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Finally a good summer movie!, 23 August 2005

Author: P Carr (pavel@fan.com) from Topeka, KS

Let's face it: this has been a bad summer for cinema, even for popcorn movies. Granted, I've seen fewer flicks this summer as well, but that blame can largely be pinned on the lack of creative concepts and intriguing trailers. Flying in the face of this trend is "Red-Eye", a good-looking horror thriller that isn't typically my genre, but had hands down the best trailer of the year that promised...well, something. (If you haven't seen the original teaser trailer, go find it now. Stop reading! Go!) Red-Eye starts off comfortably, as a man (Cillian Murphy) and a woman (Rachel McAdams) meet each other while enduring a delayed flight. They banter agreeably during their handful of interactions, like a younger and interesting version of "The Terminal". But even during these pleasantries, ominous undertones lurk, as you know if you've seen the trailer or happened to notice the director (Wes Craven) in the opening credits. These conflicting themes create fascinating dynamics during the first act. As though slowly walking to the edge of a high diving board, each tense step forward is tinged with danger and just-there humor, because the audience gleefully knows something the characters don't.

Once the necessary twist occurs, the movie turns into a psychological battle of wits, a chess match in tight quarters, mildly reminiscent of 2002's "Panic Room", or more optimistically, Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder". During this middle act, the story contains several amusing side characters, but concentrates on McAdams and Murphy, as does the tight camera lens. This pressures the actors, who both continue to establish themselves on the movie scene. McAdams ("The Notebook") fulfills the role of damsel in distress but also empowers her role, deftly conveying thought with minimal facial movement. Murphy ("28 Days Later") lends his part a dose of the creepiness from his turn as Scarecrow in "Batman Begins" and stirs in a cup of mellow menace by simply setting his jaw and staring intensely. A poor performance from either would have sunk the film in an instant, but their smooth and confident chemistry allow the audience to suspend disbelief when necessary.

That willingness is important because the story lacks surprise (although not suspense) for the most part. But thanks to a few creative twists on plot devices (soap anyone?) and intelligent pacing, "Red-Eye" is able to overcome its flaws. Clocking in at under ninety minutes, the movie zipped along, beginning with the quick-cutting opening moments. Through virtually every shot, either the camera or the plot is moving, forcing the audience to anticipate rather than reflect, and disallowing too much thought on what might not work, not that much fails to cohere, at least in a movie world. Had the flick been stretched to the cinematic standard of two hours, it could have been a painful experience, but Craven again proves to know his audience and stick with what works.

He also chooses, likely willingly, to garner a PG-13 rating, which is a good thing, as the (relatively) minimal violence prevents the movie from straying off course into too much absurdity. This is obviously a much tamer story than any of Craven's horror movies like "Nightmare on Elm Street" or "Scream", but his ability to craft tension remains, particularly in the timing of a late scene. Simultaneously Craven tosses in dashes of humor by consistently not taking the movie too seriously, something evident to the very last shot. This deft combination of drama and subtle comedy leaves a satisfying taste on the audience's cinematic palette.

Despite its flaws, primarily conventionality, "Red-Eye" is extremely entertaining, finally providing the summertainment that has been missing for the last two months.

Bottom Line: This is the best "movie" so far this year. 7 of 10.

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