Cillian Murphy Isn't a Fan of One of His Most Iconic Hollywood Roles
In a recent interview with GQ, Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy dismissed cult-classic Red Eye, his first Hollywood blockbuster as a leading man. "I don't think it's a good movie," the star said frankly.
Wes Craven (Scream) directed the 2005 action-thriller, which stars Rachel McAdams as a young professional seated next to a dangerous man with a devious plan (Murphy) on an overnight flight. The movie opened the same weekend as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and was largely trounced at the box office by that juggernaut. Red Eye was still a modest hit, grossing almost $100 million worldwide, but its popularity grew exponentially in the rental market.
GQ’s Daniel Riley was “shocked by the imprint that Red Eye had on an American of a certain age,” a feeling Murphy seconded.
“Oh, I know, it’s crazy!” the current Oscar-nominee said of the enduring legacy. “I think it’s the duality of [my character],” he continued. “It’s why I wanted to play it. That two thing. The nice guy and the bad guy in one.”
The film begins as a fake-out romantic comedy before Murphy turns evil, revealing his nefarious plan to McAdams. Nearly 20 years later, Murphy said it was that twist, and little else, that endeared him to Craven’s project.
“The only reason [Red Eye] appealed to me is you could do that,” Murphy said, snapping his fingers for punctuation.“That turn, you know?”
As for the finished film itself? “I love Rachel McAdams, and we had fun making it,” Murphy reflected. “But I don’t think it’s a good movie. It’s a good B-movie.”
Red Eye hit theaters just a few weeks after Murphy played the main villain in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Though he’d previously led 28 Days Later, Red Eye was the first Hollywood picture sold off of Murphy’s star power.
Craven’s film was seemingly a turning point for the actor both professionally and personally. “I remember when I saw it, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of a schlocky B-movie,’” Murphy recalled to Uproxx in 2021. “Rachel McAdams is excellent in it. But I didn’t think I gave a very nuanced performance…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.
“But, listen, if people love [Red Eye] movie then that’s great,” Murphy concluded. “I’m pleased with that.”
Murphy is slightly selling the film short. Red Eye is a rather ingeniously structured B-movie, a satisfying callback to exploitation movies of the 1970s anchored by performances from two future Oscar nominees. It’s streaming on MGM+ and Paramount+, and available to rent on all other platforms.