An Uplifting True Story Tugs Heartstrings

Summary

• Ming Wang’s journey from poverty in China to becoming a legendary eye surgeon in America is a testament to faith, perseverance, and courage.
• The emotional depth of
  Sight
  balances science and faith, inspiring viewers with themes of family and friendship. It’s a heavy look at an ultimately uplifting true story.
• Terry Chen and Ben Wang are fantastic as Dr. Ming Wang, and Greg Kinnear is charming as his co-worker and confidant in an effort to bring sight to the blind.

Dr. Ming Wang has transformed the lives of blind children with groundbreaking medical procedures through exhaustive humanitarian efforts. Sight documents his remarkable journey from violent oppression during China’s Cultural Revolution to a renowned American eye surgeon with gripping realism. Wang’s story is a testament to the power of faith, perseverance, and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But his extraordinary accomplishments did not insulate Wang from heartbreaking loss and the crushing disappointment of not working miracles for every patient. Sight reminds us that how we handle failure is just as important as success.

Sight takes place across two timelines. The film begins with a truly horrifying and despicable crime committed against an impoverished young girl in the slums of India. A year later, in Nashville, Tennessee, Ming (Terry Chen) and his medical partner, Dr. Misha Bartnovsky (Greg Kinnear), hold a press conference at the Wang Vision Institute to laud a blind patient who can now see. Ming isn’t a fan of publicity, but Misha insists it’s needed to drum up charitable support.

Sister Marie (Fionnula Flanagan) approaches Ming and Misha afterward for help. Kajal (Mia SwamiNathan), a six-year-old girl recently placed in her order’s care, was purposely blinded by sulfuric acid. Other doctors have said her condition is irreversible. Would they meet Kajal and try to help her? The film then flashbacks to Ming’s childhood in China. Young Ming (Jayden Zhang) watches as his father, Zhensheng (Donald Heng), tries to save the eyesight of a neighbor wounded in a factory accident. He clutches his best friend Lili (Sara Ye) as her father howls in distress.

Surviving the Cultural Revolution and a Horrific Crime

Sight

3.5/5

Sight is about Ming Wang, a Chinese immigrant to the United States who became a renowned eye surgeon and follows him as he helps a girl regain her sight after abuse.

Release Date May 24, 2024

Director Andrew Hyatt

Production Company Open River Entertainment, Reserve Entertainment

Distributor(s) Angel Studios

Pros

• The story of Dr. Ming Wang is deeply inspiring and beautifully told.
• Sight is a deeply emotional movie that smartly balances science and faith.

Cons

• Sight may be too melodramatic and emotional for more hardened viewers.

Present-day Ming is captivated after finally meeting the luminous Kajal. The damage to her eyes is much worse than expected. He resolves to restore her sight at any cost. Ming and Misha delve into complex research. The arduous process takes hold of Ming in a way that alarms Misha, who’s also his best friend and confidant. Ming is haunted by visions of his beloved Lili. The past comes back into focus as a teenage Ming (Ben Wang) and his doctor parents are targeted by Chinese officials for being intellectuals.

Angel Studios

Ming’s backstory is critical to understanding his relentless motivation. Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, which took place between 1966 and 1976, terrorized teachers, artists, scientists, and medical professionals across the country. Student activists began an ideological purge of so-called capitalist values.

Young Ming and Lili shudder in fear as their teacher is beaten before being forcibly taken away. How could the government allow this to happen? Ming’s family was dirt poor without any political connections. Why was their knowledge considered a threat? Ming’s father warns that he must give up any hope of attending medical school. All of their lives were now in danger.

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Ben Wang and Terry Chen Bring Dr. Ming to Life

Ming’s harrowing teenage years add sobering context to current events. He cannot help but see Lili in the struggle to heal Kajal. The film’s second act follows Ming’s downward spiral as his personal demons take hold. The lingering trauma of his youth threatens to derail everything he worked so hard for. Ben Wang (the American Born Chinese actor who is about to blow up thanks to the upcoming Karate Kid movie) does a powerful job as Ming in flashbacks.

Meanwhile, Terry Chen (Almost Famous, The Expanse, The Lake), a Hollywood veteran with dozens of film and television credits, gives light to Ming’s difficulty in overcoming emotional distress as an adult. The doctor becomes myopic in his tunnel vision quest. Nothing else matters until he reaches the breaking point of futility. The realization that there may be no answers is soul-crushing.

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Sight Is a Deeply Emotional Biopic with Important Themes

Sight delivers a wonderful message about the value of family and friendship. Battles fought alone will invariably be lost. Accepting a hand out of the darkness is not a sign of weakness. Ming is surrounded by people who care for him. His relationship with Misha and his parents, who he brought to America, reaffirms the strength of character that took him thousands of miles away to purpose and destiny. Ming gains a new appreciation of everything around him. This clears the clouds in his research and leads to a discovery that will impact the lives of thousands.

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Director Andrew Hyatt (The Last Light, Full of Grace) manages Sight’s religious themes without being heavy-handed. This is a subtle faith-based film that doesn’t club you over the head with a bible. The medically realistic Sight spends time showing Ming and Misha as diligent doctors exploring every possible path for Kajal’s treatment. Their breakthroughs were the result of hard work and determination. Ming’s Christian faith is a driving force, but not at the expense of his stalwart belief in science. They philosophically coexist to fuel a man with astonishing intelligence and medical ability.

Sight unabashedly goes for tears with several squeeze your eyeballs moments. Cynical viewers may find these scenes hokey and melodramatic. Don’t be a Grinch. Sight embraces positivity and kindness. How can you not be moved by an innocent child seeing herself for the first time?

Sight is a production of Open River Entertainment and Reserve Entertainment. It will be released theatrically on May 24th from Angel Studios. You can watch the trailer below and find showtimes and get tickets at Angel Studios here.

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