Film Only Review

~Red Eye~

Released : 2005
Running Time : 85 minutes
Director : Wes Craven
Rating : 12A

Lisa Reisert is a hotel manager from LA. On a red eye flight home, she meets Jack Rippner. Soon into the flight, it becomes obvious that their meet wasn't coincedental. Jack is aware of the involvement Lisa has in the management of the Lux Hotel and uses her in a plot to assasinate a polictal official who is due to arrive at the hotel. Not only does he take control of Lisa at 30000 feet, he also has control of her father and threatens to have him hurt if she doesn't co-operate with his demands. What will she do?

*Lisa Reisert - Rachael McAdams
*Jack Rippner - Cillian Murphy
*Joe Reisert - Brian Cox
*Cynthia - Jayma Mays

This DVD can be bought from Amazon for £3.75 (new) and from 1p (used).

~My Thoughts~

This thriller film is a regular in my DVD collection. I am a fan of both Rachael McAdams and Cillian Murphy. I also enjoy films based around planes so this seemed like the ideal film for me. There are a lot of background actors in this film as you would expect (other travellers, people in the hotel etc) but the main focus is definitely on Lisa and Jack.

The plot is good. There is a lot of emphasis on family loyalty on Lisas part and also political and terrorism ideas on Jacks part. The start of film doesn't give a great deal away. It involves Lisa arriving at the airport to find her flight delayed. She meets Jack who, from the beginning, has a rather forward attitude. Of course Lisa is totally unaware that Jack knows where she lives, where she works, what she drinks etc. It is very planned out and as we discover what Jack actually knows, you can see how uneasy Lisa is - wouldn't you be?

The main characters of Lisa and Jack have been chosen well. Lisa is a young woman who has just lost her grandmother. On the outside, she appears fragile but looks can be deceiving as we discover as the film goes on. She is scared of flying which gives Jack the upperhand as he tries to gain her trust by calming her down. Rachael McAdams was definitely the right choice for this role. I find she is quite an adaptable actress. Cillian Murphy was the perfect choice for Jack Rippner and his role was carried out very well. He was charming but still quite creepy at first and you could get he had a motive. Both characters are very convincing in their respective roles.

For most of the plane journey, the story remains quite realistic. Whilst many other passengers were sleeping, I found it difficult to believe that no one was able to tell that Lisa was in distress at Jacks revelations and plans. Lisa has no option but to go along with Jacks demands. Unaware of whether her father will remain alive or not, she has to do what is asked of her. Her family loyalty takes priority over Charles Keefe (the political official), the intended target. She is quite witty and does try to get around Jack on several occasions but often fails. He has left nothing to chance and doesn't care who is hurt - he has a job to finish.

Cynthia is in charge of the Lux Hotel whilst Lisa is away. She is quite dippy and has one of those irritating voices. She is totally oblivious to why Lisa needs to make alterations to the hotel bookings at short notice. The whole plane scenario is quite good and makes up the main part of the film. It is quite scary that the fate of several people can be changed at 30000 feet and I feel that the film was directed and executed well. I don't suppose it would be easy to carry out an thriller mainly in mid air.

I found Red Eye to be paced very well. Whilst there isn't a great deal of action on the plane, there is a lot of pyschological aspects involved with the hostage situation involving Lisa and Jack. It is very intense and in my opinion, doesn't come boring or too drawn out. I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. It is very gripping through mild scenes of violence and threats. There isn't much swearing or sexual content (unless you consider the mild scene in the airport toilet as sexual) so it is suitable for teenagers to watch too.

Towards the end of the film, the plane lands in LA and it changes quite a bit. There are some fast paced scenes in the airport and on the road and whilst I won't reveal the ending, it is a good enough conclusion but not as exciting or as realistic as one would expect. A lot of the tension in the film is courtesy of some heavy handed music.

~Conclusion~

At 85 minutes long, some may consider this too long for a film focussed around a red eye flight. I found to be just the right length for the plot. It didn't seem rushed but at the same time, the film was kept intense and watchable the whole way through. I would say Red Eye is a good film to watch. It doesn't rely on blood and guts but does have some impressive stunt scenes which make you cringe. The main focus is on mentally keeping a young female hostage. It is engaging and entertaining.

I have watched many Wes Craven films and feel that Red Eye is a good choice but not the best that he has directed. It doesn't quite match the quality of the Scream films or The Hills Have Eyes but is great in its own right.

Thanks for reading :)

Thanks for reading :)