RED EYE
US, 2005, 85 minutes, Colour.
Rachel Mc Adam, Cillian Murphy, Bryan Cox.
Directed by Wes Craven.
Here is a film which delivers exactly what it promises – very entertainingly so.
If you would like a suspense drama, try Red Eye. It is directed by Wes Craven better known for Nightmare on Elm St and Scream. This time he has turned away from horror, although in the second part, he capitalises on his skills as the strong heroine confronts the intruder in her house.
This Red Eye is a flight from Dallas to Miami. The passenger is Lisa (the vivacious Rachel Mc Adam), a manager at a luxury hotel. It is better not to spoil the suspense by simply saying that the plot draws on the war against terrorism and leads us on step by step as Lisa tries to deal with the crises. She uses her wits (even though she is not keen of flying) to try to foil the plot and shows a remarkable amount of good sense and energy. Brian Cox is her father, central to the plot.
Also starring is Cillian Murphy whose career is on the rise. After appearing in such a diverse range of films from 28 Days Later to Girl With Pearl Earring, he was the young villainous doctor in Batman Begins. On this performance, he may become the versatilie Gary Oldman of the next generation.
While the plot is contemporary, Red Eye is something of a satisfying old time suspense thriller that keeps moving rapidly, close-up while on board the plane, pacy editing while on land. Even though the film is under ninety minutes, it establishes characters, motivations and covers all its plot strands credibly.
1. An old-style suspense thriller? Contemporary themes? Entertaining combination?
2. Wes Craven and his film career, his being a master of horror? His use of horror film styles for creating suspense?
3. The sequences in the plane, the airports? The attention to detail, the accurate dialogue, audiences familiar with the situations, authentic atmosphere?
4. The scenes in the hotels, the guests, reception, management, security, crises and complaints? Authentic?
5. The home sequences, ordinary life, watching TV, security, intruder and invasion and violence? The streets?
6. The background of terrorism after September 11, 2001? The television interview with the defence secretary, his straightforward talk, challenge? Assassins and terrorists? Rippner and his shadowing Lisa? The gunman on the boat? The elaborate security for politicians and officials?
7. The title, the plane, the experience overnight, the pressures of time?
8. The introduction, the stealing of the wallet, the father and his mentioning the loss, telling Lisa? The irony of who took it, its use for pressurising Lisa?
9. The hotel, the replacement, the guests and their rudeness, her desperation, ringing Lisa in the taxi, Lisa’s father anxiously ringing at the same time? Lisa and her handling the situation, showing her to be very competent, effective, quick?
10. Lisa’s situation, her grandmother’s funeral, the irony that Rippner had to follow her to Texas, knowing her presence, eight weeks shadowing her?
11. The delays, the lines at the airport, the staff, the angry man, the irony of his being the doctor at the end to treat Rippner? The woman in the queue, talking about Dr Phil, Lisa giving her the book, the book’s use during the flight, Lisa writing the note, Rippner discovering it? Audiences thinking that he might have killed the old lady – but his not doing so? The little girl travelling alone, hearing the interaction in the toilet, tripping Rippner as he left the plane?
12. The flight attendants, their having to cope? Lisa ringing the bell, Rippner’s story, going into the toilet, the attendant remarking that it was not a motel, referring to them as trash, Rippner taking her scarf at the end?
13. Jackson Rippner and his name, talking in the queue, the invitation to have a drink, Lisa and the accident and her changing her clothes, seeing him at the bar, his guessing her drink, his phone calls – ominous? The coincidence with the seat, his helping the woman with the luggage?
14. Lisa and her fear of flying, his asking questions to distract her, the gradual revelation, her reaction? His wanting her to make the phone call, the pressure, the storm and the phone cutting off, her going to the toilet, writing the message on the mirror, taking the book and writing the message? His bashing her head? His small talk with the attendant?
15. Her being persuaded to ring the hotel, talking with her replacement, security, the change of room? The glimpse of the flight, the family together – and their arrival, the pleasure at standing on the balcony? The security checking out the boat in the water, the search of the boat? The sailors getting the box, firing the missile and escaping?
16. Lisa ringing her father, her being reassured, his watching TV, the man outside? The irony of Lisa finally arriving in the car, his holding the gun, her driving into him?
17. Her stealing young man’s pen, stabbing Rippner in the throat, escaping from the plane, the chase through the airport, her ability to elude him, on the shuttle?
18. Her going to the house, with her father, the dead man and ringing the police, Rippner in the house, the cat-and-mouse throughout the different rooms, the frights, the repairs in the house, the nail gun, his death?
19. Lisa going to the hotel, the confrontation with the angry guests, the replacement, her standing up for her?
20. A satisfying film on all counts – modest in scope, effective in entertainment?
