Red Eye

The Age

Thursday January 26, 2006

Philippa Hawker

DVDS & VIDEOS REVIEW: Red Eye; Universal, 81 mins, M; Thriller, 2005 *** 1/2

Red Eye

Universal, 81 mins, M

Thriller, 2005 *** 1/2

The diminutive Rachel McAdams - the queen of mean in Mean Girls and object of Owen Wilson's affections in The Wedding Crashers - doesn't seem like the traditional action heroine. But in this thriller her character - a luxury hotel employee accustomed to handling troublesome guests - proves capable of dealing with much more sinister demands. And she's prepared to fight to the death. McAdams plays a woman who finds on a short plane flight that the charming man in the seat next to her (Cillian Murphy) is not what he seems. The film marks a welcome return to form for director Wes Craven: a good deal of the film takes place during the flight where the tension is deftly handled. Red Eye is a thoroughly satisfying exercise in suspense.

DVD extras include: gag reel; making-of; featurette; commentary.

© 2006 The Age

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