The film's 9 disparate leads will eventually be synthesised, but on the way there are a lot of blind alleys, false trails & red herrings, as much obscuring as revealing the solution in a manner that recalls the parable of the blind men & an elephant.

Set against a backdrop of genetic research and espionage, Argento's formal obsession with allusions to seeing and sightlessness is on fierce display.

Argento reportedly doesn't care much for this picture, but that shouldn't stop the rest of us from enjoying its twisty tale.

The film is an entertaining and involving reminder of why Argento has long been recognized as one of the masters of the giallo thriller.