Knowing that "Red Eye" comes from the man who gave us "The Hills Have Eyes", "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Scream", we would probably expect a slasher movie. It turns out that this is nothing of the sort. What we have here is a slick thriller in the vein of another airplane-set movie from last year, "Flightplan". And a very clever one at that.
It all begins when hotel clerk Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) is headed for the Dallas airport to catch a plane back to Miami. Upon learning that her flight has been delayed, Lisa waits in line, where she gets to know one Jack Rippner (Cillian Murphy), an extremely likable everyman. Lo and behold, she's sitting next to him on the plane. But right after the plane takes off is when she learns what he really wants: he wants her to change a government agent's room reservation in her Miami hotel, or her father will get killed.
I wish to assert that the airplane setting really heightens the tension. Even creepier is how Jack gets everyone to like him, so Lisa probably can't blow his cover. If the movie has any problem, it's the actual assassins: why do they have to be Russians? Aren't we done portraying Russians as killers/Mafiosos/oligarchs? But overall, I really liked this movie. Wes Craven brings the same sensibility that he brought to the rest of his movies. So check it out. You're sure to like it...and it just might save your life.
It all begins when hotel clerk Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) is headed for the Dallas airport to catch a plane back to Miami. Upon learning that her flight has been delayed, Lisa waits in line, where she gets to know one Jack Rippner (Cillian Murphy), an extremely likable everyman. Lo and behold, she's sitting next to him on the plane. But right after the plane takes off is when she learns what he really wants: he wants her to change a government agent's room reservation in her Miami hotel, or her father will get killed.
I wish to assert that the airplane setting really heightens the tension. Even creepier is how Jack gets everyone to like him, so Lisa probably can't blow his cover. If the movie has any problem, it's the actual assassins: why do they have to be Russians? Aren't we done portraying Russians as killers/Mafiosos/oligarchs? But overall, I really liked this movie. Wes Craven brings the same sensibility that he brought to the rest of his movies. So check it out. You're sure to like it...and it just might save your life.