Evil Eye

 3/4

Starring: Sarita Choudhury, Sunita Mani, Omar Maskati, Bernard White

Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Some Language and Brief Violence)

The globalization of the film industry is a double-edged sword.  On one hand, it has led to an unending stream of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that are so similar that it is impossible to tell one apart from another.  On the other hand, it has led to new influences and cross-pollination of genres and cultures.  "Evil Eye" is a case in point.  In many ways, this is a traditional thriller that we have seen many times before (I won't list any titles to avoid spoilers), but by anchoring it in modern Indian culture, it achieves an element of freshness that it would otherwise lack.

Pallavi (Mani) is your average Indian-American woman.  She's fine living as a single 29 year old and the need to find a husband comes solely from her mother Usha's (Choudhoury) nagging.  Pallu, as she is affectionately called, humors her mother and finds herself waiting in a coffee shop for a date that never shows.  Her afternoon is saved by a handsome man who talks to her instead.  His name is Sandeep (Maskati), and Pallu finds herself attracted to this handsome charmer.  But as their whirlwind romance begins to bloom, Usha grows concerned.  Something about Sandeep strikes her as dangerous.

The ambiguity of "Evil Eye" is its biggest strength.  It establishes the central conceit of reincarnation without fully buying into it.  Usha believes that Sandeep is the reincarnation of her long dead abusive boyfriend.  But is this what really is happening, or is she paranoid?  Or is it simply superstition and coincidence?  Directors Elan and Rajeev Dassani manage to make both scenarios credible.  The suspense comes from watching the circumstantial evidence pile up while continually acknowledging that such a thing isn't possible.  The tension is further heightened by the fact that Usha lives halfway around the world from her daughter.

A cast that is able to sell their characters is another ace in the hole.  Chief among them is Sarita Choudhury, who plays Usha as a woman whose superstitions hold tremendous weight for her.  She believes that it is possible that her abusive ex has been reincarnated, so we do as well.  Not to be forgotten is Omar Maskati, whose performance demands a delicate balance.  He must be able to present Sandeep as a charming everyman while allowing the audience to consider the remote possibility that he isn't who he says he is.  The actor accomplishes this effortlessly.  Sunita Mani has a largely thankless role, but the actress plays Pallu with enough intelligence that we don't see her as a blind idiot but as someone who has found love and is upset that her mother is unhappy about it.

The filmmakers demonstrate a solid sleight-of-hand; I didn't guess the answer to the film's central mystery until it was revealed, and even then it surprised me.  More impressive is that even after that point, the film till has some surprises in store.  Unfortunately the film's level of suspense is limited because of the pedestrian direction.  With a bit more energy and dynamic shot selection, this could have been a real top-flight chiller.  As it is, it's still compulsively watchable and entertaining, but there is a sense that there is a better movie itching to break out.