90s Movie Review - Eye for An Eye

Director: John Schlesinger
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 1996

Starring: Sally Field, Ed Harris, Kiefer Sutherland, Beverly D’Angelo, Olivia Burnette, Alexandra Kyle, Joe Mategna, Keith David, Philip Baker Hall, Geoffrey Rivas, Charlayne Woodard

Description: When the courts fail to keep behind bars the man (Kiefer Sutherland) who raped and murdered her daughter, a woman (Sally Field) seeks her own form of justice.  

Review: When Karen McCann is stranded in a traffic jam on her way home one afternoon, she calls her eldest daughter Julie who is busy preparing for youngest daughter Megan’s birthday party. While on the phone, she hers Julie opening the door to a man and then being attacked. Panicked, Karen tries to get home and call the police. Once home, her world collapses when it appears that Julie has been murdered after being raped. A short time later, the killer Robert Doob is caught. But unfortunately, he is released after an error. Karen’s shock and grief slowly turn to disbelief and anger. Karen and her husband Mack join a support group for parents who have lost someone due to violence. There Karen meets a man who teaches her how to take justice in her own hands. But though she desperately wants to kill Doob, she can’t follow through. Until Doob strikes again. Karen is determined Doob has to pay for his actions.

A film about the search for justice in an unjust world. Sally Field pays her role as Karen McCann very well. The intense sadness that slowly turns into anger is portrayed well, I almost felt It myself. Kiefer Sutherland plays the bad guy and he does this well too.

“Eye for an Eye” has an excellent start, the first few scenes are very intense, and the way they portray the grief of losing a child, is very well done. The feeling of revenge quickly takes over. And the grief that the family feels is lost. Karen’s search for justice is understandable, yet it takes over way too fast. It is in fact very original that it’s the mother in this case, and not the father. In most movies with a revenge arc, after a child was murdered, it’s the father that seeks justice.

“Eye for an Eye” is a solid thriller, because it starts out so strong and has great performances. But overall an it’s very average.

Rating: 3/ 5