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Okay, here's my review (the one I promised Caitlyn)...
Red Eye is a clever suspense thriller which starts out with a lot of potential, takes a number of surprising and thrilling twists and turns, and ends with a slightly clichéd chase sequence. However, it leaves you pretty satisfied and, in my opinion, is well worth the time and admission.
I have to give Wes Craven credit for the strong female characters he has created in the movies, and Lisa, played by Rachel McAdams, is no exception. She has a lot of qualities going for her--she is smart, savvy, sexy, capable, quick-witted, courageous and able to defend herself against brutal and cold-blooded abuse at the hands of her hostage-taker—portrayed, in a chillingly convincing performance, by Cillian Murphy.
The movie begins with Lisa (Rachel) at the airport, catching a "red eye" flight to from Texas to Miami, where she is the top concierge at one of the leading hotels in the city. At the airport, she has a chance encounter with Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy), a suave, charming stranger with a name that is, interestingly, evocative of "Jack the Ripper". It turns out that the two have been assigned seats together on the aircraft, and, having hit it off initially, it looks like a setup for a romantic interlude. However, Rippner's name gives him away, as his mask of charm and courtesy is quickly stripped away to reveal the heart of a cold, sadistic psychopath who intends to hold Lisa hostage until she cooperates with his insidious scheme to assassinate the family of the US Secretary of Defense.
Lisa at first supposes that Jack plans to hijack the plane, but when his true plans are revealed, she attempts, in various ways, to shake him off. Finally, stretched to the limit, she snaps and lashes out at her hostage-taker. What follows is a nail-biting chase sequence that ends in Lisa's father's house and a final confrontation with the psycho.
Yes, the ending is slightly clichéd in parts, but the story as a whole is clever and polished. The thread of the movie is Hitchcockian and the film keeps you on edge to the bitter end. It does a great job of conveying the emotional roller-coaster ride that Lisa’s character has to endure. A strong, clever plot is ably supported by excellent performances from both leads. Rachel McAdams looks very hot as a redhead (as opposed to her natural blonde) and Cillian Murphy makes the transition from charming lady’s man to sadistic psychopath very convincingly.
All in all, this movie is way more intelligent and sophisticated than the Scream trilogy and what makes it especially remarkable is the strong female lead performance by Rachel McAdams bringing a compelling female character to life.
Last edited by darkhorse; 08-25-05 at 03:54 PM.
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Just shows what a good mood can do to a young swedish boy.
