|
|
  
Back Shelf Beauties
|
Red Eye Some people say I have a "thing" for Rachel McAdams (she's a raven-haired vision of lust), but they're wrong. It's not a "thing". It's true true love. Or maybe true lust, I'm not sure. They might be the same thing. McAdams (the woman every man wishes would sit next to him on a long flight) plays Lisa - a hotel customer service rep returning home on the red eye flight to Miami after her grandmother's funeral. While in line during a delay, she meets Jackson (Cillian Murphy) - a fairly charming guy who invites her to have a drink with him. It turns out the two are sitting next to each other on the flight (lucky bastard), but luck really has nothing to do with it. Jackson informs Lisa he is a hired assassin, and she has to call her hotel to move the visiting Homeland Security Director to another room, or Jackson will have her father (Brian Cox) killed. Is Jackson serious? Who hired him? What do they plan on doing to the Homeland Security Director? Can Lisa save the day, or does she want to save her father? While it is directed by Wes Craven, potential ticket buyers need to forget any idea that Red Eye is a supernatural thriller as early, misleading marketing portrayed it to be (glowing red eyes implies demon, and shouldn't be used for this movie's commercials and trailers). Red Eye is a solid, tense thriller with a straightforward story and two fantastic lead actors. Craven and writer Carl Ellsworth set up a great, claustrophobic and fascinating scenario - a woman trying to save her father while being trapped on a plane with a mad man. It's the kind of scenario that compels the audience to wonder what they would do in such a horrific situation, and Lisa makes for an interesting heroine. Craven and Ellsworth make us feel sympathy for the lady because she just lost her grandmother and her beloved father is in danger. We respect her because we see she is very talented at her job. We understand her trepidation as she starts to welcome the advances of what seems to be a decent guy, and fear for her as he turns out to be dangerous (every woman reading this review just yelled, "testify!"). McAdams does a wonderful job pulling all of this together to be equal parts scared, vulnerable and tough enough to kick some booty. Even when the movie goes a bit off track and gets away from action on the plane, she keeps us in suspense. Of course, to make the movie work, McAdams needs a strong foe, and Murphy fits the bill. With an exotic, kind of kooky look, Murphy is a great villain. He has tremendous focus and knows how to deliver his dialogue in an effective, quiet and menacing way. Murphy does a great job slowly building up Jack from nice guy in the airport to trouble to danger, which matches Ellsworth's story and Craven's similar build up in the action. Red Eye is a great summer thriller, even if they spend too much time off the plane. 3 Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
|
