Cillian Murphy Gets Critical of His Fan-Favorite Wes Craven Movie

Cillian Murphy has been riding the high of the awards season thanks to his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, for which he is currently Oscar-nominated, but the actor is looking back on a fan favorite 2005 film that, in an assertion that might shock some fans, he doesn’t think is very good.

In a profile featured in GQ, Murphy was asked about the Wes Craven-directed thriller Red Eye, a movie he co-starred in alongside Rachel McAdams. The film has achieved a level of fan-favorite status since being released in 2005 and the actor was asked why he thinks it has gained a bit of a cult following. Murphy said it was probably because of the “duality” of his villain character, but then he went on to say while he enjoyed making the film and liked working with McAdams, he expressed that he didn’t think it was a good movie, but rather a good B movie. You can check out their full exchange below!

Murphy
: Oh, I know, it’s crazy! I think it’s the duality of it. It’s why I wanted to play it. That two thing. The nice guy and the bad guy in one. The only reason it appealed to me is you could do that turn, you know?

McAdams
: They say the nicest people sometimes make the best villains. We’d listen to music and gab away while doing the crossword puzzle, which he brought every day and would graciously let me chime in on… I think the number one question I got about Cillian way back then was whether or not he wore contact lenses.

Murphy
: I love Rachel McAdams and we had fun making it. But I don’t think it’s a good movie. It’s a good B movie.

Cillian Murphy Previously Shared his B-Movie Thoughts on Red Eye

This isn’t the first time Murphy has commented on Red Eye. Back in 2021 when promoting A Quiet Place Part II, the actor seemed to double down on the notion that it was a B-movie when he was asked about it being a big fan favorite:

“I remember when I saw it, [I] was like ‘Oh, that’s kind of a schlocky B movie. Rachel McAdams is excellent in it.’ But I didn’t think I gave a very nuanced performance in it. But, listen, if people love the movie then that’s great. I’m pleased with that.”

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Directed by Craven and written by Carl Ellsworth from a story by Ellsworth and Dan Foos, Red Eye centers on a hotel manager named Lisa Reisert (McAdams) who becomes ensnared in an assassination plot by terrorist Jackson Rippner (Murphy) all while they’re aboard a red-eye flight to Miami. Even though their initial encounter at a hotel bar has all the makings of a romantic comedy meet-cute, it soon becomes obvious that their paths have not crossed by accident and that her position at the hotel is key to an assassination attempt on the current United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security who happens to be staying at her place of business.

Despite how Murphy feels about the film, Red Eye scored with critics and moviegoers, registering a 79 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that states, “With solid performances and tight direction from Wes Craven, Red Eye is a brisk, economic thriller.” In addition to strong reviews, Red Eye was a modest box office hit, grossing $57.8 million domestically and $95.5 million on a $26 million budget.