Review: 'Eye In The Sky' Takes Off But Never Soars

Annie Lindenberg ’19 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Eye in the Sky focuses on the topical issue of drone warfare as Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) leads a secret drone mission to capture a terrorist group living in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya. As it is revealed the terrorist group plans to carry out a suicide attack, the stakes are suddenly heightened as the mission may have to change from capture to kill. A moral issue is set in place when Drone pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) reports a nine-year-old girl in the blast zone for their attack, leading Powell to contact a string of politicians and lawyers before she can take action.
Before the true meat of this story slides on screen, a point is made to bring a sense of humanity to each character. Steve and Colonel Powell are both seen waking up, Lieutenant General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman) buys a doll for his granddaughter, and Jama Farah (Barkhad Abdi) brings food to his co-workers. This distinction is necessary for the movie, reminding us that at the base of this complex moral issue, everyone involved is human. This helps the audience find a better grip to hold onto what is happening when the issue gets more extreme.

 
Diving into the suspense, Eye in the Sky is enthralling in its own right. Though sometimes repetitive (there seems to be a constant need to contact higher ups, everyone always grappling at phones to find someone more knowledgeable then them to make the kill order they aren’t able to make themselves). The movie does pull you in, the drama stays high the whole time, always making you feel like the big moment might hit just for you to be strangled some more by the suspense. There are moments where this becomes far too much, the suspense making you feel like when you finally get to the big climax it might not feel that rewarding, but all fears are eliminated when you finally come to the moment the whole movie is leading towards.
For a movie with such big names, it doesn’t always utilize its actors. Alan Rickman feels ill-fitting for his role, only really shining in his final scene. While Mirren comes through as the strong, decisive character she is meant to be, her character is so one dimensional you never truly get to see the scope of her acting chops. Aaron Paul, on the other hand, shines in this movie. The expression he is able to convey through often just his eyes or face alone is striking, and this role really felt fully realized with him playing it.

With so many different locations and characters to swap between, Eye in the Sky can feel overwhelming. In climatic moments the movie flashes between all of its characters despite the fact that you only really connect with a few of them, and at the beginning of the film it takes some time to really grapple with all the aspects of the movie and what moments are essential. The tough moral question this movie tackles is really the best thing about it, and despite its flaws, Eye in the Sky is still worth a watch.
Overall Grade: B-
Watch The Trailer: 
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOqeoj669xg[/embedyt]