Eye in the Sky **** (2015, Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Iain Glen, Phoebe Fox) – Movie Review

Director Gavin Hood’s engrossing 2015 movie Eye in the Sky is a nerve-janglingly tense, thought-provoking thriller, with an ideal tough role for Helen Mirren as British Colonel Katherine Powell, a UK-based military officer in command of a top-secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya.

As she sits commandingly in control behind a desk in the decision room, with remote surveillance drones providing the Eye in the Sky view of the title on her screens, as well as on-the-ground intel, she discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing and she sees the scale of the mission she’s planning escalate from capture to kill.

But, as Powell is bossing American operatives (Aaron Paul as American pilot Steve Watts) around to actually fly in and do the bombing deed, a young nine-year old girl enters what she has determined is the kill zone. This triggers an international dispute over the ethics and implications of warfare, with the line of command going right up to the Prime Minister.

An excellent situation, excellent performances, good dialogue and plot development in Guy Hibbert’s screenplay, tense atmosphere. In fact everything is good, an excellent film. It ticks all the excellent boxes.

Hood gives himself an acting role as Lt. Colonel Ed Walsh.

Also in the cast are Alan Rickman in his final live-action film role as Lieutenant General Frank Benson, Barkhad Abdi as Jama Farah, Iain Glen as James Willett, Jeremy Northam as Brian Woodale and Phoebe Fox as Carrie Gershon.

Hood said Rickman stayed on set for three or four days after shooting wrapped to attend the wrap party and individually thank the film crew for its dedication.

Mirren’s role was written for a man. Hood said 30 per cent of US military drone operators are treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. Actors often worked separately during the six-week shoot to save costs: in the decision room, Mirren is actually speaking to the director and facing a green screen with a red X showing her line of focus.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Movie Review

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