Air Force Major Thomas Egan is a talented pilot who spends his days operating a drone over various terrorist threats in the middle east while sitting in a trailer on a base in Las Vegas.
Egan hates not being allowed to fly actual planes anymore, and as the CIA begins dictating orders to Egan and his crew, he begins to feel morally disconnected from his job.
This leads to more conflict at home with his wife, who wishes her husband could focus on their family as much as his military duty........
When you realise that this directed by the writer of The Truman Show, it puts a whole new perspective to the films narrative. On one hand, Egan is questioning his ethics because he feels guilty, he feels he's becoming a weak person because of his job, and comparing it to what he does now. And also doing torturous orders from a faceless, higher rank.
But on the other, he's the puppet master, he's watching interactive TV, and he's in control, knowing that every push of a button, there is a chance of ending many innocent lives.
There is one scene where Greenwood, knowing that what they are doing isn't the most ethical thing in the world,,offers them a balance. 'If we stop killing, it doesn't mean that they will'. Now while it's coming from the voice of reason, Egan's superior, it should reassure, but the look on his face just proves that he is also at a loss.
And this is where the paranoid factor to the film kicks in. Are there drones focusing on Egan? Obviously not, but there are times when he just stops what he is doing, and stares deep into the sky, and you have great empathy for him, as you know he is thinking that he and his family could be victims just like his, a ticking time bomb called life.
Hawke is brilliant as always, it appears that the past few years have given him a sort of resurgence, as every role he's had (Sinister aside), has given us a brilliant performance.
Niccols direction is slick, but not showy, and the scenes with the drones viewpoint are breathtaking.
All in all, it's a solid drama with good performances, and a wonderful air of paranoia about it.....
Egan hates not being allowed to fly actual planes anymore, and as the CIA begins dictating orders to Egan and his crew, he begins to feel morally disconnected from his job.
This leads to more conflict at home with his wife, who wishes her husband could focus on their family as much as his military duty........
When you realise that this directed by the writer of The Truman Show, it puts a whole new perspective to the films narrative. On one hand, Egan is questioning his ethics because he feels guilty, he feels he's becoming a weak person because of his job, and comparing it to what he does now. And also doing torturous orders from a faceless, higher rank.
But on the other, he's the puppet master, he's watching interactive TV, and he's in control, knowing that every push of a button, there is a chance of ending many innocent lives.
There is one scene where Greenwood, knowing that what they are doing isn't the most ethical thing in the world,,offers them a balance. 'If we stop killing, it doesn't mean that they will'. Now while it's coming from the voice of reason, Egan's superior, it should reassure, but the look on his face just proves that he is also at a loss.
And this is where the paranoid factor to the film kicks in. Are there drones focusing on Egan? Obviously not, but there are times when he just stops what he is doing, and stares deep into the sky, and you have great empathy for him, as you know he is thinking that he and his family could be victims just like his, a ticking time bomb called life.
Hawke is brilliant as always, it appears that the past few years have given him a sort of resurgence, as every role he's had (Sinister aside), has given us a brilliant performance.
Niccols direction is slick, but not showy, and the scenes with the drones viewpoint are breathtaking.
All in all, it's a solid drama with good performances, and a wonderful air of paranoia about it.....