A lesser known war film featuring three huge stars has been lauded by viewers. Starring Helen Mirren, Eye in the Sky follows a military officer in command of an operation to capture terrorists in Kenya. The story focuses on the men and women on the ground that are charged with tracking the terrorist subject, as well as personnel in Kenya, the UK and the US.
However, her mission to launch a missile strike on AI-Shabaab terrorists takes a turn when a young girl enters the kill zone, triggering an international dispute over modern warfare. Meanwhile, the high-ranking officer must weigh up whether the ethical considerations of killing innocent civilians in collateral damage, in order to save dozens more, is worth carrying out the strike.
Mirren leads the cast as Colonel Katherine Powell, a UK military intelligence officer in the British Army. She is joined by fellow Hollywood A-listers Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul. Iain Glen, Phoebe Fox, Jeremy Northam and Monica Donal also feature in the ensemble cast.
The film came to life in 2015 after director Gavin Hood read the script from screenwriter Guy Hibbert, who has written films including Shot Through the Heart (1998), Omagh (2004) and Five Minutes of Heaven (2009).
Although it is not regarded as a Box Office hit, the film holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was praised for its tense plot and exploration of modern warfare.
Eye in the Sky received widespread praise from viewers, with several branding it the best modern war film they have witnessed. Taking to social media, one wrote: “Eye in the Sky is the best modern war movie I’ve seen, it involves drones and how warfare is conducted in the 21st century.”
“EYE IN THE SKY – One of the best films on war in recent times. Utterly gripping,” echoed a second as a third agreed: “Best war/military movie: Eye in the Sky.”
“Eye in the Sky is one of the best war movies I’ve seen since Hurt Locker. Masterful control of tension,” shared another fan.
Someone else declared: “Eye In The Sky is such a masterpiece.” Another posted: “Eye in the Sky (2015) 8-9/10! Probably one of the BEST Modern War movies ever made! RIP Alan Rickman…”
A seventh added: “Eye in the Sky – the best war film in years,” as another said: “Eye in the Sky is one of the best spy/war movies of all time, then the next hour happened. Next generation is scary!”