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Red Eye
(2005)
Recently, on August 14, 2005, flight 522 crashed off the coast of Greece
killing all passengers on board. It was reported that the remains of the
passengers were all frozen solid due to the vessel's climate control
problems. I remember the reporters described the aircraft as a "flying
frozen tomb on take-off." I remember shivering despite the 90 degree
weather.
Two days later, I sat in a dark, cold movie theater and watched Red Eye,
director Wes (Scream) Craven's neat little psychological thriller that rides the waves of fear produced by the safety issues and hyper-vigilance of our
modern day post 9/11 air-travel. Unpretentiously, the movie is devoid of
any "issues," or real substance. If you are seeking a movie with complex
character formation, or dialogue that does not feel contrived, then seek it
elsewhere. This movie simply wants to lift you on an adrenalin-producing,
heart pounding ride by using the tight confines of an aircraft and the sense
of vulnerability one feels in the knowledge of being suspended ten thousand
feet above air in a cage of steel.
The premise is novel but simple: Lisa, a young hotel manager who is
taking the red eye flight to Miami, meets and flirts
with Jackson, a chivalrous fellow-traveler who coincidentally, is seated
next to her on the plane. Without missing a beat, the roller coaster ride
begins as he coolly and with comical overtones, informs her that he is an
assassin and that she must cooperate in a plan to assassinate a guest at her
hotel or her father will be killed before the plane lands.
Consistently, the movie maintains its breakneck speed, with riveting twists
and turns engaging the audience in its plot-driven story. It pays homage to
such thrillers as "Psycho," with an almost comical flair that keeps
the audience amused without alleviating any of the taut tension. The fact
that most of this film takes place in the claustrophobic confines of an
airplane only heightens the sense of suspense. Be ready to actually feel
every gut wrenching turbulent bump and palm sweating turn of this plane
ride.
As Lisa (played by the exquisitely beautiful Rachel McAdams of "The
Notebook,") cleverly finds ways to thwarts her nemesis, the movie picks up
its wild speed to the ultimate crescendo, leaving a panting audience
satisfied by a completely fun movie, the memory of which grows dimmer as the
lights of the theater grow brighter. Enjoy the ride.
Send all comments to movie rav jordan hiller at jtrick1@aol.com
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