Open Your Eyes

R

Released Dec 19, 1997

1 hr. 57 min.

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

87%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Handsome 25-year-old Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) had it all -- a successful career, expensive cars, a swank bachelor's pad, and an endless string of beautiful and willing women. He is then thrown into a strange psychological mystery after a car accident scars his face and lands him in prison.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Watch Open Your Eyes with a subscription on Prime Video.

Critics Consensus

Director Alejandro Amenábar tackles some heady issues with finesse and clarity in Open Your Eyes, a gripping exploration of existentialism and the human spirit.

Read Critics Reviews

Shioka O

I watched this after "Vanilla Sky", and this is the original and much better than the American remake. It's more sympathetic and better narrative. Less entertaining but just right for the psychological sci-fi story. Now I think that another problem of the American one was casting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/26/24

Full Review

Alec B

A memorable twist to be sure but the psychological storytelling, which really gets into the weeds regarding deep seated masculine desires and fears, is far more compelling.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/24

Full Review

Dani G

Magnificent film that got a remake in Vanilla Sky. Noriega, Cruz, Martínez, Nimri. all excellent in their roles. Maybe confusing at first, but very well constructed.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/15/23

Full Review

Bob P

What a mind bender! It's a bit hard to follow at the end but this Spanish psychothriller has all the twists and turns of a Hitchcock movie. Penelope Cruz is gorgeous and very nude in this movie early in her career. The ending is a bit hard to rationalize but definitely worth 2 hours. You'll be gripped from beginning to end.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/05/23

Full Review

isla s

This is quite a sinister mystery thriller film, with a number of intriguing plot twists. It reminded me, if but slightly, of the Mel Gibson film The Man Without a Face. Its rather slow in building plot and its certainly not full of action but as a character driven drama, its not too bad. I wouldn't say its entirely gripping, certainly not for the most part but it features some decent performances and its a somewhat thought provoking I guess. This won't be to everyones taste I imagine - it may be a little bland and perhaps its a bit unoriginal for some people but its certainly not a bad film, so I'd recommend it overall I suppose, yes.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

dave s

What do you get when you throw together mental illness, perceptions of one's self, cryogenics, murder, the subconscious mind, dreamscapes, déjà vu and possibly some sort of time travel, all neatly wrapped up at the climax, for the most part? Probably something that Christopher Nolan should aspire to. Director Alejandro Amenabar's Open Your Eyes is a mind-bending journey through the life of Cesar, (Eduardo Noreiga) a wealthy, narcissistic young man whose life is altered when a spurned lover involves him in a horrific car crash, horribly disfiguring him. Equal parts confounding and intriguing, this is probably a movie that needs to be seen twice to fully grasp all of the intricacies. It's worth watching for the complexity of the story, some solid performances, including that of Penelope Cruz as Cesar's primary love interest, and some interesting visuals.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Alejandro Amenábar

Director

Eduardo Noriega

César

Penélope Cruz

Soifa

Chete Lera

Antonio

Fele Martínez

Pelayo

Najwa Nimri

Nuria

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

61%

31%

Twilight

43%

72%

Vanilla Sky

80%

96%

Fight Club

TRAILER

for Fight Club

60%

73%

The Lesser Evil

54%

46%

Auggie Rose

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Even if the script (written by the director and Mateo Gil) and direction are patchy, the obsessive theme is gripping.

Jun 8, 2007

Full Review

Time Out

This is so smart, mischievous and stylish, you'll instantly want to see it again.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Sergio Benítez

Espinof

The filmmaker's imaginative performance is a permanent reason for admiration. [Full Review in Spanish]

Apr 15, 2020

Full Review

Blake French

Filmcritic.com

If Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch had collaborated on a project, the result might have been something like Open Your Eyes."

Rated: 4/5

Aug 2, 2009

Full Review

Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 5/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Handsome 25-year-old Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) had it all -- a successful career, expensive cars, a swank bachelor's pad, and an endless string of beautiful and willing women. He is then thrown into a strange psychological mystery after a car accident scars his face and lands him in prison.

Director: Alejandro Amenábar
Screenwriter: Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gil
Distributor: Artisan Entertainment
Production Co: Lucky Red
Rating: R (Some Violence|Some Strong Sexuality|Language)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Spanish (Spain)
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 5, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $368.2K
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now