Eye for an Eye

"Eye for an Eye" (1996): Starring Sally Field, Ed Harris, Kiefer Sutherland, Beverly D'Angelo, and Joe Mantegna. Our stories tell us where we've been, where we are, and where we hope to go. THIS story is a Where We Are type. A family loses a loved one to violence. If that wasn't enough, the perpetrator doesn't see justice. Each deals with it in their own way, and everyone changes. Slowly we head towards an inevitable encounter. Sally Fields is great as a person torn over how to go on, Ed Harris does his classic stoic/occasionally almost emotional role, Joe Mantegna is very good as a hard working cop, and Kiefer Sutherland is great as a true sociopath. This is a tense drama that doesn't jump over scenes for the sake of reaching a climax. It's not that the characters are the most complex or unique in film history – but they ring true – and there in lies the strength of "Eye for an Eye". It could have been ANY of us.

Karen is a mother who has just lost her daughter to a brutal rape by a man, Robert Doob. When the court lacks of evidence that he did it, he goes free. But Karen isn't done with him yet; she will do whatever she can in her power 'til there is justice for her daughter and another victim of his.

I loved "Eye for an Eye", it's a terrific movie that is very well acted. I know it kind of looks like a movie for Lifetime or U.S.A., but nevertheless it's a great movie that should really be given a chance. I cried during this movie, during the scene where Karen is on the phone with her daughter, Julie while she is being raped by Robert. All she can hear is her daughter's screams, cries for help, and her last scream. Nobody on the street will help this poor woman who is screaming for the police to get to her house. I just can't imagine that ever happening, when I saw this movie with my mom, she held me close and started crying as well. Nobody wants that feeling and Sally did a great job on showing the fear in her eyes and the total feeling of no hope or being helpless.

Yes, it's a little over done and dramatic, but it's very real and I felt that it captured what every person has felt they wanted: justice for victims. How do you live when a person you loved so much is murdered and the person that did it got off because they had bad parents? Or they had a bad incident or just feels insane for a few minutes? How crazy is it? I think that's what got me close to the film, though I have not had a close family member murdered, I think we can understand the pain and confusion these people go through in the movie. I loved Karen's line to Mack "Do you believe in the death penalty?", he says "For that guy, I do" referring to Robert and Karen looks at him and asks "Why? Because it's just or you want revenge?". Despite it being a trick question without a satisfying answer, I think we have all felt that way.

Keifer Sutherland, man! I love this guy, he is one my favorite actors, because he is a methodist and is not afraid of taking chances. He as Robert Doob, I didn't want to believe it was him because he is so brutally convincing as this vicious and evil character that will brutally rape women and young girls. That scene where he is with Karen's little daughter, Megan, in the playhouse, was so incredibly suspenseful and I couldn't breath. Keifer did do great, just too great that scarred me. Ed Harris did great as well as Mack, Karen's husband. He tries so hard to put the family back together after the shattering aftermath of Julie's death and wishes Karen would come back to herself with Megan.

"Eye for an Eye" is a great movie that should be given a chance. The rape scenes are very disturbing, I warn you. You might need a strong stomach, especially for the scene I described with Karen on the phone with her daughter. The ending is a little short and felt rushed, but I would always recommend this for a watch.

8/10

Nothing beats a good revenge movie, it's a thing people like to watch, making your own justice when all the legal options failed. Fantasizing about what we would do if we were the victim of injustice. For a vigilante movie Eye For An Eye is entertaining but it's not the best in the genre. For that there are too much inconsistencies and is the bad guy (played by Kiefer Sutherland) probably the dumbest vilain ever seen. But it's worth a watch, there is some suspense, we get some justice served, and that's why we watch movies like this one. It was probably better in the nineties but since then there are better movies made in this genre.

In my opinion this is one of Keifer Sutherlands best and underrated roles.He plays a terrific villain here ,so much it makes me wonder why he does not do more roles like this.He is so convincing and his stage presence is immpecable.The movie itself didn't do an awful lot for me but again Sutherland is the real star here .Another role he played similar to this was Truth and consequences New Mexico .He looks exactly like he does in this and plays a perfect bad guy.I have always claaified Sutherland with actors like Ray Liota and Micheal Keaton because they are amazing actors who don't get the right roles.They all play spectacular villains and for some reason they never do enough of them.This movie is great in the way it highlights Sutherlands best features as a actor and as a character you love to hate.

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.