Red Eye

A lot of value for money. They managed to turn a shoddy script into a solid atmospheric plot, dominated by an outstanding antagonist played by Cillian Murphy, who possesses so much charisma that it's almost pretty, while Rachel McAdams fits in excellently with her adorable pout. As long as we're in the cramped spaces of the airplane, where the actors perform their magic in quick dialogues and psychological battles, it's okay. But as it approaches the end and they disembark from, the barrage of clichés begins and the quality declines. But it’s still at a decent level. (09/12/2014)

Craven’s best film; atmospheric, sophisticatedly written and, despite the minimal plot space, endlessly creative and entertaining in its direct psychological pressure and clever subplots. The sympathy for the protagonist, especially crucial in the final B-movie-oriented showdown, works great thanks to an excellent emotional performance by Rachel McAdams, while Cillian Murphy is terrifyingly convincing (or is it convincingly terrifying? ), and I really liked the clever manoeuvring of the moral dilemma of "not risking my father's life and being complicit in an assassination, or taking a risk and try to save everyone", even though the developments "on paper" are obvious from the start and essentially unsurprising. But as I said, the development "on camera" is amazingly attractive this time, the fifth star was not far away... (12/11/2015)

It's like seeing a modern-day Hitchcock. Pacing from start to finish, nervy and cynical humor for light relief, and most importantly a polished script that makes the most of everything in the end. Every minor character, even briefly introduced, and other aspects like the renovated house or the mention of a knife or a sport... Nothing is extraneous, everything makes sense sooner or later; it’s just great. The part on the plane is very suspenseful, the part after the plane is again somehow tense, and I didn't find the ending at all out of place with what preceded it. Indeed, I was again reminded of the finales of Hitchcock films, which often took place in a different setting from the rest of the film, and nobody minded. (07/19/2020)

It’s not far from a fourth star. The first hour Craven carries it off with absolute clarity. The whole action on the plane, supported by the claustrophobic atmosphere and the seemingly hopeless situation of the main character (a very charming McAdams) is impressive and suspenseful, but unfortunately once the action moves to Lisa's house for the last 10 minutes or so, the tension is lost, with predictability and a bit of that genre cliché coming in. Another shame is the short runtime (73 minutes without credits). But beware, when God was handing out villainous charisma to future actors, Cillian Murphy went for five, he's the main reason this thriller is worth watching. I've been more and more interested in this guy since Batman Begins. (03/23/2006)

It's a pity, as the potential of this film was much, much greater than the bland result. It was missing only a little to become an imaginative A-list intimate thriller that, while not fully matching, could certainly come close to the quality of Phone Booth. The original idea and quality cast are commendable. Rachel McAdams, and especially Cillian Murphy, raise the film's level by 20%. Up until Lisa's escape from the plane, the film's atmosphere is excellent, and the tension is palpable. However, after that, the screenwriter and director run out of ideas, and the quality plummets like a parachutist without a parachute. The characters' actions lose all logic and credibility. The final showdown in the father's house is just a collection of the most worn-out genre clichés. In Scream, Wes Craven had a lot of fun with them, but here he succumbed to them. I'm sure that parodying the ending was not his intention this time. Overall rating: 60%. (07/10/2006)