Red Eye

The scariest thriller to take to the skies since Flightplan, is Red Eye. The movie is expertly acted by lesser known Rachel McAdams, and Cillian Murphy. The director is Wes Craven, who is well known for the Scream franchise of films.

McAdams plays Lisa, a young executive for a swanky Miami hotel that is busy climbing the corporate ladder. A seemingly chance encounter with Rippner, played by Murphy, sets the stage for what follows. The plot then unfolds as the two are seated next to each other on an overnight flight at 30,000 feet.

Red Eye was designed to be a character driven thriller. This succeeds very well, as there is more involved here than some zombie with a chain saw running through the house. To me, this was far creepier, and held my attention a lot more. The even scarier thing is that the entire plot is plausible. By methodically filling in the details of the character’s lives, Red Eye has a lot more impact, as we can identify with the characters substantially more closely.

Don’t think that for a minute that this is not an action film. While it takes a little while to build, before we know it, we are racing down the runway and beyond. The end features some well done special effects for a film of this budget.

Red Eye is also supported by some subplots that contribute to the realism and provide a counterpoint. My favorite of these is the complaining couple of tourists in the hotel, and there are a few more of strong quality. The way they are carried through points to a well done screen play.

If you want an edge of your seat thriller, put your trays in the upright position, and load up Red Eye. I’m sure you’ll enjoy being “creeped out” as much as I did.

Overall Grade: A-



red eye movie review