RED EYE (2005) Movie Review

There are few tests in life more difficult than this, especially when working in customer service. Customers service representatives see the worst come out in people over the most superficial reasons. People can be very difficult animals, especially when they know they can get away with it. Even condoned. The job itself is enough to make on question his/her faith in humanity. I certainly have.

Yet, scripture is clear. Live in peace. Remain patient. When in doubt, kill them with kindness. More often than not, they won’t know how to react.

What, then, would happen if the job consumed a person? How far is too far? What happens to Jackson Ripner in Red Eye when he becomes obsessed with pleasing the customer and finishing the job. Others suffer and die.

Red Eye is a brilliant comparison between two managers, Lisa and Jackson. They are alike in many ways. Both are alone and devoted to the job. Both are good at reading people and anticipating the needs of their customers. Both are beautiful and charismatic. Both are surrounded by entitled customers.

However, they are also different. Lisa’s humanity remains intact. She is kind, patient, empathetic, and caring. Though devoted to her job and often times dishonest, she doesn’t allow it to threaten her morality. Lisa is a good person.

Jackson, though honest, is abusive, controlling, and apathetic. When Jackson traps Lisa on a plane, she gets a cold, hard reality check. He threatens her father. He abuses her. He plays with her mind. He compares her to himself. She cannot escape.

Her cooperation with him would result in the deaths of an entire family. Her refusal to cooperate would result in the death of her father. Either way, she would be held responsible for it.

Thus, the time comes where Lisa faces a choice whether or not to cross the line. She is in danger of becoming Jackson. If she doesn’t reassess her priorities, she will become Jackson. She must learn to say, “NO”. She learns to put family and friends above her work. She chooses compassion.

Red Eye is no horror film, but it certainly is terrifying. It illustrates the depth of a man’s depravity after he loses his humanity for the sake of his job. He becomes so obsessed with pleasing his customers that he loses sight of everything else. When Lisa fights him, he becomes threatened by her resolve. Still, he fights. All to his own detriment.

This movie should make you stop and consider your priorities. How far would you go for the job? For customers to look down on you? For people who wouldn’t think twice before walking all over you? Instead, make the people who love you a priority. Love and respect them in return. Before it is too late and you lose sense your humanity.