Film Review - Eye in the Sky

Helen Mirren as Colonel Katherine Powell in Eye in the Sky

Director Gavin Hood has chosen a very topical subject for his film Eye in the Sky - the use of remote controlled military drones for seeking and, if necessary, destroying strategic human targets. The film has multiple settings for the action - England, Kenya and the United States however it was shot entirely in South Africa. The screenplay by Guy Hibbert focuses on the choices and decision-making of senior military and political leaders when ordering a drone strike against dangerous Al-Shabaab  extremists operating in Kenya. In terms of the plotline for the film, Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) is coordinating a mission with the Kenyan Army to capture Al-Shabaab militants including British converts. During the course of surveillance, its becomes apparent the militants are preparing for a imminent mission of their own with suicide bombers being fitted with explosive laden vests. Powell makes a decision to change the mission from capture to kill and orders the drone pilot to prepare a missile strike against the targets. A mission oversight committee in London headed by Lieutenant General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman), while monitoring the situation is unable to come to a clear decision to authorise due to conflicting opinions from assembled politicians. Searching for a legal position to provide the basis for authorisation and with differing opinions about the risk of collateral civilian casualties, the oversight committee dithers as the militants steadily complete their preparations.  

This is a well paced and executed film with a strong cast and high production values. There are small elements of contrived situations and moments of excessive sentimentality but nevertheless the film does effectively portray the challenge of balancing impact versus cost.

The late Alan Rickman as General Benson in Eye in the Sky