Eye in the Sky (2016)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

'Eye in the Sky's' main attraction was not for me the fascinating subject. It was not because of my love for the genre. It was because of the immensely talented cast, Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi and Aaron Paul have been great and more in other things, with my main reason for seeing 'Eye in the Sky' being Rickman in his final screen role before his ultimely death two years ago from pancreatic cancer (a loss still very deeply felt).While not a flawless film as such, and it has proven to be a film that has polarised viewers, 'Eye in the Sky' is truly impressive. There are many fine things and its best elements are superb. What some have found heavy handed, dull, dubious morally and one-sided, was to me a film that was gripping, tense and one that approached its subject matter intelligently and strived not to be too conventional or too simple. Can totally understand the polarisation though, it's a controversial subject in the first place and it was always going to be very hard for any film how to approach it, 'Eye in the Sky' does this well. Maybe the sentimentality towards the end is a touch too much and maybe the message was hammered home a little too thickly. Otherwise, there was nothing to fault 'Eye in the Sky'. Where it most excels is with the casting, with Helen Mirren being cast against type and doing so with authoritative steel. Aaron Paul is as great as he was in 'Breaking Bad' and Barkhad Abdi shows his versatility in a role different to the one he had in 'Captain Phillips'. Alan Rickman however gives the best performance, he is commanding and splendidly droll and there was an element of poignancy too knowing that it was his last performance.The film has nail-biting tension and suspense, unfolds deliberately but never dully (was actually on the edge of my seat the whole time) and was never hard to follow while not ever getting simplistic. It made a real effort to be balanced and handles a difficult subject with tact and intelligence, with it not overdoing or trivialising the full impact of the situation and bravely not falling into clichéd genre tropes or providing easy or over-convenient answers. The main point and moral is generally made effectively. The script is thoughtful and well written and some of the film is also very heartfelt and brings a lump to the throat.It is a very well made film visually, having the right amount of grit and stylishness and capturing the claustrophobic confinement of the setting with authenticity. The direction is always at ease with the material and doesn't lose control or let go. Although, truly impressive. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Although not very realistic, the film asks very compelling moral questions. A British Colonel (Helen Mirren) is placed in charge of ordering two American pilots to strike a house in Kenya filled with known terrorists. The problem comes in the face of an innocent girl who is selling bread to feed her family, and that there is at least "a sixty percent chance" she will be killed if the house is struck by a missile. Because the terrorists have strapped themselves with bombs to commit an act of terrorism after leaving the house, a moral battle ensues. Some members of the British and American Governments and Militaries are supportive of striking the house, while others do not want to risk killing the little girl. Progressively, higher ups to the American Secretary of State and the Prime Minister are suggested to be consulted because no one knows what decision to make. The British Colonel decides to manipulate "kill ratio" by having the possibility of the girl being killed as low as "45%" in one spot of the house. The strike is finally made and the girl is killed. The British Colonel disobeys the wishes of the British Government to have a British woman who married one of the terrorists captured, and orders the British woman in the house to be killed by another missile. There were a number of flaws in the movie. Firstly, a pilot would not be able to refuse an order to launch the missile. Secondly, the British Colonel is portrayed so evilly that she starts to side track the message of the movie. Lastly, nothing is mentioned about the fact that the Kenyan Army is on stand by and could easily have seized the vehicle that the terrorists were in when they left the house. Still, I have to say it was a good movie that asked tough questions. There is no doubt that these extremists are very bad people and a danger to all around. Yet, launching a missile is not an exact science. It cannot be predicted exactly how much damage will be caused. More importantly, these terrorists are operating around a lot of innocent people. It is a tragedy seeing innocent people killed in war, and never easy. Lastly, pilots have to deal with the realities. The two pilots were from opposite ends of the country, and had never participated in a combat mission. At the end, they both have only twelve hours to report back to duty. We never find out what happens after that, but either the pilots will just serve out their duties or grow from their experience. These terrorists are really bad and dangerous people, but lots of innocent people die wars. Hopefully, this movie will make people think seriously about reality and that can only help themselves grow in understanding what war is. It is the individual's choice how to respond.

Setup well, bit slow but purposefully so. Packs required punch and thought process. Heartfelt. Well acted

Full credit to the film for tackling some of the moral dilemmas of modern warfare - unfortunately the good news ends there. Poor direction leads to a film lacking in tension, with contrived scenes involving many stereotypical protagonists; so lacking in tension is this film that I went to do the washing up, that being a more gripping activity. The bad news does not stop there. The casting is awful, Alan Rickman is a fine actor but falls completely flat as General Benson. Surprisingly given some of her previous roles Helen MIrren fails to inhabit the role of Colonel Powell - a more unlikely pair of high ranking military officers there has never been. If Britain's defence relies on these two officers then we are in big trouble. The politicians are laughable in their inability and the American soldiers mere facsimiles. Watch, but have low expectations.