Ness Hutchins

CNMS Major

Eye in the Sky, directed by Gavin Hood, is a military drama about British Colonel Katherine Powell, Helen Mirren, whose military operation to capture terrorists in Kenya is jeopardized when a young Alia, Aisha Takow, crosses into the kill zone and elicits an international dispute over the consequences of combat in the modern world. Originally released in Europe in 2015, this is one of famed actor Alan Rickman’s final performances. He plays Lieutenant General Frank Benson of the British royal army.

Eye in the Sky features a diverse cast fitting with the plot. It’s great to see multiple women represented in the military structure as well, especially in positions of power such as Helen Mirren as Col. Powell. Yet, predictably, the people who play the roles with the most power within the film are not people of color.

Being a multimillion-dollar film, the production value is high. The film is well made, with convincing scenes of Kenya that help transport the audience into this foreign territory, but nothing is particularly striking or memorable about the cinematography of Eye in the Sky.

Although Mirren, Rickman, and the rest of the cast play their parts convincingly the overall plot felt flat.  Most of the movie is Mirren and Rickman trying to convince the British Prime Minister to give the go ahead for the drone strike while he stalls for time by referring up to his superiors. This builds tension as the audience watches the window of opportunity to catch the Muslim radicals close, while Alia continues to sell bread in the market outside the fence of their meeting place.

The whole film feels like a game of elaborate telephone where a young girl’s life is at stake. The build-up to the ending also makes the film feel disingenuous. Further exploration into the aftermath of the event that takes place would have given the character’s actions more context, making the audience better understand the gravity of the difficult decisions world military leaders need to make.

Eye in the Sky ticks all the boxes for a thrilling military drama, but nothing about it stands out or goes above and beyond. If you’re a fan of this particular genre or want to see more Alan Rickman, rent it once it’s out on DVD. Otherwise, just skip this film.