Red Eye - A Movie Review

Be careful who you sit next to on a plane. You don’t know their true intentions.

Red Eye flew into theaters in 2005. A young woman flying home on a plane befriends a man who turns out to be her seatmate. This man holds her hostage, threatening to murder her father if she doesn’t comply with his directions for an assassination plan.

I had Red Eye all wrong. Let’s admit it. Some films aren’t predictable like you’d think they’ll be. I always like films that materialize in confined spaces. Red Eye makes you wary about the people whom you sit next to on a plane.

Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy reached notorious acting skills in their roles. At first, we’re tricked into thinking that this is a romantic comedy. They’re laughing, making jokes, and even giving one another advice before getting on the plane. Boy, does the atmosphere change when you realize why Jackson is asking Lisa these questions.

I have only seen Cillian Murphy in one other film which was A Quiet Place 2. His heroic role there does not match up to his evil and sinister personality in Red Eye. I’m impressed with how quickly he accomplished this switch, trapping you.

Remaining in a frantic state is not an easy motive. Overall, McAdams is wonderful. I felt so bad for Lisa. If there’s anything that a horror movie can teach you, it’s how to be brave. Lisa also learns that one shouldn’t make work their whole life.

When you have films that take place on an airplane, ensembles have important roles. You always meet an assortment of different characters anywhere you go. I liked the side moments with the characters. Again, Red Eye makes you think twice about the way you think twice about how you think about people.

Rebecca (Brittany Oakes) was my hero. She gets the best side character award. Horror movies have always made children out to be unhelpful foils. Keeping an eye on Lisa and her reactions, Rebecca is not willing to let her remarks go unnoticed.

Red Eye makes you feel the stress of the situation. Confined to this one space, out of range from others, it feels like you are being held captive too. Wes Craven did a great job in his direction for this tense film. Camera work established the tone. One moment made me gasp.

Craven made the film as realistically as possible. When there was a turbulence scene in the film, actors were actually experiencing it because real hydraulics were built in.

I just wasn’t a fan of the climax. The film took place in an airport and on a plane the whole time. As well-directed as the fight sequence is in Lisa’s father’s house, it went on too long. It took away from the film’s concept.

Lisa and Jackson are chasing one another around the house, tripping up, or hiding around doors. To me, this felt off to the atmosphere because we were in one space for most of the film.

Why couldn’t this have been filmed on the plane or at the airport? It should have remained on the plane the entire movie. I didn’t feel the need to move to a different area if that was Craven’s intention. We lost a lot of tension.

Red Eye is a great thriller. Watch Red Eye if you are looking for a new thriller this October season. Some audiences could be triggered by the threatening hostage situation. I was on the edge of my seat when I didn’t think I would feel that way.