Eye for an Eye

Before the hit television show "24," Keifer Sutherland played mostly despicable, evil characters. That's what he does in this film, as "Robert Doob," a low-life who rapes and kills Sally Field's daughter and then is unfairly released by the courts. Sally, playing "Karen McCann," goes after justice.

Almost everyone loves a revenge story and that, of course, is what this movie is, pure and simple: kind of a female "Death Wish."

As for the characters, Sutherland is "over the top" with his guy - way, way past despicable, so ridiculously bad and evil you might even laugh.

For those who picture Sally Field as "The Flying Nun," this movie will be a shock. She is anything but the sweet, wholesome-looking girl she appeared to be in so many of her films when she was younger.....or even the new TV commercials of today. Even though she has shown she can be very foul- mouthed ('m talking 'real life'), somehow seeing her portrayed here as a vigilante, doesn't ring up. Charles Bronson, yes; Sally Field, uh.....no.

Be warned: this is a tough movie in spots, especially in the beginning. It is very similar to the opening in "Death Wish," and is not for the squeamish.

This isn't a bad movie. It is extremely manipulative and has a bunch of plot holes, but if you love revenge films and don't care about particularly intelligent scripts (although the mad-as-hell mom isn't stupid in here), you can just add this one to your library. It serves its purpose of entertaining.

Derivative revenge drama with the usual excellent performance by Sally Field as a devastated woman seeking justice for her daughter's rapist-killer.

Kiefer Sutherland plays beyond a disgusting bad guy, a true horror. The first scene will give you nightmares. The family is planning a birthday party for the victim's sister when the rape occurs, as Field listens in her car.

Field does a tremendous job, exhibiting her pain and anger and really making the audience feel every second of her suffering.

Parts of this were very disturbing.

Sam Harris does a good job as her husband, and Joe Mantegna is effective as a frustrated police officer.

Keeps one interested.

Karen is a normal woman living a normal upper class life with her husband and her two daughters until one day she calls home on her cell phone, and Julie (her 17 year old daughter) answers. Julie is preparing for her sister Megan's 6th birthday at the time of the call, and Karen is still talking to her when someone suddenly breaks into the house and attacks Julie. Trying to get another cell phone in order to call the police for help, Karen rushes home as fast as she can, and is devastated by what has happened. Julie was raped and murdered. After Julie's killer, Robert Doob,a supermarket deliveryman is unfairly released. Karen takes on a somewhat different perspective on life. She devotes her life to hunt down the man who killed her daughter and in order to find him, Karen has to descend into a world she never knew existed. EYE FOR AN EYE is a very dark film about obsession and revenge and the price everybody involved has to pay. It's not the kind of film that tries to deliver a vision of hope, but rather a sinister world of cynicism. The only escape for Karen (and everybody else) seems to be the kind of love Karen shows for her daughter Megan, her husband and her friends.

Karen McCann (Sally Field) is preparing the birthday party of her younger daughter Megan (Alexandra Kyle). Her older daughter Julie (Olivia Burnette) goes home earlier in the afternoon to help in the preparation and talks by phone with her mother that is in a traffic jam. Out of the blue, a man breaks in the house and rapes and kills Julie. Det. Sgt. Denillo (Joe Mantegna) is in charge of the investigation and captures the killer Robert Doob (Kiefer Sutherland) with strong evidence against him. However, his lawyer uses a technical detail to dismiss the evidence and Robert is released. Karen and her husband Mack (Ed Harris) are advised to go to a support group and she discovers that there are vigilantes entwined in the group. Meanwhile Karen follows Robert that works delivering groceries and she finds that he intends to attack a Latin woman. She tries to warn the police and the probable victim, but she is driven away by them. When Robert finds that Karen is following him, he threatens her sayng that he would visit Megan. Karen decides to have self-defense and shooting classes and the vigilante Sidney Hughes (Philip Baker Hall) gives a revolver to her. When the woman she tried to warn is murdered by Robert, Karen plots a scheme to get rid of the killer.

"Eye for an Eye" is a dramatic thriller with a great story of justice and revenge. It is a shame that lawyers use breaches in the laws to defend scums like the character Robert Doob, but that is the sad reality. The praiseworthy attitude of Karen McCann is an exception but perfectly understood in the situation. The acting is excellent and the plot is timeless. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Olho por Olho" ("Eye for an Eye")

Note: On 03 September 2024, I saw this movie again.

Karen (Sally Field) and Mack McCann (Ed Harris) are happily married with two daughters. While on a phone call with her daughter Julie, Karen hears Julie being raped and murdered. Det. Sgt. Denillo (Joe Mantegna) investigates. Karen and Mack go to a support group. Robert Doob (Kiefer Sutherland) is arrested but the supposed dead bang case is dismissed because of a promise from the previous prosecutor to provide a sample of the DNA evidence. Karen starts following delivery boy Doobs. He pays a visit to her younger daughter Megan. She finds a group of vigilantes from the support group. However one of the support group member turns out to be an FBI agent investigating vigilante killings.

Everything in this movie is heightened to get on the audience's nerves. It jumps quickly into the rape and murder. It's a very effective scene especially with Sally Field acting for all her worth. However every scene is pushed hard by director John Schlesinger. Kiefer is all greased up. This is not a subtle movie but it could do with some. It's unnerving but in a bad way. It takes itself very seriously which makes all the manipulations all the much harder to take.