A man with telekinetic powers faces off against a mad doctor in The Mind's Eye. Since the 1980s, individuals with telekinetic powers have been appearing and have been progressively becoming deadlier. In late 1990, a fugitive telekinetic named Zack Connors (Graham Skipper) is picked up by authorities and admitted into a research institute run by Dr. Slovak (John Speredakos). Despite the promise of being reunited with fellow telekinetic Rachel (Lauren Ashley Carter), it quickly becomes apparent that Dr. Slovak has ulterior and sinister motives.
The Mind's Eye is the second feature film by director Joe Begos (Almost Human) and features a plot highly reminiscent of David Cronenberg's 1981 sci-fi/horror classic Scanners. However, since The Mind's Eye has an obviously lower budget than Scanners, the film comes off more like a cheesy b-movie, with obviously artificial practical gore effects and very campy over-the-top acting, particularly from the film's lead antagonist Dr. Slovak.
While The Mind's Eye is far from a perfect film, it is quite evident that director Joe Begos has a real affinity for the horror genre, which is also apparent in his debut film Almost Human from two years ago. Begos is not afraid to shamelessly reference Scanners in the film, such as the infamous exploding head, though The Mind's Eye is also a darker and more gory story than Cronenberg's. Altogether, The Mind's Eye is an OK enough telekinetic thriller.
★ ★ ★ 1/2 | FAIR
Screenings:
- Thursday, September 17, 3:30 PM – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema
- Saturday, September 19, 7:00 PM – Scotiabank Theatre 10
