Movieguide: Sight

SIGHT is a true story of Chinese immigrant, Dr. Ming Wang, and his struggles to overcome insurmountable obstacles to become a world-renowned laser eye surgeon who restores sight to millions. Being at the top of his career should bring Dr. Wang some peace. Instead, he’s increasingly haunted by his past. He must first make peace with his past before he can help those most in need. SIGHT is full of beautiful, inspiring moments that encourage perseverance, hard work and, especially, love for others. Many of the messages support a strong Christian worldview, including the importance of faith and family. SIGHT has some scary moments, however, including child-abuse, terrorism and beatings, along with some serious adult themes. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.

Dr. Wang is a leading eye laser surgeon. He has helped millions recover their sight. Sister Marie, a kindly nun, implores Dr. Wang to help Kajal, a blind orphan girl from India. Ming declines, because he doesn’t think it’s medically possible for Kajal to recover her sight. Still, Sister Marie prays for a miracle. Dr. Wang discovers that Kajal is blind because her stepmother deliberately maimed her by pouring acid on Kajal’s eyes, to make her a more profitable beggar.

The circumstances surrounding this child triggers a whole world of hurt from Wang’s past. He reflects on his own youth.

Wang is from a wonderful family in rural China. His father is a doctor, while his mother works as a scientist. Both parents work hard to provide and protect their family. Ming is an excellent student. He enjoys his studies and aspires to grow up to be a doctor just like his father.

However, Communist rebel forces under Chairman Mao’s rule terrorize the community to such a degree that it’s no longer possible for Ming to attend school. His parents advise him to find another career path that will enable him to stay out of harm’s way and also provide a living for him.

Ming is heartbroken but must accept his new manual labor job. He spends a great deal of time with his true love, Lili. He believes he’ll be okay so long as she is by his side. When he refuses to join the rebel group, they take Lili away from him, and she’s never seen again.

Later, the rebels are defeated, and Ming can return to his studies. However, the odds are stacked against him because he must receive a top score on the entrance exams in order to attend college in the United States. This means that Ming must learn the three years of material he missed in only a few months. His faithful parents commit to teach him.

Wang succeeds. He attends Harvard and MIT and becomes one of the best laser eye surgeons in the world. Dr. Wang helps many people recover their sight.

Though a great success, Dr. Wang can’t let go of his past. Kajal’s desperate situation coupled with the trauma from Wang’s childhood causes him great distress and doubt. In addition, recent visions of his beloved, Lili, throw him into a tailspin. Wang must confront his past and let go, before he can help the most vulnerable populations in the world. Through his journey he discovers that he may be the one in need of a miracle, and Kajal is praying for his miraculous salvation.

Too many flashbacks in SIGHT create some confusion and sometimes slow down the story’s momentum. Despite this, great writing, a remarkable story, strong acting, and likable characters make this movie a winner. As a result, SIGHT is filled with beautiful moments that encourage perseverance, hard work and especially love for others. Many of the movie’s messages support a strong Christian worldview, including faith, prayer and a belief in miracles. However, SIGHT has some scary moments, including child-abuse, terrorism and physical beatings. It also has adult themes, as well as a significant amount of whiskey drinking to help Dr. Wang forget his past. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.