TENDER TREATMENT OF A SERIOUS SUBJECT – EYE IN THE SKY – OUT NOW IN UK
Dame Helen Mirren at the premiere of Eye in the Sky supported the theory that casting her as the Colonel (Katherine Powell) made viewing the film more interesting to female as well as male audiences and after seeing it I can say why. The wish to protect innocent children in an operation to destroy known suicide bombers in Kenya is the main story rather than the sub plot. By modern methods of spying – using a “bird” with a camera in it which flies and spies together with a flying beetle which managed to be manoeuvred into a flat and filmed the suicide bombers putting their explosive vests on, the audience is left in no doubt as to whom to support when the pilotless drone is due to drop a bomb on the whole proceedings. However one young girl who features heavily in the story – plays in the yard with her hoola hoop and sells bread every day made by her mother. The forces in charge of the security operation are very loath that this little star should be extinguished in order to blow away the terrorists and her every move has been monitored for many days on the important operation.
The crowd bent on doing the destruction have endless interaction with US agencies as well as UK ones as one of the terrorists’s accomplices is an American National. The point is that the bombers would kill many people if not extinguished in a limited amount of time while heavy and fraught negotiations between various bodies including the UK Prime Minister ensue to get clearance to do the bombing and hopefully to save the girl. Eventually a 45% risk of killing the girl who is in the space selling bread outside the terrorist flat is the best the forces can come up with and though the “murder” is stalled it finally goes ahead and oh dear – the girl is thrown to the ground in smoke and rubble. A second bomb ensures Susan Danford an English muslim inside the flat does not crawl to freedom.
Burkhad Abdi (Jama Farah) plays a fine part as one of the spies operating the spy beetle using a converted mobile phone which gives pictures to the military. Aaron Paul as Steve Watts can hardly stop himself from crying as he is the one who is refusing to pull the trigger ’til the very last moment – his female colleague is streaming with tears.
As entertainment, you will find this sad saga actually very engrossing and almost uplifting as everyone breathes a sigh of relief that the subjects of the espionage and planned terrorism are duly “done away with” but on the minus side there is sadness at how this affects innocent peoples’ lives which can never be fully repaired.
The late Alan Rickman plays a compelling part as one of the generals in London co-ordinating the operation and Colin Firth is one of the producers. Though I am not going to name all the cast in this review I can guarantee you will find the acting expressing doubt, compassion and somewhat evil debates, in top form. The British in the past twenty years have honed and sharpened up their game in the world of cinema to make all and sundry sit up and take notice. Do try to see this film which is more or less docudrama as it covers very real and very present issues in our war torn world. Enjoy.
Penny Nair Price