Eye in the Sky

Name: Eye in the Sky
Genre: Drama, Thriller, War
Released: March 11, 2016
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Helen Mirren, Iain Glen

2016

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 191 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 191 Ratings

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Eye In The Sky

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Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street | Release Date: March 11, 2016 | R

Starring: Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Helen Mirren, Iain Glen, Jeremy Northam, Kim Engelbrecht, Phoebe Fox

Summary: Through remote surveillance and on-the-ground intel, Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), a UK-based military officer in command of a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing and the mission escalates from “capture” to “kill.” But as American pilot Steve Watts (AaronThrough remote surveillance and on-the-ground intel, Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), a UK-based military officer in command of a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing and the mission escalates from “capture” to “kill.” But as American pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is about to engage, a nine-year old girl enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute, reaching the highest levels of US and British government, over the moral, political, and personal implications of modern warfare. … Expand

Director: Gavin Hood

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, War

Rating: R

Runtime: 102 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Lawrence Toppman

Apr 4, 2016

In a world full of recyclable superheroes and mindless “empowerment” comedies, we’re finally getting a movie about reality. We’re surrounded by surveillance and the threat of violence, and this film asks us to judge the proper balance between liberty and security – and the amount of collateral damage acceptable to maintain the latter. Read full review

Joe Leydon

Sep 12, 2015

A rivetingly suspenseful drama that deftly intertwines elements of ticking-clock thriller and tragic farce. Read full review

Steve Persall

Apr 1, 2016

Eye in the Sky remains gripping even when Hibbert tosses in one or two side-taking circumstances too many. Read full review

Ty Burr

Mar 17, 2016

Its strength and limitation is that it’s a gimmick that works. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Mar 18, 2016

The acting is world-class in Eye in the Sky, a timely and tense but sometimes heavy-handed drama set in the modern world of drone warfare. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Mar 17, 2016

Subtle it's not, but the film is effective both as a thriller and as a war film with something to say. Read full review

Michael Nordine

Mar 9, 2016

The problem with movies depicting the banality of anything, of course, is that they tend to be pretty banal themselves; in setting out to be the exception to that rule, Eye in the Sky only proves it. Read full review

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User Reviews

ClariseSamuels

Mar 30, 2016

A film about drone warfare makes one think there will be many battle scenes, a lot of soldiers, and much blood and gore. But this film is different—this movie depicts how warfare is conducted in the board room by high-ranking military officials, cabinet members, prime ministers andA film about drone warfare makes one think there will be many battle scenes, a lot of soldiers, and much blood and gore. But this film is different—this movie depicts how warfare is conducted in the board room by high-ranking military officials, cabinet members, prime ministers and presidents. It also depicts the high-tech kind of war that is waged with drones and surveillance equipment that can be as small as an insect as it flies through the air and silently enters buildings through windows and other apertures.

Helen Mirren plays Colonel Powell, who after six years of tracking terrorist extremists, has finally cornered three of her most-wanted in one building in Kenya. The original plan was to capture, not kill, until the surveillance “beetle” enters and transmits a horrific scene to Powell and her associates, as well as Lt. General Benson (Alan Rickman) in London who is watching the events on screen with other important British politicians—two terrorists are making their final video before they suit up with their explosive vests as they prepare for a suicide mission. The plan to capture, not kill, has to be changed almost immediately, for the military has less than an hour to release a “hellfire” on the building before the terrorists board their vehicles and head for their destination, which is most likely going to be a crowded mall. The hellfire will kill everyone in the building, as well as people in a limited perimeter around the building, a risk which is referred to as “collateral damage.” In order to change the plan, quick conferences are needed with British higher-ups, and because one terrorist is an American citizen, the Secretary of State has to be interrupted in China, where he is participating in a ping-pong tournament.

The approvals are quickly gathered, the sights are set on their target, the countdown begins, and then at the last minute, an innocent little Islamic girl sets up her table to sell bread smack in the middle of the dangerous periphery surrounding the building. Thus begins an agonizing process of calculating how to reduce the collateral in order to save the life of one child before an estimated eighty or so people are murdered in a crowded mall. The process is nerve-wracking, time is running out, and the British politicians are very squeamish about the whole idea of killing a child. Classic philosophical dilemmas are in this fashion presented—the Rousseauian argument that the goal of the state is the realization of the common good as identified by the will of a political community and expressed through its government; and the famous philosophical “Trolley Problem,” a thought experiment where the choice is to divert a train that is about to kill five people onto a track where it will only kill one, or do nothing. Although the choice to save many instead of only one may seem plausible, no one wants to be responsible for making that decision.

The weapons of war are depicted with fascinating realism in this film. Mirren is at her best as a high-ranking military officer who wants her country's enemies taken out at all costs; she is close to being ruthless. The late Alan Rickman as a senior lieutenant general is beautifully understated in his calm determination to do the right thing and guide the process from a conference room. He is formidable when he delivers a key line, “Don't ever tell a soldier that he doesn't know the cost of war.” And playing a Kenyan native who is recruited to be an undercover spy for the British is the unique Barkhad Abdi, who before starring in the film Captain Phillips had no previous acting experience—he is a joy to watch on screen.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

NerdConsultant

Apr 17, 2016

Eye in the Sky is an absolutely fantastic thriller that forces it's audience to confront modern warfare in fair and balanced way with great writing characters and some awesome performances from Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul who is the best he's been since Braking Bad. specialEye in the Sky is an absolutely fantastic thriller that forces it's audience to confront modern warfare in fair and balanced way with great writing characters and some awesome performances from Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul who is the best he's been since Braking Bad. special mention should also go to Barked Abdi who between this and his oscar nominated perforce in Captain Phillips proves what a natural and organic actor he rally is. I hate when people describe a film as edge of your seat stuff but the tension in this film may make that term appropriate. i think this will be a rather divisive film because i suspect a few pro drone people may view it as left wing and a few propaganda and anti drone people may view it as right wing propaganda but that will be because it doesn't really take anyones side and is rather balanced and is a real credit to director Gavin Hood which proves that even directors of awful films (in this case X-Men Orgins Wolverine) can still make fantastic films.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

CarFan1999

Aug 13, 2016

Eye In The Sky has terrific acting, especially from Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman. The story over whether or whether not to launch a drone attack is original and has great suspense. This film questions the morality of using drones from a neutral standpoint, pointing out all the pros and consEye In The Sky has terrific acting, especially from Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman. The story over whether or whether not to launch a drone attack is original and has great suspense. This film questions the morality of using drones from a neutral standpoint, pointing out all the pros and cons of this technology. It doesn't take a side, thus allowing the viewer to make his or her own conclusions. This also shows how hard the process is to launch a drone strike with all the political and military involvement. The story itself is also great. The suspense is gripping and the emotion is quite moving. The pacing is also perfect and there is some lighthearted comedy thrown in to keep this from being depressing. The only main issue I had with Eye In The Sky is that some of the background characters were overly goofy and stereotypical. In addition, the conflict over using a drone is too dumbed down to simply a yes or no answer. There is a lot of nuance and complicated things that go on when deciding military issues, not simple yes or no answers. Overall, while Eye In The Sky dumbs down the subject matter a bit too much. However, its wonderful acting, gripping suspense, and great emotion make Eye In The Sky great overall.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

horrorliefheb

May 15, 2016

-Eye in the Sky is a 2015 British thriller film starring Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman and Barkhad Abdi. The film, directed by Gavin Hood based on a screenplay by Guy Hibbert, is about military personnel facing the legal, ethical and political dilemmas presented by drone warfare-Eye in the Sky is a 2015 British thriller film starring Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman and Barkhad Abdi. The film, directed by Gavin Hood based on a screenplay by Guy Hibbert, is about military personnel facing the legal, ethical and political dilemmas presented by drone warfare against those using terrorist tactics, and civilians who are endangered by it. It was filmed in South Africa in late 2014.

-The film premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2015. Bleecker Street distributed the film in theaters in the United States with a limited release on 11 March 2016. Entertainment One plans to distribute the film in theaters in United Kingdom on 8 April 2016. It will also release the film in Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand. It is one of two posthumous feature films starring Rickman, who died of pancreatic cancer in January 2016; the other is Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016).

--Critical response:

-Eye in the Sky has received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 94%, based on 140 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "As taut as it is timely, Eye in the Sky offers a powerfully acted – and unusually cerebral – spin on the modern wartime political thriller." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 73 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

-Rickman's performance was well received by critics, with Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times saying, "Mr. Rickman was never nominated for an Academy Award and it's probably a long shot for a posthumous Supporting Actor for this film -- but his work here is a reminder of what a special talent he possessed."

-Dr. Peter Asaro on Science & Film reviewed the accuracy of the advanced military technology depicted in the film concluding, "keep in mind that while some of the advanced technologies depicted are not yet out in the field, many are only a few years away from being a reality."

--See also:

• Good Kill, a 2014 film also featuring drone warfare… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

TVJerry

Apr 7, 2016

This film is told from a high level, literally. Mostly using drones for surveillance and firepower, a military officer (Helen Mirren) commands a mission to stop terrorists in Kenya. This is framed around tense discussions among government leaders about the political issues of collateralThis film is told from a high level, literally. Mostly using drones for surveillance and firepower, a military officer (Helen Mirren) commands a mission to stop terrorists in Kenya. This is framed around tense discussions among government leaders about the political issues of collateral damage. Meanwhile, in Nevada, the remote pilot (Aaron Paul) is tasked with firing the actual bomb and risking the lives of innocents. While the debate and consequential dilemmas are compelling, there's not much on-the-ground action. This is mostly carried out from remote locations, rendering the film more a moral/political debate with real-life consequences. The performances and tight editing help make this predominately intellectual interchange an absorbing experience.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

gfny

Apr 1, 2016

A fair movie that could have been an excellent movie if not for the melodramatic tearjerker script. Good direction and acting, some good scenery, but bordered on the unbelieveable for the technical gadgets.

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

Idiota150

Jun 17, 2016

A film about spineless politicians who can't do math and a few crybaby militaries. Boring boring boooooring - no thriller, no suspense, no difficult decisions. Overrated and not worth the watch.

1 of 9 users found this helpful18

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84	#84 Most Discussed Movie of 2016
72	#72 Most Shared Movie of 2016