Eye In The Sky [DVD] [2016]

This is a variety of military procedural. A group of jihadis (including a British convert) are in Nairobi for a meeting. In the UK they are being tracked from afar by Helen Mirren (as a UK Colonel) aided by US intelligence assets and a US drone team. Most important though are the Kenyan troops and intelligence assets on the ground. The whole process is made possible by the wonders of computers, drones, miniaturised cameras, facial recoginition software and the world-shrinking power of smart phone and lap top. As the Jihadis slowly reveal their intention the issues are clouded neatly by the need at all levels to observe Rules of Engagement (involving a lot of buck passing). The plot aims to make you think about the tradeoffs: a drone strike on a friendly nation, collateral damage (here given flesh by Alia, a local child), the risk of doing nothing and allowing a suicide bombing. The script is far too clever to just be on the side of the "Bombs away" military or of the havering politicos; instead it points out the strengths of both, and therefore their weaknesses. The film achieves a high degree of tension by giving the collateral damage a name and a face. Indeed the drone crew can see her in a way that RAF bomber crew over Germany in WW2 never could. They are not just launching at a target, they will be launching at her. A tense, clever, thought-provoking mature film.

Talk about killing people over coffee and biscuits... but how many? Be responsible for 1 innocent, or blame others for many? Decisions those who are under appreciated face everyday. Seems an easy call, unless you're the one pulling the trigger. Head vs Heart, Right vs Wrong. But who's right? Have fun watching and making up your own mind.Alan Rickman at his dead-pan best, RIP.

Anyone expecting car chases, destruction of property on an epic scale a la Marvel films, will be disappointed. What we have here is a taut thriller that had me on the edge of my seat that tells the story of a drone strike on a terrorist and how it affects all those involved in making the final decision. So many films I see these days I think "they could have cut half an hour out of that", but not this one. Every minute is used sparingly. Simply excellent.

To kill or not to kill .... and when its not your finger on the trigger, nor your authorisation to proceed .... the contrite views flow thick and fast. The film superbly lays out the difficulties, dilemmas, frustrations, and the downright horror of these kinds of precision weapons strikes. The realities it starkly lays out are way beyond the contrite PC Pacifist Brigade, and starkly underlines that acting against these Terrorist morons is neither simple nor easy. The mathematics makes it clear-cut, but we are human beings. The latter makes it the stuff nightmares are made of ..... if you are the one pulling the trigger ..... not merely yelling contrite slogans.Superb film that clearly articulates the whole horrible dilemma.

This is a very cleverly constructed film which makes the moral dilemma associated with a single drone strike in Kenya last for the duration of the movie. It's never boring, on the contrary, after a few minutes to establish itself the plot demands your attention at every moment. Because of the power of global communications - and weapon systems - the drama is played out in Kenya, the UK, the US and several other global cities. It's nicely free of predictability as the main players tend to think for themselves and you can sympathise with all points of view. The direct action of terrorist groups is contrasted with the hand-wringing agonies of the democracies pitted against them. The film does not take sides and this is no star vehicle as such: it's a successful ensemble that carries a poignant punch. As is usually the case with modern wars, it's the poorest civilians who seem to suffer the most - although no one is left unaffected. But full marks to writer, director and cast for bringing this globalised slice of life to the general public's attention.

A 'different' type of War movie because of the subject matter which makes you watch, listen, stop and think. The central themes of the film are about the use of DRONES in modern-warfare, terrorists, who is seen to be 'expendable', decision-making and buck-passing in equal amounts. Very well written screenplay by Guy Hibbert, Directed by Gavin Hood who has personal experience of the subject, one of the Producers is actor Colin Firth with brilliant Production Design from Johnny Breedt and with a stellar cast including Helen Mirren, Iain Glen, Alan Rickman - last film role and Aaron Paul it homes in on the dilemma of what is more important; to take-out known terrorists and suicide bombers at the risk of killing a few innocents with a Drone-Strike to prevent them POSSIBLY setting their bombs off in a shopping mall thus murdering many more innocent people and making their escape or take the risk that their prospective target isn't a heavily populated area? Politicians and Military meet and clash in this taut thriller. I can't help thinking that the female terrorist Susan Danford who Mirren's character Col.Powell has been trailing for 6 years is based on Sally Jones, one of the Worlds 'Most Wanted' jidahist's?