While he is primarily known for his contributions to the horror genre (and perhaps deserves the status as the person who pioneered a new kind of cinematic terror), Wes Craven was not afraid to experiment from time to time, working with different material to create vibrant and interesting films that traverse genre and convention in fascinating ways – and even though his horror work is appropriately the strongest part of his legacy, seeing his forays into other genres is an invigorating and captivating experience. Red Eye is a film that seems to be quite different from anything Craven had done previously (although nothing could ever be more severe a deviation in style than Music of the Heart, perhaps his most subversive film). Still, once we unpack all the elements, we find that the same skillful director stands at the helm, his exceptional gifts allowing him to perfectly guide the telling of this story, which focuses on a few hours in the life of a mild-mannered hotel manager who is taking a red-eye flight back home to Miami, only to encounter a mysterious stranger that goes out of his way to befriend her, hiding the fact that he has ulterior motives for this forced friendship, leading to the revelation of an unsettling terrorist plot that could threaten the safety of the entire country if it transpires. A tense psychological thriller that has many sinister surprises lurking around every corner, Red Eye represents one of the many exemplary works that Craven produced throughout his iconic career, a film that carries both a deep message about socio-cultural matters, and a tension that we rarely find in contemporary action films, which immediately qualifies this as one of the better entries into a genre that isn’t always known for its intelligence or being all that original, especially in recent years, where it has fallen victim to conventions, something that we find Craven earnestly trying to counteract as a result of always pushing forward to find new ways to tell the most simple but effective stories.

The fervent devotees of Red Eye are in short supply but are extremely passionate, and often use this film to show that Craven was more than just someone who worked best in horror. It isn’t a major departure – there is already such a narrow boundary between a psychological thriller and a horror film, with the main difference usually being atmosphere and other narrative-based elements – but it still gives the director a chance to try to filter his vision into something slightly different. In this regard, we have a film that finds Craven drawing on many of his most interesting ideas, but in a form that is a lot more experimental in terms of how he captures our attention. Many of his notable traits are present here, both narratively and visually – this is essentially the story of someone finding herself in an unnecessarily dangerous situation, forced to participate in the perpetual battle between good and evil, brought on her by a sinister group of people and the one individual chosen to torment her until she buckles under the weight of his manipulation, which is the framework of many of the horror films that Craven mastered throughout his career. Red Eye is a film about survival, and the challenges that come when someone realises that they have to battle malicious forces to make it through whatever challenges they find themselves in. Craven simply applies these ideas to a more resonant story, and one that is somehow more terrifying, considering how it was drawn from reality. The impact of the September 11th attacks still loomed heavily over the production of this film (and some of the chilling references to that atrocity are amongst the most unsettling in the film), and we find ourselves gradually trying to understand exactly what drives this story and makes it so deeply enigmatic, but also profoundly captivating, which is all a sign of Craven’s incomparable gifts as a filmmaker, even when making something decidely outside of his wheelhouse.

One of the aspects that Craven most notably brought from his previous work is the characterization of both his heroes and their adversaries – his horror films were known for having fascinating characters on both sides, with the villains in particular being extremely memorable. Red Eye features two exceptional performances in the leading roles, which elevate the material and immediately make this a film that is worth our time. Rachel McAdams is one of the most charismatic actors to ever appear on screen – her emotions are always so measured and genuine, and she has never come across as anything less than totally authentic, which is why she’s such a celebrated performer. Her work in Red Eye seems easy in theory, but it is most certainly not even close to as simple as it appears at first. There’s a sense of curiosity that drives this performance, making it one of the most invigorating and honest we have ever seen in one of these run-of-the-mill action films, and she captures so much complexity in a relatively simple role, and she completely convinces us of the merits underlying this character. However, if there is one slight complaint we can have against this film, it would be the casting of Cillian Murphy – he is a remarkable actor, and he performs exceptionally well, capturing the creepiness of this villain in a way that is always captivating. However, in the earlier scenes when he is introduced, we aren’t always convinced that he is as charming and harmless as he appears, which makes the revelation that he is a despicable villain slightly less shocking, since Murphy has usually thrived in playing irredeemable villains without much moral fibre. Yet, this doesn’t distract from the fact that his performance in Red Eye is exceptional – both physically and emotionally, he embodies every aspect of this character. Both leads are brilliant and bring such genuine emotion and complexity to a film that rests securely on their shoulders, and they deliver strong work that defines the entire narrative.

Stylistically, it is not difficult to see precisely why Red Eye is seen as such a unique work, despite its existence in a genre that can sometimes be overly driven by patterns more than originality. Craven was not one who ever intended to play by the rules, so it only stands to reason that he would take hte opportunity to prove his cinematic mettle by taking a simple action premise and turning it into one of the most ambitious, compelling films of the past twenty years, which it achieves not only through possessing a very strong story, but the right visual approach to go along with it, which considerably elevates the narrative. At only 85 minutes, this is the most economical of action thrillers – it is tense and never overstays its welcome, being a fascinating and deeply entertaining film that occupies its given genre well, and adds so much nuance to an already compelling storyline by moving along at a swift pace. There isn’t much time for meandering, and its ability to get straight to the point is precisely why the film feels so refreshing and exciting, despite the perceived simplicity of its premise. Ultimately, what we find most captivating about the film is how it develops its ideas – moving at such a rapid pace, everything needs to be done along the way, and there is very little time to spend on exposition. This gives the film a sense of genuine peril, and we can easily occupy the position of the protagonist, feeling the same sense of panic and discord that she would be experiencing. Craven’s greatest talent as a filmmaker was having the audience feel the same emotions as his characters, and this film proves to be an excellent example of this principle in practice, with the tension and terror felt by the hero as she navigates these challenges being reflected in this film, which proceeds at a breakneck speed and keeps going, not stopping until the final haunting moments in which we receive the necessary catharsis, albeit after having endured quite an emotional journey.

There has never been a better time to revisit Red Eye that the present day – nearly twenty years later, this film remains shockingly resonant and perhaps even slightly too realistic, with some of its themes being profoundly disturbing and perhaps even slightly too on-the-nose to be an example of pure escapism, which is quite a remarkable achievement considering how this was formed from a relatively simple premise. It has started to gain a lot of momentum, being viewed as much more than a run-of-the-mill action thriller, and instead being viewed as a psychological drama that touches on some of the darkest aspects of the human condition, particularly our proclivity to covet what we cannot possess, as well as the sense of vengeance that seemingly simmers within every one of us. It’s a peculiar, challenging film with a deeper meaning that we don’t initially notice, but which comes across gradually and with incredible consistency, being developed in real-time as this film moves along. The atmosphere is filled with insatiable tension, the humour is as dark as we would expect from Craven (who somehow infuses even the most bleak moments with some satirical jabs), and the direction is precise, neat and captivating, which is part of the reason why the film is such an intriguing work, and one that has slowly started to be re-evaluated as an absolute masterpiece. Craven was a genius, and while it may not be on the same level as his horror films, Red Eye is still deeply entertaining, and one of the absolute best films on the subject of paranoia we’ve seen produced in the past couple of decades, which only further highlights what an essential work this is, and how it should be viewed as much more than just a surface-level potboiler.