In recent years, we’ve learned that anybody can be a witness. It matters not if you’re blind or deaf or furry and bark at mailmen; any being capable of communication is also capable of getting facts wrong and totally destroying a case. Why am I so cynical? Why aren’t you?
Today’s film puts the “thrill” in thriller. Generously borrowing from The Silence of the Lambs, The Witness follows the doggedness of a blind woman who knows a kidnapping when she (figuratively) sees one. Unfortunately, she’s not wrong.
Natsume (Riho Yoshioka) wasn’t always blind. In fact, she was a police academy graduate not long ago. That night, however, her brother in the driver’s seat put charm bracelet retrieval above safety, costing his life and his sister’s eyes in the process. Three years later, Natsume is little more than furniture, having parlayed her gifts into self-pity. Not sure I can blame her, but it’s a tough way to live … for everybody.
One evening, Natsume is out for a walk when a reckless driver almost plows into a skateboarder. Upon investigation, Natsume discovers what she believes is a kidnapped girl hidden in the back of the car; the car speeds off before further investigation can take place and before anyone with functional eyes can corroborate. Well, this is a doozy of a dilemma, huh? You know of a kidnapping, but you’re blind. How does this one get solved, No-clops Magoo?
One of the things I enjoyed about The Witness is the unraveling almost seems realistic. If you’re not looking directly at it, your brain can believe in The Witness and her ability to bring justice. The best parts of the film are the thrills. There is a chase scene in which blind Natsume is pursued by the killer in a public venue. Natsume knows darn well exactly what’s going on and has only “facetime” with a friend to guide her actions. The extended scene is both clever and exciting.
The Witness is a remake of the Korean film Blind. The twist here is that the remake is bloodier than the Korean original. Getting anyone to outgore Korean film these days in quite a feat. I could easily see a positive American remake of sorts starring, I dunno, Margot Robbie as the blind witness and somebody like Robert Downey Jr. as the killer. Then again, I could also see a terrible American remake starring, say, Dakota Johnson as the blind witness and Tyler Perry as Madea as the killer. I suppose it’s all a matter of perspective. This version was quite the roller-coaster and I fault it only for lack of originality.
That sightless woman thinks she can find
A solution to the case unassigned
Despite useless eyes
She can see through the lies
A classic case of the blind reading the mind
Not Rated, 128 Minutes
Director: Jun’ichi Mori
Writers: Kiyomi Fujii, Jun’ichi Mori
Genre: The Blinding of the Lambs
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Thrill junkies
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Kidnappers
