The Mind's Eye (2015) - Joe Begos

The filmmakers behind The Mind's Eye know what they are doing.  This isn't a film that is made with the hope of sparking analyzation or debate about artistic intention, rather The Mind's Eye is made to simply fuel old-school horror fans with a fast-paced, no-nonsense action/horror experience.  Intentional or not, The Mind's Eye reminded me a lot of Cronenberg's underrated 'The Fury', being a story about psychokinetic humans who are being extorted by the government.  The story follows  Zack Conners, a drifter, who is quietly minding his business.  Picked up by the authorities in a small Northeast town, Zack is introduced to Dr. Michael Slovak, the leading scientist when it comes to telekinesis, who promises to help Zack find some semblance of peace and control over his gift.  As one would expect, Dr. Slovak's hidden agenda is far more diabolical, as he is forcefully admitting those with telekinesis to his institute in the hope of harvesting a synthetic.  From its bombastic synth score to its outrageous amount of violence, fans of 80s horror should have no trouble enjoying the hell out of The Mind's Eye.  This is a film that wears its intentions solely on its sleeve, capable of achieving a lot of momentum as the story progresses and never lets up.  While violent and dark at times, the filmmakers of The Mind's Eye know their audience, never forgetting that the number one objective of a film like this is to leave the audience smiling.  One scene in particular blew me away in this regard, where the filmmakers juxtapose a sex scene between our two main protagonists with a sequence that finds Dr. Slovak getting an injection that will increase his telekinesis.  Playfully hinting at the similarities between a needle injection and sex, the filmmakers create a hilarious sequence that essentially juxtaposes the "O" faces of our main protagonists with the 'O" face of the power-hungry doctor.  Its a weird sequence to try to explain in writing, but trust me it's incredible.  I point to this scene because it's a perfect example of filmmakers that don't take their silly horror movie too seriously, with Joe Begos and company understanding that making a 'Fun" film is the #1 priority.   Sure, you can be that asshole which nitpicks the somewhat spotty performances in this low-budget horror film, but for those viewers who simply want a fun,  fast-paced film with top-notch old-school gore and make-up effects, The Mind's Eye is sure to please. 

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