In case Netflix’s Black Mirror hasn’t freaked you out enough over how technology can be used for bad, new indie film Eye Without a Face definitely will. Webcams are nothing new. In fact, webcams were first introduced in 1993. So, the idea of people being able to use webcams on their computers and laptops isn’t new. I’m of the age where laptops didn’t come with webcams already installed – you had to get an external one. And what also isn’t new is people using webcams for bad.
The Plot
You’ve probably been aware of the fact that people have hacked into webcams and used this ability in a nefarious way – whether it’s to record someone without them knowing or some other bad way. I remember an episode of Criminal Minds where the bad guy was using his webcam hacking ability to scope out victims’ houses. These fictional shows and real-life stories are probably the reason you put a piece of tape over your webcam.
Eye Without a Face plays on this creepy fact, while also giving it a unique spin. Director Ramin Niami said this for his inspiration:
“Nowadays, we are constantly being watched. On the radio, I heard about a female college student who found nude photos of herself on the Internet. The FBI discovered that her webcam was hacked and that a fellow college student had taken these images when she was changing in her college dorm room in revenge because she had rejected him for a date. This story inspired me to create a modern Rear Window.”
Our Main Characters
Eye Without a Face stars Dakota Shapiro as Henry. A reclusive and introverted young man who has gained a knack for hacking into women’s webcams and watching them. This isn’t even just the creepiest thing about this film, as Henry’s voyeuristic tendencies have major and serious implications. The deadly kind to be exact. Henry’s agoraphobic affliction could make him a sympathetic character, but his peeping Tom habits are certain to turn anyone off of liking him. This is something Shapiro does well, finding this balance of a withdrawn young man who is feeling the pressure of this essential addiction that he has to watch women on the internet.
Speaking of someone else who does their job well in this film – Luke Cook as Eric. The “comic relief”. Entertaining and engaging, Eric is a good uneasy pair to Henry as at first, it seems as if neither sees a problem with what they’re doing. However, when things begin to get serious, they’re both necessary reactions to the events that are happening in the film.
Rating: 4/5
Eye Without a Face is a well-done suspenseful indie film that I would recommend to anyone looking to feel a little uncomfortable. The film hits Digital and On Demand, from Gravitas Venturas; on August 10th.
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