'Eye' a little bloodshot

Wes Craven's newest feature, "Red Eye," starring Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy and Brian Cox, offers few thrills, hot and cold dialogue and, at best, a decent plot.\nThe story follows Lisa Reiser, a manager of the Lux Atlantic, where Homeland Security Director Keese is staying. Murphy plays Jackson Ripner, a mercenary hired to assassinate Keese, who is seated next to McAdams on her flight back to Miami. McAdams is forced to comply when it is revealed her father is in danger if the plan fails. \nBoth McAdams and Murphy give their second better-than-average performances of the summer. Unfortunately, "Red Eye" is nothing compared to McAdams' "Wedding Crashers" nor is Murphy's performance as good a showcase of his acting abilites as it was in "Batman Begins." \nThe film's plot is more interesting than other recent thrillers as it draws on socio-political fears and ideas that are imbedded in today's social consciousness. Terrorists aboard planes and the assassination of political figures are topics of debate, interest and fear in our post-Sept. 11 America. Instead of a masked madman, seemingly indestructible aliens or zombies, "Red Eye" gives viewers a villain much more realistic and disturbing: an American mercenary working for terrorists. \nA lot of the movie's problems are due to the casting of the films supporting actors. The strong acting from Murphy, McAdams and Cox become lost in the overacting of the rest of the cast. The movie spends too much time developing the supporting cast who offer little more than "ah-ha!" moments and stale one-liners, but do little to drive or advance the plot in any significant way. \nThe film works well within its own limitations and never tries to be anything more than what it is: a cheap thriller. The movie's above-average actors and interesting plot are marred by the sub-par dialogue and overacting supporting cast. The movie offers average entertainment. With its short runtime and not-too-complicated plot, Wes Craven offers a simplicity that will wash over the viewers, making "Red Eye" perfect to watch on a Sunday morning when recovering after a night on the town.