Naina
Allumination Studios
Cast: Urmila Matondkar
Extras: Trailer
Rating:
"Naina" opens with an ominous shot of a solar eclipse, as two events are simulataneously occuring in different locations.
The first, is a woman in the throws of child birth. The baby is presumed born dead. The other event shows a family on a drive. Their five year old daughter, "Naina" is happily playing in the back seat as the car is involved in a horrific crash which sends shards of CGI glass flying into little Naina's eyes.
At this moment, the film flashes back to the birthing scene where we see the "dead" infant open its eyes.
Flash forward 20 years, and we are introduced to a grown Naina. She is blind and living with her grandmother, "Parvati." Naina and granny are awaiting a phone call from the hospital – Naina has been on a donor's list for a cornea transplant. The phone rings and there's good news – a donor has been found.
Naina and granny Parvati head to the hospital for the surgery that will give Naina not only her vision back, but produce an unexpected side effect – she also receives "second sight," in which her world is now turned upside down due to her ability to see ghosts.
"Naina" is a complete and total ripoff of a much better Asian movie. Exept for the setting and some scenes in Naina having to due with Indian culture, this is a cheap, scene by scene rip off of "The Eye." The same ghosts, the same settings – all without the good acting, pacing and direction which, "The Eye" contained.
Everything about Naina was done poorly. The movie is dubbed in English, but yet there are scenes where the actors go from speaking Indian to English and back again. The acting as I mentioned is very poor. The pacing is off, the plot, though a rippoff of another film, manages to be convoluted. The characters' reactions aren't believable – in short, except for the creepy opening with the solar eclipse, there isn't one redeemable thing I can say about this film.
"The Eye" is certainly no masterpiece, but it was an effective chiller. If you liked "The Eye," you will hate "Naina." If you didn't like "The Eye," you will despise "Naina." This is the first horror movie I have seen from India, and I sure hope this isn't any indicator of what's to come for the genre.
Allumination Studios/iDreams Productions present "Naina" in a region 1, pan & scan DVD formatted in 1.33:1. The image is acceptable with decent color reproduction. Blacks are deep. Some grain and minor dirt particles pop up now and again and I noticed no edge enhancement. Overall, it is slightly better than broadcast quality.
Audio comes as an English dubbed, Dolby Digital 5.1 channel track that is free of distortion. Rears were active when they should have been with what occured on screen.
No special features are found on the disc except for a trailer.
"Naina" is a 100% skip it film. If you're in the mood for a foreign themed movie regarding second sight and haven't seen "The Eye" – go ahead and do so because "Naina" has nothing to offer.
