Red Eye Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)August 16th, 2005
RED EYE
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
RED EYE is an especially effective and efficient thriller by Wes Craven, the director of the SCREAM series. Although it follows a well-hewn formula, the film is one that you'll like at the time, and you'll still respect yourself the next morning, since, on later reflection, it's actually smarter than it seems while you're watching it.
Well cast, this basically two-person drama stars Rachel McAdams (WEDDING CRASHERS), as Lisa Reisert, a super resourceful hotel manager ("a people pleaser 24/7") who meets her match in Jackson Rippner. Cillian Murphy, the evil doctor in BATMAN BEGINS, is quite frightening as Jackson. Jackson is Lisa's seatmate in a flight from hell that in reality is the very stormy skies between Dallas and Miami. Unless she makes one call on the plane's seat phones, her dad (Brian Cox) will die. As you can guess, this one call, if she makes it, will result in the death of many.
>From the very beginning, Craven is great at setting up the tension. Before Lisa has any hints that Jackson is anything other than the sweet, innocent guy he seems, Craven has already got us on the edge of our seats. Every natural bump of the plane portents hidden danger. If you have any fear of flying -- or of creepy stalkers -- beware, because this story will prey on you like a vulture on a dead mouse.
And, although the movie works best as a standard scary story, it does have just enough funny moments to loosen us up a bit. When a really bitchy couple demands the moon of Lisa's second in command and her assistant loses it by referring to them as "assholes," Lisa lectures her, "There are no guests who are assholes, just guests with special needs." You may not have any "special need" to see this movie, but you'll have plenty of adrenaline-pumping fun if you do.
RED EYE runs a fast 1:25 -- and that includes all the credits. It is rated PG-13 for "some intense sequences of violence, and language" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, August 19, 2005. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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