The under-the-radar war thriller boasts a star-studded cast and yet what many film fans don’t know is that it’s the last time one legendary British actor was seen on screen.
With a star-studded cast, it’s no wonder audiences are leaving five-star reviews, as the likes of Helen Mirren and Aaron Paul help bring to life a gripping military story. Eye in the Sky retells the tale of an officer leading a military operation in Kenya to capture terrorists.
Although, things don’t go to plan when Colonel Katherine Powell, played by Mirren, takes an unexpected turn. Their aim to launch a deadly missile against the Al-Shabaab terrorists is interrupted when a young girl innocently wanders into the ‘kill zone’, sparking a worldwide debate on modern warfare.
The iconic ensemble cast is also made up of Iain Glen, Phoebe Fox, Jeremy Northam and British legend Alan Rickman. Eye in the Sky became the star’s last ever film project before his passing in 2016, with the film releasing not even six months prior in September 2015.
While the film itself didn’t go on to have much notable success at the box office, it has since garnered quite the amount of support from movie buffs online. Overall, it boasts an impressive score of 95% on the review site Rotten Tomatoes, as fans praise its suspenseful storyline and A-list casting.
One review said: “Tense, thrilling and thought-provoking, a stellar cast brings vividly to life a believable story.” While someone else chimed in to say it was “slow, intense and thrilling”.
Another review reads: “Excellent film. Alan Rickman and Helen Mirren are brilliant. Well worth watching.” As someone else described the roles in Eye in the Sky to be both “breathtakingly performed” and “unusually genuine”.
Further praise came from a fan who said: “I have to say, this film blows my mind. The combination of the suspense, the back-and-forth, and the frustration exceeds any out-of-the-world action sequences; not to mention Mirren and Rickman being superb as always.
Meanwhile, another rave review added: “Wow. Such a great film. This movie builds tension until the very last scene, which makes for a thrilling and intense ride. Great acting all across the board and great cinematography. After watching this film and Official Secrets, Gavin Hood has proven to be a great director and one of my favourites. Highly recommend this one!
The 2015 film was brought to life by director Gavin Hood, the man behind the likes of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Ender’s Game, after he was captivated by the script Guy Hibbert wrote. Joining the dream team as a producer also happened to be British actor Colin Firth.
It’s their joint efforts that created what one viewer called an “excellent piece of filming and interpretation”. They claimed it perfectly displays the complicated crossroads between “military, legal and political paths”.
Whether you’re a fan of Rickman looking for another role of his sure to blow you away or simply looking for a thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat, Eye in the Sky is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.