Eye in the Sky - 2015 film review

Eye in the Sky is an outstanding action film, much of its strength deriving from the way it balances high-stakes drama with an exploration of almost impossible ethical choices. The director, Gavin Hood, and the writer, Guy Hibbert, do sterling work and the acting is excellent. You'd expect that from the charismatic leads, Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman (whose last screen role this was) but a special word of praise must also go to Barkhad Abdi, who is brilliant as an undercover Kenyan agent, a testing role that he handles with aplomb.

The set-up is that Mirren is a tough British colonel who has been tracking a female terrorist for years. Intelligence has now been received that this woman and a group of other terrorists are gathering together. A joint operation between the Americans, British and Kenyans is to capture the targets. In London, Rickman is the deputy chief of the Defence Staff and he is in a COBRA meeting with top politicians. They all watch footage filmed via drones operated skilfully by Farah (Abdi) and this reveals that in fact the terrorists are plotting a suicide bombing mission. We see them strapping on the suicide belts. Capturing them is no longer a realistic option. If they are not killed by a remote-controlled missile, then a large number of people will die.

But there is a big problem. A small girl is selling bread just outside the compound where the terrorists are preparing. A missile strike may kill her too. Mirren is intent on eliminating the threat and Rickman, although less ruthlessly focused, concludes that is the right thing to do. But the politicians and lawyers waver. They are agonised by the choice and I can understand why.

The central difficulty in these terrible dilemmas, I think, is that we are human beings who look to humanise situations. We see the lovely and totally innocent girl, so any decent person will want to save her. But shouldn't a decent person also use their imagination to try to picture the significant number of other people who will suffer and die if no action is taken? It's easy to understand why decision-makers want to shuffle off final responsibility, but one of the most chilling - yet entirely believable - moments in the film comes when the politicians start thinking about the dilemma in terms of propaganda rather than humanity. I'm thankful that I've never been involved in any comparable life or death decision-making. But I have taken part in meetings to discuss high-stakes issues involving many people's livelihoods and futures and at such times, you see human nature in the raw. It's seldom a pretty sight, and this is made clear, compellingly, by Eye in the Sky.

This film also makes it clear that there are no easy answers, no consequence-free decisions. Balancing risks is crucial. But it's also very painful. A superb film, strongly recommended.