Deborah and I were able to see Red Eye for free tonight at the eMagine Theatre in Canton. The movie isn't due to be released for another two weeks, so I figured that the releasing studio is trying to generate some good buzz for the movie. Red Eye stars Rachel McAdams as Lisa, the manager of a posh hotel in Miami who is flying back home after attending her mother's funeral. Cillian Murphy (fresh off his turn as the Scarecrow in Batman Begins) plays Jack, a far too-helpful fellow passenger who takes more than a passing interest in Lisa both before and during their flight. The first act of the movie plays like a direct homage to the Airport movies of the 70's, replete with helpful stewardesses, an overbearing old lady who talk too much, and an obnoxious passenger who forgets that he will be flying with the same people he's annoying in the check-in line. Director Wes Craven deserves credit for keeping this act from turning into parody, although the moment where the head stewardess comes over to comfort the little seven year-old girl on her first flight brought chuckles from me. Do stewardesses today even do this? I would find it hard to believe anyone working at Northwest these days would even have the time to think about anything but the impact of the latest strike, but I digress.

Once the flight takes off, the movie itself takes off, as a claustrophobic thriller with Lisa trying to outsmart Jack. That this cat-and-mouse game works is mainly due to Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy, who sell their characters without going too far. Rachel McAdams is understandably scared but still tries to think herself out of her predicament, while Cillian Murphy terrorizes her without becoming a mustache-twirlling villain.

The last act finds Lisa and Jack squaring off in a physical confrontation, which seems unavoidable in any action/thriller out of Hollywood in this day and age. The movie goes to great lengths to make Lisa a strong character, although anyone looking at Rachel McAdams could never seriously consider her a Riot grrl.

Since my wife and I were able to see this movie for free, I found it passable entertainment. If I had to pay for it, I'd say wait for video or HBO. The movie is only 85 minutes long, its a perfect date movie for married couples who don't want to pay their baby sitter an arm and a leg for a night out.

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