Eye in the Sky, a 2016 war drama thriller starring the late Alan Rickman, is now available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer. The film is considered Rickman's last live-action feature film, having been released posthumously on April 15, 2016, months after his death on January 14 that same year. His final film overall is Alice Through the Looking Glass, which features him only in a voice acting role.
Cast and Critical Reception
Directed by Gavin Hood with a screenplay by Guy Hibbert, Eye in the Sky stars Helen Mirren in the lead alongside Rickman. The supporting cast includes Aaron Paul, Barkhad Abdi, Jeremy Northam, Michael O'Keefe, Phoebe Fox and Iain Glen. The film has a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Speaking to Collider about Rickman, Mirren said: "I think that Alan would have been incredibly proud that this was his last movie. It is what I love about it, which is that the Alan you see up on screen is much closer to the real Alan Rickman that we all knew and loved. You see his intelligence, you see his wit, and you see his authority. I think that that was very much the Alan that we knew."
Audience and Critic Reviews
One viewer wrote on IMDb: "This is Alan Rickman's movie. He is the star, the cast person who carries the movie. The movie itself is excellent. It tells a compelling story and succeeds in building dramatic tension without becoming contrived." Another fan said: "Excellent movie all around! I rarely give very high ratings, so take this 10 as solid approval."
An audience review on Rotten Tomatoes states: "Genuinely one of the best films I have ever seen - could be a fantastic debating resource for schools, colleges and universities. Brilliantly communicated from every angle." One viewer added: "I have to say: This film blows my mind. The combination of the suspense, the back-and-forth, and the frustration exceeds any out-of-the-world action sequences; not to mention Mirren and Rickman being superb as always."
Critics also praised the film, with one writing: "It's a tight thriller played out smoothly but tying the viewer in moral knots. A film to think about for days, with little hope of finding a comfortable answer." Another reviewer said: "Eye in the Sky is a disturbing, intelligent and very well crafted contemporary thriller with a solid screenplay by Guy Hibbert and seamless direction." A third critic added: "This is the kind of intelligent, thought-provoking mainstream film that's in danger of becoming extinct. Eye in the Sky is miles above the average multiplex flick."
Availability
Eye in the Sky is available to watch free of cost on BBC iPlayer.
