by Jon Partridge
There seems to be an endless stream of films depicting war these days. Understandable as the US seemed to have been involved in some conflict or another for decades now. Some chronicle the heroics, some the darker occurrences (genocide and exploitation), some the aftermath (PTSD), and others the moral questions that arise in this era of modern warfare. Eye in the Sky unsurprisingly falls into that final category and while it is the latest in a long line of films to tackle ideas of drone warfare, it does so with remarkable realism, insight and impact.
EYE IN THE SKY Synopsis
Directed by Academy Award® Winner Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Ender’s Game) and written by Guy Hibbert (“Complicit,” Five Minutes of Heaven), Eye in the Sky follows Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), a UK-based military officer in command of a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya. Using remote surveillance and on-the-ground intelligence, Powell discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing and the mission escalates from “capture” to “kill.” But as American pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is about to engage, a nine-year-old girl enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute, reaching the highest levels of American and British government, over the moral, political and personal implications of modern military operations.
Modern warfare, specifically drone strikes, have been the inspiration for several themes of late, Captain America: The Winter Soldier wove it into it’s narrative rather successfully, whereas London Has Fallen used it as a rather more ungainly tool to propel it’s story. Perhaps the most successful is 2014’s Good Kill from Andrew Niccol where Ethan Hawke portrays a drone pilot who gradually succumbs to the mental toll of his position. Eye in the Sky is a compelling companion piece to this film, drawing back from an individual and instead showing the deliberation, process, and ethical arguments that go into a single drone strike.
What begins as a simple monitoring and capture operation of high profile terrorist targets spirals into something more complex. Observation of explosive vests and an impending suicide attack presses the observing British and American task force into a drone strike, which then becomes subject to further deliberation as a child enters the impact zone, setting up a stall selling bread outside the house containing the terrorists. This is the premise; the film shows the various people involved in both the operation and the decision making, moving back and forth until an action is taken. Helen Mirren is a Colonel overseeing the military operation, Aaron Paul is a drone pilot in Nevada flying his first kill mission, Barkhad Abdi is an operative in the ground in Nairobi, and Alan Rickman is a Lt. General in London, conversing with political officials over the political, legal and ethical ramifications of the situation, awaiting an order to give the green light.
This sounds somewhat dry, but despite the talky nature of the film, it is expertly constructed both in terms of tension and pace. No time is wasted in developing the backstories. You know what role each person has to play and are quickly immersed in the situation. It’s a smartly constructed film where the viewer is privy to the details, has a seat at the table as it were, and is able to formulate their own judgement, feeling the conflict, rather than having a right or wrong thrust upon them.
The film also veers towards the more satirical at times; a food poisoned Foreign Secretary (Iain Glenn) or the US Secretary of State curtly responding to a phone call during a game of ping pong in China has the feel of In the Loop but never fully commits. Instead it offers a balanced perspective, one which feels largely rooted in realism. Despite this, I will admit to a depressing thought over whether the real military may actually go to this much trouble to save one innocent life. But at it’s core, Eye in the Sky focuses upon the politics, legality and moral conscience that tugs at each of the players. We see some passing the buck upwards, others coerced into fudging the numbers to get a pass on the mission, some working beyond their remit. Some give in to their emotions, others are determined to complete the mission, whatever the cost. It’s a film that is surprisingly engrossing despite it’s palette being limited entirely to shades of grey.
THE PACKAGE
The Blu-ray of Eye in the Sky shows a very impressive representation of the film. Dark interiors, command centers illuminated by screens and equipment or the bright exteriors of Nairobi all are impressively depicted. Deep blacks, defined textures and very natural colors are present throughout.
Special features are a tad limited. A Perspective featurette has footage intercut with interviews with Helen Mirren, Director Gavin Hood, and Producer Colin Firth discussing drone warfare and how the film explores the subject. The Morals featurette is the same format, with the same people looking at the ethical side of the debate. Each only runs about three minutes. This is a film that stirs debate and perhaps more expansive extras weaving the subject matter into real world events or gaining perspective from experts in modern warfare could have furthered the film’s impact. A digital copy is also included.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Eye in the Sky is an impeccably crafted film. It expertly flits from viewpoint to viewpoint, ratcheting up the tension as it goes. Every facet of the film is truly compelling, offering a timely and open to judgement representation of a controversial military tactic. In war, conflict doesn’t just occur on the battlefield; Eye in the Sky is the best film in recent years to show that.
Eye in the Sky is available On Digital HD On June 14, 2016 and On Blu-ray™ And DVD On June 28, 2016 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment