2 months ago when Alan Rickman suddenly passed away, many of us were left wondering if he had any more projects lined up for upcoming release dates and thankfully we have two films this year that features Alan Rickman. One being the sequel to 2010's "Alice in Wonderland", "Alice Through the Looking Glass", and the other being "Eye in the Sky". But who so far has heard of this relatively under-the-radar film? "Eye in the Sky" was released in September of last year at the Toronto International Film Festival and was met with critical acclaim. And now on March 11th, the film has finally hit theaters in New York and Los Angeles, which will then gradually expand nationwide in the following weeks. Because "Alice Through the Looking Glass" would only feature Rickman's voice, "Eye in the Sky" marked the last on-screen performance of this legend's career so many of us cinephiles are cramming the theaters to see him one last time. So how is "Eye in the Sky"?
"Eye in the Sky" stars Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman and Barked Abdi, and is directed by Gavin Hood. The film centers around a drone strike that is targeted at several high profile terrorists as Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) attempts to authorize the attack while making sure the operation is legally and ethically sound. Putting aside that this is Alan Rickman's final on-screen performance, I'm happy to say that "Eye in the Sky" is an extremely well crafted, brilliantly acted and profoundly important film. Tackling the subject of drone strikes, this film discusses the benefits and dilemmas of performing these military operations with no biased or preconceived ideas of what is right and what is wrong. The film is thankfully smart enough to let you, the audience, decide what is right and what is wrong.
Academy Award winner Helen Mirren takes charge in this suspenseful 102-minute film and it seems she hasn't lost one bit of her power and dignity. Playing Col. Katherine Powell, she is placed with a very difficult scenario of minimizing collateral damage but is determined to kill her dangerous targets. Handling life and death scenarios with strength and courage, Mirren shows that she can still be a showstopper and continues to impress us with her acting abilities.
For many of us, Aaron Paul is still Jessie Pinkman from "Breaking Bad". Even I have a hard time separating the two. However, Paul does his best to distinguish himself as drone pilot Steve Watts and provides the film with a sense of humanity and humility. The conflicts that Watts has to face, and eventually overcome, are both relatable and meaningful, making him one of the more vulnerable and sympathetic characters in a film that is surrounded by very authoritative and dominant people.
When the words "In Loving Memory of Alan Rickman" came on screen, I couldn't help but feel moved and a little sad. Seeing him with his usual commanding presence and gravitas was very heartbreaking. But in his last [live-action] role, Rickman took charge of every scene he was in with his deep noble voice and his everlasting charisma. Playing the experienced Lieutenant General Frank Benson, you can instantly tell that this is a man who has seen the face of war and has experienced hell. His quick thinking and militaristic mindset made him an assertive and striking character in the film, which was a good bittersweet note to end the man's impressive career.
Aside from the great cast, the thing I respect most about "Eye in the Sky" is that the film doesn't take a certain stance on its touchy subject matter. The film is neither pro or anti-drone strikes. Rather than choosing a side, it paints us a picture and gives the scenario without any judgement or prejudice. Making this a propaganda piece for or against drone strikes would have been a sloppy and lazy screenwriting tactic, but "Eye in the Sky" intelligently asks the audience to decide where you stand on this modern issue. The smart writing and direction from director Gavin Hood and writer Guy Hibbert helped mold a riveting film that was both a nail-biting thriller and a tension-filled political drama.
Pleased to say that "Eye of the Sky" caught me by surprise. Its acting, its pacing and its realistic approach to drone strikes made this film stand out among the rest. The film holds you until the end of its runtime and makes you ask questions, makes you grip down into your armrests with suspense and breaks your heart. While acknowledging both the good and the bad of drone strike operations, the film keeps itself in a moral and ethical middle ground and cleverly decides to keep the audience involved in this controversial topic. We are seeing one side of the argument. We are seeing both. This is an Oscar quality film that definitely deserves more attention and, of course, I give "Eye in the Sky" a 10 out of 10. So proud that the last time we'll see Alan Rickman's face was in a great film.
Go see it in theaters today!
