Short Review: I understand the sequel will be even more claustrophobic and terrifying. The plot will involve a plane full of poor souls who have to watch film as the in-flight movie.



Wes Craven is not exactly known for his adherence to quality. He has spent his career littering the cultural landscape with more trash than a New Jersey landfill. This dim flick is little more than another chewed up Styrofoam cup in Craven’s cinematic heap.

The story revolves around…wait; I won’t use the word “revolves” that would imply some sense of spry movement. The story passively lumbers around the idea of Lisa (Rachel McAdams) a workaholic hotel manager who is taking a red eye flight to meet with her father (played by Brian Cox recreating his breakthrough role from Super Troopers.) She is then menaced by a creepy stranger named Rippner (Cillian Murphy.) Rippner (ohhh scary name!) blackmails Lisa (not important enough to be given a last name by the writer) to become a part of an assassination attempt of a senator who is staying in her hotel. If she calls the hotel and has the senator moved to a room facing the ocean so the bad guys can kill him, the bad guys won’t kill her daddy.

If you’re thinking this sounds like a stupid plot – you’re right, it is. It is spectacularly stupid.

To be fair, this film is good until the plot comes into play. The movie works for the first act while we watch Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy develop their relationship and characters. The moment the plot is exposed the whole film falls apart under the weight of its own broken logic.

This film is a vehicle for McAdams and in that effort is succeeds mildly. She shows she has the ability to command a simple film. She is also a very good-looking woman with an every day woman demeanor. Her performance in this film shows that she has an approachable charisma that will serve her well. Murphy kicks out another creepy performance that he seems able to give without much work. Playing against McAdams, he does well…until the stinky plot fouls his efforts.

To summarize, this film is neither worth the rental price nor the time it takes to watch it. I can say the film is as good as it can be, but that isn’t setting the bar very high. Unfortunately, with a plot this moronic, this movie was doomed from take off.


Related Reviews:
Rachel McAdams movies
Mean Girls (2004)
The Notebook (2004)


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Film Freak Central
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Labels: Cillian Murphy, film, movie review, Rachel McAdams, Wes Craven