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Red Eye (film)
Encyclopedia
Red Eye is a 2005 thriller film directed by Wes Craven
and starring Rachel McAdams
as a hotel manager ensnared in an assassination
plot by a terrorist (Cillian Murphy
) while aboard a red-eye flight
to Miami. The film score
was composed and conducted by Marco Beltrami
.
) fears flying. After attending her grandmother's funeral in Dallas, Texas, she takes a red-eye flight
to Miami, Florida. While in the check-in line she meets an elderly woman (Angela Paton) who is interested in Lisa's Dr. Phil book. She tells her that she is a fan, Lisa gives the old lady her book saying she has already read it. She then meets Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy
) whom she initially finds charming. They share a drink while they wait to board their delayed flight. Lisa points out the name "Jackson Rippner" is similar to "Jack the Ripper
".
When boarding, Lisa finds out that Jackson is on the same flight and is seated beside her. After take off, Rippner reveals that he is a terrorist operative working for a group who intends to assassinate the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Charles Keefe (Jack Scalia
) and his family, and Lisa is instrumental in their plans because of her job at the Lux Atlantic Hotel (where the Keefe family is staying) as acting manager. If she refuses to cooperate, he will deploy a hitman
to kill her father, Joe (Brian Cox
) at his home in Miami. Lisa has no way of getting help without jeopardizing her father's safety, and if she waits longer, it will be difficult to prevent the murder. She tries desperately to save the day. Her first attempt is when the old lady from the check-in line comes to talk to her about the book. She tries to write a warning inside the book. However, Rippner later finds out, and he headbutt
s her unconscious. She goes into the restroom and writes a warning on the mirror with soap. When she leaves, she is stopped again. Rippner sees the message and shoves her back in.
Lisa begs Rippner not to kill her father; he responds by telling her not to gamble with her father's life. He then notices the scar above Lisa's breast and begins asking her about the scar's history. She refuses to answer and Rippner chokes her for not being honest with him, when he had been nothing but brutally honest with her. After releasing her, he starts erasing the writing on the mirror as she gasps for breath. A flight attendant becomes suspicious of the noise in the restroom. The assassination plan is to use a portable missile launcher from a boat in a nearby harbor and fire it at the hotel. The problem is that the Deputy Secretary likes to stay in a different suite, one that faces the city. In order to assassinate him, Rippner must force Lisa to make a phone call from the in-flight phone
and order the hotel staff to change his reservation from Room 3825 to Room 4080, the targeted suite facing the harbor.
After one failed attempt due to turbulence from the storm in which all the inflight phones were disrupted, Lisa successfully makes the phone call, and the hotel staff moves the politician to the targeted suite. Rippner still needs Lisa as he cannot let her and her father go until he gets a phone call confirming that the Keefe family is successfully assassinated. The Secret Service checks and clears the room, allowing the Secretary to settle in with his family. After the plane lands and arrives at the gate, Lisa tells Rippner about the history of her scar before stabbing him in the throat with a pen, taking his phone and bolting off the plane into the terminal. While the flight attendants call for emergency services, Lisa runs through the airport, narrowly escaping both airport security and Rippner. She steals a SUV to give herself time to use the cell phone. She calls the hotel to warn them to evacuate immediately and that the deputy director is a target of an assassination plot. Cynthia (Jayma Mays
), Lisa's assistant, and the Secret Service get the Secretary and his family out of the room just seconds before the Javelin missile is fired and hits the hotel. She attempts to call her father, but cannot as the cell phone battery dies and is then forced to drive to her father's house in order to save him before Rippner can contact the hitman.
Lisa rushes to her father's house to see if he is safe. She finds the hitman outside the front door, where she runs him over with the SUV, crashing through the front of the house. Lisa's father stumbles out of the kitchen, shocked at the man who was lying dead in the foyer and tells her that the police are already on their way. While Lisa calls her hotel to see if everything is alright, Jackson Rippner arrives and knocks out her father so that he can deal with her first. He chases her through the house with a knife and throws her down a flight of stairs. Lisa crawls down the last few steps, where a gun is lying next to the dead hitman. She threatens Jackson with the gun; he attempts to escape, but Lisa shoots him before he can. He kicks the gun out of her hand and grabs her by the hair when, finally, Lisa's father shoots Rippner,wounding him as the police arrive.
At the hotel, the Homeland Secretary and the Secret Service thanks Lisa and Cynthia for saving the Secretary and his family from the assassination.
, and 71 on Metacritic
.
Red Eye also gained high praise from many publications, including The Washington Post
, Rolling Stone
, Entertainment Weekly
, Los Angeles Times
, The New York Times
, and the Chicago Sun-Times
.
Wes Craven
Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American actor, film director, writer, producer, perhaps best known as the director of many horror films, particularly slasher films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character, the...
and starring Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre program at York University, Toronto in 2001, she worked steadily as an actress until finding fame in 2004 with starring roles in teen comedy Mean Girls and romantic drama The Notebook...
as a hotel manager ensnared in an assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
plot by a terrorist (Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
) while aboard a red-eye flight
Red-eye flight
A red-eye flight is any flight departing late at night and arriving early the next morning. The term red-eye derives from the fatigue symptom of having red eyes, which can be caused or aggravated by late-night travel....
to Miami. The film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
was composed and conducted by Marco Beltrami
Marco Beltrami
Marco Beltrami is an American film composer.-Life and career:Beltrami was born in Long Island, New York of Italian and Greek descent...
.
Plot
Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdamsRachel McAdams
Rachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre program at York University, Toronto in 2001, she worked steadily as an actress until finding fame in 2004 with starring roles in teen comedy Mean Girls and romantic drama The Notebook...
) fears flying. After attending her grandmother's funeral in Dallas, Texas, she takes a red-eye flight
Red-eye flight
A red-eye flight is any flight departing late at night and arriving early the next morning. The term red-eye derives from the fatigue symptom of having red eyes, which can be caused or aggravated by late-night travel....
to Miami, Florida. While in the check-in line she meets an elderly woman (Angela Paton) who is interested in Lisa's Dr. Phil book. She tells her that she is a fan, Lisa gives the old lady her book saying she has already read it. She then meets Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
) whom she initially finds charming. They share a drink while they wait to board their delayed flight. Lisa points out the name "Jackson Rippner" is similar to "Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
".
When boarding, Lisa finds out that Jackson is on the same flight and is seated beside her. After take off, Rippner reveals that he is a terrorist operative working for a group who intends to assassinate the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Charles Keefe (Jack Scalia
Jack Scalia
Jack Scalia is an American actor. He has had many roles in television series , television movies, and feature films.-Early life:...
) and his family, and Lisa is instrumental in their plans because of her job at the Lux Atlantic Hotel (where the Keefe family is staying) as acting manager. If she refuses to cooperate, he will deploy a hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
to kill her father, Joe (Brian Cox
Brian Cox
Brian Denis Cox, CBE is a Scottish actor. He is known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he gained recognition for his portrayal of King Lear. He has also appeared in many Hollywood productions playing parts such as Dr. Guggenheim in Rushmore and William Stryker in X2: X-Men...
) at his home in Miami. Lisa has no way of getting help without jeopardizing her father's safety, and if she waits longer, it will be difficult to prevent the murder. She tries desperately to save the day. Her first attempt is when the old lady from the check-in line comes to talk to her about the book. She tries to write a warning inside the book. However, Rippner later finds out, and he headbutt
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
s her unconscious. She goes into the restroom and writes a warning on the mirror with soap. When she leaves, she is stopped again. Rippner sees the message and shoves her back in.
Lisa begs Rippner not to kill her father; he responds by telling her not to gamble with her father's life. He then notices the scar above Lisa's breast and begins asking her about the scar's history. She refuses to answer and Rippner chokes her for not being honest with him, when he had been nothing but brutally honest with her. After releasing her, he starts erasing the writing on the mirror as she gasps for breath. A flight attendant becomes suspicious of the noise in the restroom. The assassination plan is to use a portable missile launcher from a boat in a nearby harbor and fire it at the hotel. The problem is that the Deputy Secretary likes to stay in a different suite, one that faces the city. In order to assassinate him, Rippner must force Lisa to make a phone call from the in-flight phone
In-flight Entertainment
In-flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship Hindenburg offered passengers a piano, lounge, dining room, smoking room, and bar during the 2½ day flight between Europe and America...
and order the hotel staff to change his reservation from Room 3825 to Room 4080, the targeted suite facing the harbor.
After one failed attempt due to turbulence from the storm in which all the inflight phones were disrupted, Lisa successfully makes the phone call, and the hotel staff moves the politician to the targeted suite. Rippner still needs Lisa as he cannot let her and her father go until he gets a phone call confirming that the Keefe family is successfully assassinated. The Secret Service checks and clears the room, allowing the Secretary to settle in with his family. After the plane lands and arrives at the gate, Lisa tells Rippner about the history of her scar before stabbing him in the throat with a pen, taking his phone and bolting off the plane into the terminal. While the flight attendants call for emergency services, Lisa runs through the airport, narrowly escaping both airport security and Rippner. She steals a SUV to give herself time to use the cell phone. She calls the hotel to warn them to evacuate immediately and that the deputy director is a target of an assassination plot. Cynthia (Jayma Mays
Jayma Mays
Jayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
), Lisa's assistant, and the Secret Service get the Secretary and his family out of the room just seconds before the Javelin missile is fired and hits the hotel. She attempts to call her father, but cannot as the cell phone battery dies and is then forced to drive to her father's house in order to save him before Rippner can contact the hitman.
Lisa rushes to her father's house to see if he is safe. She finds the hitman outside the front door, where she runs him over with the SUV, crashing through the front of the house. Lisa's father stumbles out of the kitchen, shocked at the man who was lying dead in the foyer and tells her that the police are already on their way. While Lisa calls her hotel to see if everything is alright, Jackson Rippner arrives and knocks out her father so that he can deal with her first. He chases her through the house with a knife and throws her down a flight of stairs. Lisa crawls down the last few steps, where a gun is lying next to the dead hitman. She threatens Jackson with the gun; he attempts to escape, but Lisa shoots him before he can. He kicks the gun out of her hand and grabs her by the hair when, finally, Lisa's father shoots Rippner,wounding him as the police arrive.
At the hotel, the Homeland Secretary and the Secret Service thanks Lisa and Cynthia for saving the Secretary and his family from the assassination.
Cast
- Rachel McAdamsRachel McAdamsRachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre program at York University, Toronto in 2001, she worked steadily as an actress until finding fame in 2004 with starring roles in teen comedy Mean Girls and romantic drama The Notebook...
as Lisa Reisert - Cillian MurphyCillian MurphyCillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
as Jackson Rippner - Brian Cox as Joseph "Joe" Reisert
- Jayma MaysJayma MaysJayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
as Cynthia - Jack ScaliaJack ScaliaJack Scalia is an American actor. He has had many roles in television series , television movies, and feature films.-Early life:...
as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Charles "Charlie" Keefe - Colby DonaldsonColby DonaldsonColby Donaldson is an American television actor, best known as the runner-up on Survivor: The Australian Outback and as the host for the show Top Shot.-Personal life:...
as Head Secret Service Agent - Robert PineRobert PineRobert Pine is an American actor who has starred on television and in film. He is probably best known for his role as Sgt. Joseph Getraer on the hit NBC television series CHiPs from 1977 to 1983.-Personal life:...
and Teresa Press-Marx as Bob and Marianne Taylor - Angela Paton as Nice lady
- Laura JohnsonLaura JohnsonLaura Johnson is an American actress who played Terry Hartford in the soap opera Falcon Crest from 1983 to 1986.Johnson was married to actor Harry Hamlin from 1985 to 1989, she was previously married to producer David Solomon....
as Blonde woman - Loren LesterLoren LesterLoren Lester is an American actor of stage, screen, and voice, best known for his portrayal of DC Comics superhero Robin and Nightwing in the numerous Batman animated series and features in the DC Animated Universe....
as Irate passenger - Max KaschMax KaschJoseph Maxwell "Max" Kasch is an American film and television actor. He is the brother to fellow actors Cody Kasch and Dylan Kasch. Max appeared in the 2003 film, Holes as Zig-zag...
as Headphone kid - Kyle GallnerKyle GallnerKyle Gallner is an American actor. He is possibly best known for his portrayal of Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas in the Teen neo-noir television series Veronica Mars, and for guest-starring in teen sci-fi drama Smallville as superhero Bart Allen, an adaptation of the character of The Flash and...
as Headphone kid's brother - Brittany Oaks as Rebecca
- Wes CravenWes CravenWesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American actor, film director, writer, producer, perhaps best known as the director of many horror films, particularly slasher films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character, the...
, Marianne MaddalenaMarianne MaddalenaMarianne Maddalena is an American film producer. She is part of a joint venture called Craven-Maddalena Films alongside Wes Craven...
, Carl EllsworthCarl EllsworthCarl Ellsworth is an American screenwriter whose best known movies include Disturbia and The Last House on the Left.-Filmography:*Red Eye *Disturbia...
, and Chris Bender (uncredited) as Airline passengers
Critical response
Red Eye was widely praised prior to release, and has since earned an overall rating of 79% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, and 71 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
Red Eye also gained high praise from many publications, including The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
.
Box office
The film grossed $57,891,803 domestically, doubling the estimated $26 million budget. Internationally the film also grossed an additional $37,685,971, making its total to $95,577,774. Red Eye also proved to be a hit with rentals, grossing an additional $49,620,000.Awards and nominations
| Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Category | Name | Outcome |
| Golden Trailer Awards Golden Trailer Awards The Golden Trailer Awards is an annual awards show that honors achievements in motion picture marketing, including film trailers, posters and television advertisements.- Overview :... |
Best Thriller | ||
| Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actor in a Feature Film | Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal.... |
|
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Performance | Rachel McAdams Rachel McAdams Rachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre program at York University, Toronto in 2001, she worked steadily as an actress until finding fame in 2004 with starring roles in teen comedy Mean Girls and romantic drama The Notebook... |
|
| Saturn Awards | Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film:... |
||
| Best Actress | Rachel McAdams | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Cillian Murphy | ||
| Teen Choice Awards Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with... |
Movies - Choice Thriller | ||
| Movie - Choice Scream | Rachel McAdams | ||
| Choice Sleazebag | Cillian Murphy | ||