--- title: "Eye in the Sky" year: 2015 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/eye-in-the-sky" fi1m_id: "eye-in-the-sky" imdb_id: "tt2057392" tmdb_id: 333352 wikidata_id: "Q18149766" fi1m_score: 72 critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 24 published: "2026-10-11T23:24:02.248002+00:00" updated: "2026-10-11T23:24:07.689095+00:00" region: "RO" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Eye in the Sky (2015) Directed by Gavin Hood · 1h 42m · RO 18 · Drama, Thriller, War ## Identity Eye in the Sky - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/eye-in-the-sky - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** eye-in-the-sky - **IMDb ID:** tt2057392 - **TMDB ID:** 333352 - **Wikidata ID:** Q18149766 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2057392/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/333352, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18149766 **Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 73 from 24 reviews *In a sentence:* Pass the parcel, except the parcel is a missile and everyone wants someone else holding it when the music stops > Gavin Hood’s drone thriller is lean, well cast and properly tense, and it stacks its dilemma so openly that you can watch the deck being arranged. Alan Rickman, in his final on-screen role, is the reason to stay to the end. ## Synopsis Nairobi, Kenya, the present day. From a windowless bunker in Northwood, Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) runs a joint British, American and Kenyan operation to capture three wanted terrorists meeting in a house in the city. Above the house circles an armed drone, flown from a trailer in the Nevada desert by Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) and Carrie Gershon (Phoebe Fox). On the ground, the Kenyan agent Jama Farah (Barkhad Abdi) steers a beetle-sized camera through a window and sees suicide vests being fitted. Powell wants the capture upgraded to a strike; Lieutenant General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman), sitting with ministers in Whitehall, has to get the politicians to agree. Then Alia (Aisha Takow), a girl from a neighbouring house, sets out a stall selling bread against the compound wall. ## Review Guy Hibbert’s script has one idea and it is a good one. A joint British, American and Kenyan operation has a house in Nairobi under watch, three people on a kill list are inside, and the question of whether to put a missile through the roof is passed from room to room, up chains of command and across time zones, for 102 minutes. *Eye in the Sky* is tense, well acted and honest about what it is doing, and what it is doing is rigging the argument in full view of the audience. It is a good evening. It is not quite the serious film it keeps telling us it is. Johnny Breedt gives each party its own box. Colonel Powell (Helen Mirren) runs the operation from a grey bunker in Northwood; Lieutenant General Benson (Alan Rickman) sits in a Whitehall committee room with ministers and better furniture; the pilots Watts (Aaron Paul) and Gershon (Phoebe Fox) fly the drone from a metal trailer in the Nevada desert. Haris Zambarloukos lights the rooms cold and the Nairobi street warm and dusty, so the one place where anyone might die is the only one that looks like somewhere people live. Much of that street reaches us through the drone’s own camera, flat and grey and ringed with crosshairs, and Hood is right to leave it alone. The picture of a child inside a targeting box does the job by itself. Rickman, in his final on-screen role, is the best thing in it. He opens the film buying a doll for a granddaughter, and he spends the rest of it in a chair, watching politicians refer the decision upwards and letting a long face do the work. Mirren plays Powell as a woman who decided an hour ago and is now managing the people who have not; it is a hard, unlovely, effective performance. Barkhad Abdi, as the agent Farah on the ground, steering a beetle-sized camera through a window and then trying to buy a child’s bread without being noticed, gives the film its only scenes where the danger is physical and nobody has to explain it. Aaron Paul has the thankless job of being the conscience. He is asked to cry, and he does, and it is the one place where the acting works harder than the writing. Megan Gill’s editing holds it together. Four locations, a dozen speaking parts, a legal argument about the collateral damage estimate that would be inert on paper, and she cuts it so the pressure never drops: a question asked in Surrey, a shrug in Whitehall, a hand over a trigger in Nevada, a girl setting out loaves against a wall. When Alia (Aisha Takow) put her bread stall down inside the blast radius we felt our stomach go, exactly as intended, and about a minute later we felt annoyed at how neatly we had been cornered. Both feelings lasted to the end. That is the film’s trouble. Hibbert has built his dilemma out of a known terrorist, a suicide vest and a small girl with a hula hoop, and arranged them so that the cost of each choice is as high as it can be. It is a thought experiment with faces on, and a thought experiment can only end one of two ways. The politicians are written small: Jeremy Northam’s Woodale wants someone else to decide, Monica Dolan’s Northman wrings her hands, Richard McCabe’s Matherson wants the paperwork in order. Paul Hepker and Mark Kilian’s score lays low strings under every pause to tell us the pause is serious. It is the one department working too hard. Hood made *Tsotsi* (2005) and *Rendition* (2007), and this is nearer the first: a small thing done with care rather than a large thing done with alarm. Set beside [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men) (1957) it is thinner, because Lumet’s jurors could change their minds and these people mostly cannot. Set beside most films about drones it is sharper, because it bothers to show the legal machinery and the people hiding inside it. See it at home, where the committee rooms look like committee rooms and Rickman’s exasperation can be enjoyed at close range. Bring someone who argues. It will give you something to argue about and then, in its last ten minutes, tell you what to think, which is the one thing it should have left alone. *Fi1m score 72, published 11 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like Eye in the Sky, and they like it for the same reasons: it is tense and it is morally serious. The reviews describe a thriller that stages a drone strike as an argument between offices on three continents and keeps that argument suspenseful from start to finish. The editing draws praise for holding a scattered cast in one clear line, and the performances are widely admired, with Barkhad Abdi and Aaron Paul named most often as the ones who give the debate human weight. The reservations concern the ending and whether the film pushes too hard. Several reviews find the finale melodramatic, and Screen Daily goes furthest, calling the film manipulative and objecting to the use of a child to raise the stakes. Den of Geek thinks there is too much talking; Time Out finds the terror plot familiar. The Guardian and Eye for Film each feel one of the leads, Rickman or Mirren, sits awkwardly in the role. The spread is narrow, with one firm dissent. ## Straight answers **Is Eye in the Sky worth watching?** *Eye in the Sky* is worth watching if you want a lean, tense drone thriller with a strong cast, and we scored it 72. It rigs its moral dilemma in full view, and its last ten minutes tell you what to think, but Alan Rickman, in his final on-screen role, is reason enough to stay to the end. **How long is Eye in the Sky, and what is it rated?** *Eye in the Sky* runs 1h 42m and is rated 18 by the RO in Romania. It is a drama and thriller film. **Where can I watch Eye in the Sky in Romania?** *Eye in the Sky* is not on any streaming or rental service in Romania at the moment. It is available in 23 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Eye in the Sky, and is it suitable for children?** *Eye in the Sky* is a UK 15 and it is tense rather than gory: most of the film is people in rooms arguing over whether to fire a missile, with the threat of a child's death hanging over every minute. The suicide vests, the targeting crosshairs on a small girl and the sustained dread make it unsuitable for younger children, though older teenagers used to serious thrillers will manage it. **How does Eye in the Sky compare to 12 Angry Men?** *Eye in the Sky* and [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men) are both films about a room deciding whether someone dies, and the earlier film is the better of the two. Lumet's jurors can change their minds, which gives the argument real movement; Hood's officers and politicians mostly cannot, so his film is thinner. Choose *Eye in the Sky* if you want the modern legal machinery and the faces hiding inside it. **What should I watch after Eye in the Sky?** After *Eye in the Sky*, try [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men) (1957, Fi1m 91): One room, one decision, twelve people who can still change their minds. Then [*Captain Phillips*](https://film.one/film/captain-phillips) (2013, Fi1m 83): Barkhad Abdi’s first role, and the one that shows what he can do with silence; and [*Official Secrets*](https://film.one/film/official-secrets) (2019, Fi1m 68): Hood goes back to Whitehall, this time with a whistleblower and no drone. ### Reviews we read (24) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film morally serious and highly suspenseful, with strong prospects as an entertaining drama. Aaron Paul’s performance is singled out for giving the story psychological weight. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/eye-sky-tiff-review-822192/) - **Variety**, Joe Leydon (85/100, inferred): Leydon finds the film a rivetingly suspenseful, hugely entertaining political thriller, though he notes it stops short of becoming full-blown black comedy. He praises its sharp editing and the standout, economical performance from Barkhad Abdi. [Read](https://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/toronto-film-review-helen-mirren-in-eye-in-the-sky-1201591280/) - **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (82/100, inferred): Sexton finds the film thoughtful, timely and expertly made, with a serious bearing on current events. He especially praises its tense, complex portrayal of the moral dilemmas surrounding drone strikes. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/eye-in-the-sky-film-review-a3226231.html) - **Empire**, Olly Richards (80/100, inferred): Richards finds it a tight, thought-provoking moral thriller that leaves viewers wrestling with difficult questions. He praises the fluid editing for keeping its fast pace coherent across characters separated by distance. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/eye-sky-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Sheri Linden (80/100, inferred): Linden finds the film a fully involving, tense drama that draws viewers into troubling moral questions. She praises the screenplay’s thoughtfulness and the director’s ability to sustain suspense without softening those questions. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-eye-in-sky-review-20160311-story.html) - **The Guardian**, Benjamin Lee (80/100, inferred): Lee finds the film an effective, tense thriller that explores drone warfare without dictating what viewers should think. He praises its brisk storytelling and escalating suspense, while noting that some scenes feel flat and Alan Rickman is miscast. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/12/eye-in-the-sky-review-helen-mirren-gavin-hood-drones-tiff) - **Film Comment**, Michael Sragow (75/100, inferred): Sragow presents the film as a tense, morally engaged thriller. He praises its willingness to explore the complexities of drone warfare. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-eye-sky/) - **Radio Times**, Emma Simmonds (75/100, inferred): The review presents the film as thought-provoking and suspenseful. It singles out the nail-biting tension around life-or-death decisions involving drone warfare. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/eye-in-the-sky-review-thought-provoking-and-filled-with-nail-biting-suspense/) - **Slant Magazine**, Matt Brennan (3/4): Brennan finds the film tense, focused, and sharp in its examination of modern warfare, though its human drama is shaky. He praises its inventive use of surveillance imagery to expose the distance between decisions and their consequences, but faults its schematic characters and mawkish finale. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/eye-in-the-sky/) - **The New York Times**, A. O. Scott (70/100, inferred): The review finds the film an engaging, morally serious thriller, though its earnestness can limit it. It singles out the tense ethical dilemmas around a drone strike as its central strength. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/11/movies/review-eye-in-the-sky-drone-precision-vs-human-failings.html) - **RogerEbert.com** (65/100, inferred): The URL identifies a TIFF 2015 roundup that includes Eye in the Sky, but the blocked page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the available page. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/tiff-2015-a-tale-of-love-and-darkness-45-years-eye-in-the-sky) - **Little White Lies**, Clarisse Loughrey (2/3/3): The critic finds the film smart, tense and surprisingly pointed, despite its textbook approach. Rickman’s performance is singled out for its ability to hold weariness, frustration and bemusement in one expression. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/eye-in-the-sky) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (3/5): The review finds the drone drama weighed down by familiar terror-plot clichés, despite its tense setup. It praises Helen Mirren and the ensemble, but says the film could have used a clearer vision. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/eye-in-the-sky) - **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (30/100, inferred): Grierson finds the film manipulative and heavy-handed, with its supposed moral complexity giving way to aggravating rhetoric. He praises the performances and suspense, but faults the contrived use of a child to heighten the stakes. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/eye-in-the-sky-review/5092889.article) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (90/100, inferred): Hammond gives the film a strongly enthusiastic verdict, calling it an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller. He especially praises Gavin Hood’s sustained, Hitchcockian suspense and the performances of Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman. [Read](https://deadline.com/2016/03/eye-in-the-sky-review-helen-mirrens-drone-movie-gavin-hood-1201720939/) - **Polygon**, Julia Alexander (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film tense, entertaining, and an effective conversation starter about drone warfare. She particularly praises Aaron Paul’s emotionally grounded performance and the film’s ability to dramatize debate through dialogue. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/2016/3/11/11200956/eye-in-the-sky-review-a-nail-biting-take-on-an-important-debate/) - **Collider**, Adam Chitwood (B+): Chitwood finds the film an engaging, intelligent thriller, though its melodramatic ending weakens the effect. He praises the tense exploration of drone-strike decision-making and the ensemble performances. [Read](https://collider.com/eye-in-the-sky-review-helen-mirren/) - **Paste**, Christine N. Ziemba (7.9/10): Ziemba finds the film a smart, taut thriller offering welcome moral complexity, though its Western perspective limits the story. She praises the suspenseful examination of bureaucratic decision-making and singles out Barkhad Abdi’s performance as captivating. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/eye-in-the-sky) - **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a taut drama that keeps its premise simple and opens a debate about responsibility in modern warfare. He singles out its execution for praise, though he says Helen Mirren does not fit the role. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/eye-in-the-sky-2015-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) - **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The review finds the film a tight, captivating thriller, though its bureaucratic delays can be infuriating. It singles out the tense ethical debate and the clever surveillance technology as especially compelling. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/eye-in-the-sky-review-helen-mirren-alan-rickman/) - **Consequence**, Dominick Suzanne-Mayer (70/100, inferred): The critic finds Eye in the Sky an effective, morally complex thriller about the costs of drone warfare. Its tense build-up and attention to the human consequences of a strike stand out, while the barbed satire is less successful. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/03/film-review-eye-in-the-sky/) - **HeyUGuys** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film compelling and entertaining, though not entirely original. They praise its moral tension and grounded character details, while faulting generic storytelling and manipulative music. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/eye-in-the-sky-review/) - **The Playlist** (64/100, inferred): The review text is unavailable, so its verdict cannot be established. No specific element praised or criticized is accessible. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/tiff-review-eye-in-the-sky-starring-helen-mirren-aaron-paul-alan-rickman-and-barkhad-abdi-20150916/) - **Den of Geek**, Edward Douglas (3/5): Douglas finds the thriller’s tension undermined by repetitive discussions and too much talking. He praises the ground-level scenes in Kenya for making the situation feel more personal. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/eye-in-the-sky-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Gavin Hood - **Director:** Gavin Hood - **Writer:** Guy Hibbert - **Cinematography:** Haris Zambarloukos - **Editor:** Megan Gill - **Music:** Paul Hepker, Mark Kilian - **Production design:** Johnny Breedt - **Costume design:** Ruy Filipe - **Producer:** David Lancaster, Ged Doherty, Colin Firth - **Cast:** Helen Mirren as Colonel Katherine Powell; Aaron Paul as Steve Watts; Alan Rickman as Lieutenant General Frank Benson; Barkhad Abdi as Jama Farah; Jeremy Northam as Brian Woodale; Phoebe Fox as Carrie Gershon; Armaan Haggio as Musa Mo'Allim; Aisha Takow as Alia Mo'Allim - **Runtime:** 1h 42m - **Certificate (RO):** 18 - **Release (Romania):** 7 September 2015 - **Genres:** Drama, Thriller, War - **Budget:** $13 million - **Box office:** $19 million ## Where to watch in Romania Not streaming, renting or buying in Romania at the last check. Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BR, CA, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, MX, NO, NZ, PA, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *12 Angry Men* (1957), Fi1m 91: One room, one decision, twelve people who can still change their minds. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) - *Fail Safe* (1964): Lumet again, with the chain of command watching a bomber it cannot recall. - *Good Kill* (2014): The same trailer in the Nevada desert, seen from the pilot’s chair for a whole film. - *Captain Phillips* (2013), Fi1m 83: Barkhad Abdi’s first role, and the one that shows what he can do with silence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/captain-phillips.md) - *Official Secrets* (2019), Fi1m 68: Hood goes back to Whitehall, this time with a whistleblower and no drone. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/official-secrets.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/eye-in-the-sky