Red Eye

What kind of suspense do you think is required to make a good thriller? Some feel it’s that strange twist at the end that was always possible, but never suspected. The show may end with the person you’ve rooted for the entire time turning out to be the wicked murderer, or some person killed off at the beginning of the movie turns out not to be dead. (Or in the case of “Sixth Sense” the other way around.) Others, like thrillers where they think they know what the outcome will be, but can’t see how the hero will win or lose.

The main plot of “Red Eye” won’t surprise anyone. Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) is returning home to Miami on a late-night flight after attending the funeral of her maternal grandmother. Her flight is delayed, and while waiting for it to board, strikes up a friendship with Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy).

At first boarding, Lisa is astonished to find she is seated right next to Jackson. After the doors close, however, she is horrified to find out that he is planning to assassinate the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, and she is a part of his plan. If Lisa doesn’t help him in the assassination, Jackson will have her father killed. Somehow she must thwart the assassination while protecting her dad’s life as well.

“Red Eye” has its share of violence with a couple head butts, several scenes of fighting, a man run over by a car, and a missile launch from a boat into a hotel. While these may be unsettling to some, only one is actually graphic. The man run over by a car is shown afterward in a small pool of blood. Being a thriller, there are many other tense moments, including a couple jump scenes. Knowing that one of these is coming up will not help those who are prone to jump.

Alcohol use plays a part several times, and is never rebuked. In the beginning, Lisa talks with Jackson over drinks and at the end of the movie heads to a bar with a friend.

There are about 20 instances of foul language. The f* word is used once, and there are six profanities (which include a couple usages of “jeez”). The rest are moderate exclamatory remarks. There are also some sexual comments. After Jackson forces himself into the airplane restroom with Lisa and threatens her, he starts to leave and thanks her for the “quickie” even though nothing sexual happened. Upon leaving the restroom he is rebuked by a stewardess for his supposed “mile high club” experience.

Lisa takes off her blouse in the airport restroom after coffee is spilled on it, and we see her in her bra. In another instance, a scar just under the neckline of her blouse is shown. During a fight with Jackson, we also see Lisa in a skirt falling down a set of stairs literally head over heals. Lisa’s substitute at the motel sports a mid-thigh business dress, and a minor character on the airplane wears a low-cut blouse.

In spite of these negatives, the themes watched in “Red Eye” push for strong morals. Lisa’s mom and dad are divorced, but there is a strong relationship between Lisa and her father. Her dad also shows concern for his ex-wife when he asks Lisa about how her mom is doing after the funeral. Except for one instance at the end, Lisa displays dedication and tact to her customers at the hotel. The Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security is one of her regular customers, and she does what she can to keep him from harm. Lisa also puts her own life on the line in an attempt to save others.

I would encourage suspense fans to go watch “Red Eye.” I feel the acting was good, and except for a couple slow spots, you won’t have a chance to get bored. Just don’t count on some weird twist in the end. You may be disappointed.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/nudity: Mild