Today’s quick review: Red Eye. Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams), the hard-working manager of a luxury hotel, is on a flight back to Miami when Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy), the man in the seat next to her, makes a disturbing threat. If Lisa does not help set up the assassination of a VIP, Rippner will kill her father (Brian Cox). Now Lisa must find a way to save Rippner’s target without endangering her father, all while the plane is in the air.
Red Eye is a thriller about a woman trapped and threatened aboard a commercial flight. This setup leads to some nice tension as Lisa looks for a way to get help without alerting Rippner. The closed environment of the plane, Rippner’s intimate knowledge of Lisa’s life, and Lisa’s desperate search for a way out all do their part. The result is a basic but competent thriller that’s not especially memorable but does deliver on its premise.
Red Eye’s chief issue is that it doesn’t have much meat on its bones. The movie has a short run time, and the usual cat-and-mouse game between heroine and villain is much more constrained than normal. Once Rippner has revealed his plan, there is no deeper mystery to fall back on, just a straight shot to the finale. To Red Eye’s credit, it never tries to be more than it is. The story wraps up neatly, and it never misses a beat.
Red Eye makes for a fine pick when you’re in the mood for something with some tension that isn’t too mentally or emotionaly taxing. A pair of solid lead performances and a fairly interesting plot are enough to make Red Eye worth the watch. Still, the movie’s limited premise and lack of true scares keep it from standing out the way it could have. Skip it if you’re looking for something darker or more cerebral.
For another thriller set on a plane, try Non-Stop or Flightplan. For a thriller with a similar premise that’s set on a train, try The Commuter or Source Code. For a more elaborate thriller with similar plot elements, check out Snake Eyes. For a darker movie about a charming stalker, try Kiss the Girls or Taking Lives.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for modest but well-executed thrills.