Last week, the 2005 thriller Red Eye quietly arrived on Netflix. Starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy, Red Eye isn't exactly horror, but it is a film that many horror fans should check out for several reasons.
First of all, there's the film's director: Wes Craven. A name that every horror fan knows, Craven gave us many of the genre's greatest, including The Hills Have Eyes, Scream, and of course, A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Red Eye is a little different from those horror classics, though. For one thing, as previously mentioned, it's not horror. At first, it begins almost like a romantic drama, where the incredibly attractive characters Lisa (McAdams) and Jackson (Murphy) meet at an airport while waiting for their red-eye flight to Miami. When Lisa gets on her flight and finds out that she's sitting next to the handsome man she's just met, it almost feels like fate.
Of course, then she finds out that it's neither fate nor coincidence why he's there. And that's when the plot really begins...
Charming psychopath
One way that Red Eye feels distinctly like a Wes Craven movie is its key villain: Jackson Rippner. Over the years, Craven has given us some truly memorable psychopaths, and Rippner is no exception. While not as bloodthirsty as Freddy or Ghostface (this movie is PG-13, after all), Rippner still stands out.
This is mainly thanks to Cillian Murphy's performance. He plays the role with exactly the right mix of charm and menace, sometimes at the same time. From start to finish, he's compelling to watch, and his performance is certainly the highlight of the film. Rachel McAdams also puts in a solid performance as Lisa, whose mix of vulnerability and quick thinking makes her a great match against Murphy's charming antagonist.
Red Eye may not be the scariest film Wes Craven made, and it's certainly not the most violent. But it is a well-directed, fast-paced thriller that's full of suspense and has a fantastic villain. It's also a great reminder of how excellent Craven was at his craft.
Because Red Eye doesn't have the most complex plot. In fact, it's very straightforward in its storytelling. In the hands of a lesser director and with the wrong cast, it could have been boring and pedestrian. But in Craven's hands, it's a compelling and fast-paced thriller that's extremely easy to watch.