It’s pretty hard not to like actor Cillian Murphy — at least, it is for us. Whether he’s sporting a mustache for a forgotten 2016 action comedy with Brie Larson or delivering Academy Awards-worthy performances in films like Christopher Nolan’s 2024 historical epic “Oppenheimer,” we’re pretty likely to tune in if we see his name anywhere near a flick. So when we found an overlooked 2005 psychological thriller starring the actor streaming for free, we just had to stop what we were doing and take a look.
2005’s “Red Eye” is what happens when horror-movie icon Wes Craven joins forces with Murphy and “Mean Girls” actress Rachel McAdams to give audiences potentially another reason to be afraid of flying. Though critics seem to favor this one more than audiences, this 85-minute thrill-ride is good for fans of Murphy or McAdams, and the film also earned Murphy and McAdams nominations at the 2006 Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actress, respectively.
Funny enough, even though we think the flick is worth a watch, Cillian Murphy may have some mixed feelings about the project. In a 2005 interview with GQ Magazine, the actor may have been a bit too honest, stating, “I love Rachel McAdams and we had fun making it, but I don’t think it’s a good movie. It’s a good B movie.” Nonetheless, if you find yourself not being a fan of “Red Eye,” we have some ideas for other great performances of Murphy’s that you can watch.
Cillian Murphy takes flight in 2005’s Red Eye
There are plenty of free streaming services and apps when you’re not sure exactly what you’re in the mood to watch, but the nice thing about the movie “Red Eye” is that it’s easily available on YouTube, making this one pretty easy to catch. Directed by Wes Craven, who brought the world the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Scream” franchises, “Red Eye” can be good for a rainy day or for taking a nice breather between binge-watching your favorite streaming series.
“Red Eye” follows the story of Lisa Reisert (McAdams), a hotel manager who is taking a late-night flight to Miami, Florida. Waiting for her plane due to a weather delay, she randomly meets Jack Rippner (Murphy) in an airport bar. Finding themselves together on the flight, the overly charming Rippner reveals to Reisert that he needs her help with a high-profile assassination. Unfortunately for Reisert, Rippner has just what he needs to blackmail her into playing along. Along with McAdams and Murphy, “Red Eye” also stars Brian Cox and Jayma Mays, among others.
On Rotten Tomatoes, “Red Eye” holds a 80% Tomatometer score and a 64% Popcornmeter score. In a review for Stream on Demand, critic Sean Axmaker states that “horror pop-meister Wes Craven proves to be a good hand at crafting a simple, straightforward, surprisingly effective thriller with a minimum of gimmickry.” Along with being able to catch this one for free with ads on YouTube, you can also stream “Red Eye” on Starz and Paramount+.
