It is a stark and intricate look at how war in the 21st century is waged. As a result of Mirren and Rickman’s performances, we see what baggage leaders bring into these split-second moral decisions, and as a result of Aaron Paul’s performance, we see what baggage young drone pilots and soldiers will walk away with after pressing a button that unleashes a rain of destruction.

Visually, the film is compelling with Johnny Breedt’s production designs, Mickey Kirsten’s special effects and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos’s camera work, which include the spy camera footage which are put together by Megan Gill’s razor-sharp edits.

Overall, the film, though tense, has a notably playful flavour.

Apart from being different from other war films, Eye In The Sky is an illustration of world issues and warfare backed by performances that are top notch! Plus, it is Alan Rickman‘s last screen appearance, and one worthy of that mark.

Eye in the Sky is a suspenseful and timely, if simplistic, thriller, exploring the new methods of war. Hood builds up the tension while injecting dashes of humour, particularly through the characters of the British politicians and Alan Rickman’s caustic Lieutenant General Frank Benson, who cannot remember which doll to buy his daughter but is completely clear on the rules of engagement.

The narrative tempo is artfully measured and strongly evocative. Gavin Hood makes the telling sharp and incising. And with steely performances from Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and empathetic ones from the rest, this one sure has the power to make it a striking, one-of-a-kind experience. The aerial aesthetics and a sanguine score adds substance. This film is strong on conviction and its anti-war sentiment is quite inflammable!

At first, it seems the film, written by Guy Hibbert, is clearly showing up the politicians for wavering over the fate of the girl, and for the military being more clear-eyed about these matters. The icy Rickman, with the cutting inflexion he puts on the word “minister”, and the icier Mirren barely disguise their contempt at the dilly-dallying.

Eye in the Sky, I am pleased to inform you, is a minor classic. It is a magnificently crafted little film with huge ideas. It is one of those rare movies that does not let a modest budget get in the way of pure ambition.

The only weak spot is the way the drone pilots’ emotions are depicted. In real life, they’d surely be trained to deal with the prospect of collateral damage. That aside, this is definitely one of Gavin Hood’s (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ender’s Game) better films. Eye In The Sky hits the bulls eye.