‘Red Eye’ at 20: the movie Cillian Murphy really wants you to stop asking him about
Most actors have a movie they want you to erase from your memory, and for Cillian Murphy, it’s Red Eye.
The Wes Craven film was released 20 years ago (yes, 2005 was really that long ago), shortly after Murphy had made a name for himself in the Danny Boyle classic 28 Days Later. While the horror feature was made on a rather small budget, even using a digital camcorder for filming, it wasn’t long before Murphy switched this out for a more lavish lifestyle.
From this point on, Murphy jetted off to Hollywood, where a role in Batman Begins would see him impress American audiences with a villainous performance as The Scarecrow.
Yet, Murphy certainly made some missteps while trying to find his feet under the startling bright lights of the film industry, blinded by the barrage of opportunities now laid out in front of him. Should he commit himself to the illustrious world of Hollywood or maintain his loyalty to the British and Irish productions that kick-started his career? Murphy attempted to balance both, leading him to a rather varied year in which he played the villainous Scarecrow in Batman Begins, an Irish transgender woman in Breakfast on Pluto, and a terrorist in Red Eye.
Teaming up with Craven, the horror legend behind A Nightmare on Elm Street and the Scream franchise, Red Eye was generally praised by critics – even if it hasn’t endured in the filmmaker’s oeuvre like other titles. Still, the movie gripped viewers with Murphy’s character using his good looks and charm to lure a passenger, played by Rachel McAdams, into assisting his criminal plans.
Despite the movie being well-received, Murphy isn’t what you’d call proud of the movie. In an interview ith Uproxx, the actor expressed his exasperation with discussing Red Eye (despite bringing it up himself), finding it to be a wholly overrated film. When the interview claimed that it’s a “good movie” he replied, “Everyone keeps fucking saying that,” adding, “Can I stop talking about that movie?”
Clearly, Red Eye was a bit of a touchy subject for Murphy, although it seems as though he’s now come to terms with the movie. Perhaps the acclaim he has since received has allowed him to push Red Eye to the back of his mind. He’s got much better things to think about these days.
In another conversation with the publication, Murphy clarified his opinion on Red Eye. “I haven’t seen that movie since it came out like 15 or 16 years ago, whenever it was. I also think that, when I was a younger actor, I was really, really hard on everything that I was in. I hated watching myself. I hated looking at myself on screen. I remember when I saw it was like ‘Oh, that’s kind of a schlocky B movie. Rachel McAdams is excellent in it.’”
He continued, “But I didn’t think I gave a very nuanced performance in it. But, listen, if people love the movie then that’s great. I’m pleased with that. I’m less hard on myself now when I look at stuff. I’m less hypercritical of my work. But that’s probably a hangover from that to be honest.”
So, while Murphy won’t scold you for mentioning the Craven thriller anymore, it’s probably best that the movie is put to bed. Murphy is an Oscar winner now, after all.
