STRANGER EYES (MO SHI LIU)

(director/writer: Siew Hua Yeo; cinematographer: Hideho Urata; editor: Jean-Christophe Bouzy; music: Thomas Foguenne; cast: Wu Chien-Ho (Junyang), Lee Kang-Sheng (Lao Wu), Anicca Panna (Peiying), Vera Chen (Chuping, Junyang’s mother), Pete Teo (Officer Zheng), Xenia Tan (Ling Po), Maryanne Ng-Yew (Mother Wu); Runtime: 126; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Fran Borgia, Stefano Centini, Jean-Laurent Csinidis, Alex C. Lo; Volos Films; 2024-Singapore/Taiwan/France/USA-in Mandarin & English with English subtitles)

“Strangely appealing surveillance thriller.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Singaporean writer-director Siew Hua Yeo (“The Obs: A Singapore Story”/”The Land Imagined”) presents this strangely appealing surveillance thriller, set in Singapore, that takes a turn in the wrong direction.

A child named Little Bo is kidnapped when at the park with her father Junyang (Wu Chien-Ho). Three months pass since her disappearance, as the sorrowful dad and his wife Peiying (Anicca Panna) look at family footage for any clues. One day they begin receiving unmarked DVDs slipped under the door, which shows someone has been observing them afar for quite some time, filming some of their most private moments. The footage is given to the police, who advise the couple to let them handle it. We learn that Peiying previously has had a secret admirer.

Without any further information from the police, the couple decide to act on their own and turn the tables on the ‘stalker,’ who they believe is the kidnapper.

The couple believe their neighbor is the stalker, a lonely grocery store manager (Lee Kang-Sheng), until it’s evident he’s not the guilty party.

Officer Zheng (Peter Teo) informs the couple their girl is found by the police through observing CCTV footage.

The film goes amiss with a subplot on Junyang continuing to stalk their neighbor, even after the case is closed.  

It played at the Venice Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 9/28/2024  GRADE: B
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