably grips the audience's mind ,and the interest won't weaken till the very end.Like in "psycho" or "Rosemary's baby" or "Jacob's ladder" ,nothing should be revealed.

For the French,there's another surprise:Serge Duvernois is played by Gérard Barray.This actor was very famous in the sixties for playing in swashbucklers the likes of "Pardaillan" "Surcouf" and "les trois mousquetaires".He was some kind of Jean Marais's alter ego.Then he completely disappeared from the screens in the late sixties(he probably became a stage actor).So I had not seen him for thirty years or more!Seeing him in such a spooky part adds to the eerie atmosphere.I wish the French directors could think of him a little more now.

Entertaining and Engaging

[spacecrabed · 8/10 · 23 December 2021]

Really good film; the main actors suck you into their world and you genuinely feel for their characters predicament.

Mental health, paranoia, love, anger and frustrations abound in this film and their are some clues and twists that maintain your interest throughout

I'd recommend it if you have a date night with a lady over a night with the lads as concentration is needed

The narrative is hands off and you are given time to process the events, Penelope Cruz is absolutely beautiful in this film so there's an added bonus

Good film!

Fascinating

[MamadNobari97 · 8/10 · 29 October 2021]

At first I wasn't much into the movie but then things started to happen and it intrigued me so much, the movie is very interesting and it has a really good story.

The music of this movie and how they shot it makes it really mysterious and engaging and I liked the vibe of this film.

The actors, including the main protagonist, did a fine job and the psychologist's actor did a really really good job, and since it's a Spanish film and I haven't seen many Spanish movies and there's a language barrier there, I can't really talk about the acting that much because knowing the language and how they talk is really important for assessing acting skills.

The story though, it's really fkn good, it's one of the most interesting and intriguing plots I've seen, and I liked how they ended it kinda vaguely. Even if the sci-fi elements weren't there and the movie was about this guy who had been living in a dream were a girl named Sofia was Penélope Cruz and then he woke and saw that the real Sofia was the black-haired chick he hated for some reason, and that made him go mad because he was living a harsh lie, I think the movie still would've stand because that alone is an interesting story in itself.

Really enjoyed this movie, interested to see what Vanilla Sky does to this story and how it compares.

Well, it makes more sense than Vanilla Sky did

[hall895 · 6/10 · 28 November 2011]

There once was a movie called Vanilla Sky. It made very little sense. It really was a thoroughly confusing mess. That movie was an English-language remake of this Spanish-language one. If nothing else Open Your Eyes at least makes more sense than Vanilla Sky did. Oh, there's still plenty of confusing stuff here but director Alejandro Amenábar manages to pull it together much better than Cameron Crowe ever did in the remake. The fact that I think the story makes much more sense when presented in a language I don't even understand is about as damning a statement as can be made about Crowe's film. Open Your Eyes is clearly the better film of the two. But it comes with its own frustrations. Maybe this story was just a little too convoluted to ever make a thoroughly enjoyable movie out of.

Open Your Eyes is a movie which delights in messing with your mind. This is a movie which demands that you be fully engaged when watching it. Turn off your brain and start daydreaming and you'll be lost. The movie's main character, César, has plenty of disorienting experiences which can leave the viewer feeling more than a little disoriented himself. It's a hard movie to pin down. It flashes back and forth in time, it raises questions about what is real and what is imagined. It takes you right inside César's head. Unfortunately César's darned near lost his mind so going inside his head isn't going to give us much clarity.

It's best to not say much about the plot because whatever joy you get from this movie will likely come from your attempts to unravel the plot for yourself. If you've already seen Vanilla Sky you unfortunately pretty much know everything. The ending of Vanilla Sky was such a letdown, and made so little sense whatsoever, that as you watch Open Your Eyes you can't help but have very low expectations. You're waiting to be let down and to be thoroughly baffled. Happily Amenábar's ending is a little more focused than Crowe's was. Where Vanilla Sky went completely off the rails Open Your Eyes takes some strange twists and turns but you can follow along if you try. The movie asks you for some serious suspension of disbelief but at least it doesn't throw so much stuff at you that it becomes utter nonsense like Vanilla Sky did. Give some credit to Eduardo Noriega whose performance in the lead role of César is much stronger than Tom Cruise's corresponding star turn in the remake. And this movie's Penélope Cruz also comes across much better than that movie's Penélope Cruz. Strange how the same actress playing the same role can be so much better in one movie than in the other. Maybe it's her comfort level with the language, maybe it's just that she's surrounded by a better movie than she was in Vanilla Sky. Open Your Eyes is not a great movie, a little too convoluted for its own good. Somewhat slow, not always as dramatic and engaging as you would hope. But all in all the movie does have an intriguing story which, if you can wrap your head around it, makes the movie worth seeing. For whatever flaws the movie may have you can understand what Crowe saw in it. Too bad he made such a mess of it when he got his hands on it.

Having seen the original, I have no desire to see the remake.

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 24 July 2007]

While some people may call "Abre los ojos" ("Open Your Eyes" in English) a psychological thriller, I wish to assert that such a description would be like calling "West Side Story" a plain old musical. This movie blew my mind like almost no other movie has done. I almost wasn't sure whether or not I could trust my own judgment after watching it, see what happens to Eduardo Noriega's character Cesar.

I believe that I had seen an ad for this movie before it got released in the US, but it really entered my vocabulary after the release of Tom Cruise's remake. Well, seeing what a great job they did with the original, it's probably safe to assume that the remake is nothing but an excuse to show off Tom Cruise. I, for one, believe that Penelope Cruz has done far better work in her native Spain than outside. So stick with the original and you won't get disappointed.

compelling dream

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 24 August 2015]

César (Eduardo Noriega) is talking to his psychiatrist Antonio (Chete Lera) in an institution while wearing a prosthetic mask. In flashbacks, he was a handsome vain playboy. He flirts with Sofia (Penélope Cruz) who his best friend Pelayo (Fele Martínez) likes a lot. His ex Nuria (Najwa Nimri) offers a ride and deliberately drives off the road. His face is horribly disfigured and Sofia finds it hard to deal with his frustrations. Then it turns into something more surreal.

It's an interesting odd relationship movie for the first half. The movie keeps me involved but it also keeps me wondering about a creeping sense of something wrong with the story. The jumbled intercut timeline seems to be off and then it takes off. I definitely want more foreshadowing of the twist but it's still a fascinating turn. This plays like a compelling dream that I sensed as a dream before the reveal. Does that make sense?

My first Alejandro Amenábar movie and I liked it.

[SummerMood · 9/10 · 20 July 2007]

Abre los ojos......abre los ojos.... open your eyes.....open your eyes.... This is how the movie begins...

César is a real playboy.He sleeps with a woman for one time and then he never calls them again. But one night he sleeps with Nuria, what he doesn't know is that she seems to love him very much. But on his birthday party he meets Sofia(Cruz), his best friends girlfriend. Nuria is also on his birthday party and sees him leaving the apartment with Sofia, after Pelayo, his best friend, left.

The next morning: César left Sofia's apartment and wants to drive home when he sees Nuria waiting in front of the apartment. She asks him if she should bring him home. He says yes and that's how he comes into her car. What he didn't know is that she thinks about committing suicide. So they drive along the street and in one moment Nuria drives against a wall. She's dead, César survives but he lost his face. After that event César wears a mask to cover his real face. He comes into a psychiatry because he killed somebody, but César doesn't know what happened. Together with his psychiatrist he tries to remember what happened. And he remembered. One night he slept with Sofia but he hadn't seen Sofia, he saw Nuria so he was that confused that he pulled a cushion on her face so she couldn't breath. But there was something else that he remembered. He remembered that he signed a contract. And this contract is from a company for "Life Extension". So he and his psychiatrist drive to this company and talk with the boss and find out that everything that César did was a dream. His body had been frozen 150 years ago and he lived a dream with all the people he loved. To wake up he had to jump from a building. He did and that's how the movie ends.

This is a great movie. My second Spanish movie and I like both very much. Alejandro Amenábar is great director. Now the actors. Eduardo Noriega was great. He played fantastic. He had to be funny and in the next moment he had to be terrific and confused. He did a great job. Perfect cast for this role. And then there is Penelope Cruz. I knew that she is a great actress...but now I know that she is brilliant. She is so beautiful in this movie you want to die lol And she did a excellent job too. She played fantastic. So I would say that this movie should get 9 stars because it is that good. Absolutely worth seeing!

Abres los ojos or Vanilla sky: great Science fiction Psychological thriller

[Andy-Denotti · 7/10 · 4 August 2006]

ABRE LOS OJOS

Whichever you chose to watch, the original "Abre los ojos" or the Hollywood remake "Vanilla Sky", this is a great Science Fiction Psychological Thriller and if you like this genre, the first time you watch it you'll often be on the edge of your seat with your eyes glued to the screen waiting for something unexpected to happen: and it will.

Vanilla sky (2001) and Abre los ojos (1997).

While most people rate the original "Abre los Ojos" as a being a better film than the American remake "Vanilla Sky", both movies have their pros and cons in spite of being nearly identical in the plot. Abres Los Ojos feels more natural, more realistic, and has that plain, gritty feel of many European movies. The characters feel more real, but the cinematography is also less spectacular than in Vanilla sky.

Vanilla sky while containing plenty of drama and thriller elements, has also more space for humor and playful synergy between the characters. The overall feeling is that you are in a Hollywood fantasy. This lends a lightness to it but it also robs it of the realism that Abres los Ojos has. Abre Los Ojos sticks to the drama, to the story, and the interaction between actors is nearly always serious: the filmmaker wants you to believe this is actually all happening and it's no joke. The acting is in any case good in both movies. Whichever movie you chose to watch first is going to diminish the experience of watching the other version. If you're not a Hollywood fan the choice is easily made!

Pretentious

[pralmat · 3/10 · 18 September 2010]

Pretentious, self indulgent film making at its worst. A lot of people seem to be confusing complexity with interest. Solving a Rubik's cube is complex but ultimately not very interesting. Actually, now that I think about it I'd rather learn how a Rubuk's cube works than how this plot works.

I watched the film with my very smart, film loving, lawyer wife. Neither of us could figure out the plot - we were confused. After finding a plot outline on IMDb we were no longer confused but we were cross. Is that it??

It's curious that so many people devote almost as much space to criticising Vanilla Sky as they do praising this film; the main point being that they don't like Hollywood. Congratulations.

I gave it a 3/10 but only because we got to see the glorious Penelope naked a couple of times.