Film / Red Eye

Two attractive people get onto a plane together. Things go downhill from there.

"Lisa, whatever female-driven, emotion-based dilemma you may be dealing with right now, you have my sympathy. But for the sake of time and sanity, let's break this down into a little male-driven fact-based logic. One simple phone call saves your dad's life."

— Jackson Rippner

A 2005 Psychological Thriller film directed by Wes Craven, starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy.

Mild-mannered hotel manager Lisa Reisert (McAdams), on her way home from her grandmother's funeral, is seated for an overnight flight next to charming, affable Jackson Rippner (Murphy). Over the course of the flight, Rippner reveals himself to be a Psycho for Hire acutely interested in Lisa's career... especially with the Secretary of Homeland Security (and his family) staying at her hotel. Trapped in close proximity to Rippner and informed that one of his associates is holding her father (Brian Cox) hostage, Lisa attempts to keep her father safe and stop Rippner's assassination plot.

Not to be confused with the Korean horror movie of the same name, released in the same year, or the conservative News Parody/Faux News show Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld.

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Tropes found in this film include:

• Action Survivor: Lisa has no formal training of any kind, but still manages to do things that most normal people could conceivably do, like stabbing Rippner in the throat with a pen, going to town on him with a field hockey stick, and kicking him down the stairs. What's impressive is her grit and bravery, rather than any kind of exceptional ability.
• All Girls Want Bad Boys: Subverted. Lisa only has slight attraction to Rippner until he starts blackmailing her.
• Alone with the Psycho: Zig-Zagged, Lisa and Rippner are in public places most of the runtime. However she is trapped on the plane sitting next to him, and telling other people about her situation is risky. Played straight once they occupy the lavatory. Almost played straight in the Reiserts' house, Lisa's father is there too but he is unconscious.
• Armor-Piercing Question: Rippner asks Lisa a few questions that unintentionally (before he realized The Reveal) and intentionally (after he realized The Reveal) break Lisa because they relate to her past.
• Badass Bystander: Rippner was likely too occupied with Lisa to notice any of the other passengers on the plane. This turned out to be a mistake, because a little girl sitting near them overhears him threatening Lisa, and trips him when she sees him chasing her.
• Badass in a Nice Suit: Rippner wears a very snappy suit.
• Bait the Dog: Jackson has been nice to Lisa for the first 20 minutes of the movie in order to gain her trust. Once she is trapped on the plane with him he reveals his true colors.
• Because You Were Nice to Me: Exploited by Rippner. At first Lisa is not keen on trusting a stranger (especially given her being a Broken Bird) but eventually accepts Rippner's invitation to Tex Mex since he backed her up in the argument against an irate passenger.
• Being Good Sucks:
  • For Rippner (even though he's a villain for the most part, his acts of kindness towards Lisa are often used against him):
    • Despite what he says himself (I never lied to you, Lisa. You know why? It doesn't serve me.) His honesty towards Lisa actually backfires significantly.
    • Letting her go to the bathroom almost screws up his plans.
    • After the reveal of Lisa's backstory, Rippner makes a compassionate comment. About a minute later she stabs him in the throat, though she has good reasons for that.
    • Not killing Joe Reisert, when he actually had a chance, resulted in him being shot by Joe.
  • For Lisa:
    • The flight would be a lot less painful for her if she didn't try to do the morally right thing. Subverted in the end, as she saves everyone.
  • For the Keefes (especially for Charles):
    • Being targeted by terrorists, despite being decent people (according to Lisa). Given that they have bodyguards, it is most likely is not the first time.
  Lisa: I know him. Keefe, I mean. He's a really decent man.
  Jackson: Sometimes bad things happen to good people, like you.
• Beneath the Mask: Rippner is charming when he wants to be, but the entire thing is a charade and not his real self. Once he reveals what a bad person he is, he doesn't bother to maintain the facade around Lisa, and it's completely gone by the end.
• Berserk Button: For a professional assassin, Rippner has a two:
  • The first time Lisa makes an attempt to foil Rippner's plans, he headbutts her, knocking her out cold.
  • Rippner makes the claim that he "never lies" and takes the fact that Lisa lied and ordered a Bay Breeze instead of her preferred Sea Breeze a lot harder than most people would.
• Better to Kill Than Frighten: When Lisa stabs Rippner in the neck, steals his phone and runs away from him; he is certain that intimidation just didn't work on her. When he gets into Joe's house states that he is there to 'finish his job'.
• Beware the Honest Ones: Rippner claims that he has never lied to Lisa, and he expects Lisa to never lie to him in return, as it would not serve either of them. Lisa lies about her drink (before realizing he's evil, and mostly just because he's coming on a bit too strong) and later attempts to thwart his plans twice through dishonesty (lying about writing in the self-help book, pretending to still talk on the phone when the phone lines die out, and then writing a message in the lavatory to try and expose Rippner's plans); with time running out, it boils down to him choking her for it. By the end of the film, he tries to kill her for ruining his plans.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Lisa is a relatively mild-mannered and all around decent person. Endangering her father is not a good thing to do. Likewise, Rippner is introduced similarly, but he is soon revealed to be not such a nice guy to begin with.
• BFG: The rocket launcher used in the assassination attempt is pretty huge. Its size is emphasized by its even bigger case, which is about the size of a person. The Internet Movie Firearms Database identifies it as a FGM-148 Javelin.
• Big Bad Friend: Rippner acts friendly and even flirtatious toward Lisa early on in the film. He turns out to be the primary antagonist.
• Big Damn Heroes: Lisa's father saves her life by shooting Rippner just as he has her cornered and is about to kill her at the end.
• Birds of a Feather: Lisa and Rippner are both managers and professional. Aside from that, inverted, see Opposites Attract and Evil Counterpart.
  Jackson: We're both professionals, Leese, we wouldn't be where we are if we didn't have the will and the means to follow through...
• Body Motifs: Both Lisa's and Rippner's eyes get close-ups, and then of course there is Lisa's scar, which turns out to be significant.
• Book Ends: The first and last lines of the movie are introduced in the hotel, and both scenes involve the same petty, older couple.
• Break the Cutie: Rippner does this to Lisa in order to make her obedient. It doesn't go exactly the way he wanted it to, so it is mostly defied in the end. However after the flight Lisa stops being a people pleaser she used to be before.
• Broken Bird: Rippner speculates why Lisa lives the relatively solitary, attachment-free lifestyle she does. She was raped in the past and is still struggling with the aftermath.
• Broken Heel: Lisa stabs Rippner with one at one point.
• The Cameo: Several background characters were played by members of the filming crew.
• Car Fu: Lisa hits one of her dad's assassins with a truck and sends him flying through the front door.
• Character Development: Lisa starts off as a mild-mannered, young woman, who gradually grows intimidated by Rippner's threats, has her past as a survivor of a violent sexual assault used against her, and even briefly gives into Rippner's plans; however, when push turns to shove and through sheer willpower, Lisa manages to overthrow Rippner's plans while becoming a more confident and determined person towards the end.
• Chase Scene: An extensive one ensues once the plane lands and Lisa tries to break away from Rippner.
• Chekhov's Gag: Some of Rippner jokes might be seen as such:
  • Early in the film he jokes about being a Self-Made Orphan, although it's hard to say for sure how much truth there is to this joke, it is seen in a new light upon rewatching nonetheless.
  • Rippner jokingly accusing Lisa of stalking him forshadows the fact that he was the one stalking her prior to events of the movie.
• Chekhov's Gun:
  • Early scenes in her fathers home show pictures of Lisa playing field hockey; her field hockey stick and swinging ability come up in the climax.
  • The very distinct pen, seen belonging to one of the two teenage boys on the plane and is given a few close-ups on, is later the Improvised Weapon Lisa uses to stab Rippner in the neck after a conversation between the two teenagers reveals that it's missing.
  • The assassin's silenced pistol.
• Chekhov's Gunman: All the seemingly unimportant passengers that received some level of focus at the start end up contributing to a major plot point.
  • One of the teenage boys loses his pen, which Lisa uses to stab Rippner.
  • The little girl uses her bag to trip Rippner, stalling him as he chased after Lisa.
  • The man complaining about his flight being delayed is actually a doctor who tried to help Rippner, unaware of his real nature.
  • Subverted with the old woman Lisa lends her Dr. Phil book to. Lisa writes something in the book, that might be a cry for help, but nothing ever comes of it.
• The Chessmaster: Rippner explains that he, like Lisa, is in "management." His job is not to assassinate anyone or shoot anyone; it is to orchestrate everything so everybody else can do the shooting.
• Creepy Blue Eyes: Jackson Rippner. Sure, they may just be Cillian Murphy's normal eyes, but they are creepy. They are also, together with his impeccable Fake American accent, the feature that won Wes Craven over.
• The Cutie: Cynthia is not really cut out to deal with customer complaints, as per any character played Jayma Mays.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Lisa is dealing with one, as she was raped two years prior to the events of the film.
• Deadpan Snarker: Rippner gets off some snarky quips.
• Deal with the Devil: Constantly, Wes Craven uses the words "selling his/her soul" in the commentary concerning both Rippner and Lisa and that somewhere along the line, they aren't so different. Rippner "sold his soul" by being in whatever terrorist assassin organization he is in, and he realizes there is absolutely no way he could ever be with someone like Lisa in his line of work. He is aware of the horrible things he has allowing to happen (the assassination of Keefe and his family) and seems genuinely a little uncomfortable with them, but it does not stop him from doing his job because his life is on the line too. Lisa "sells her soul" by inevitably cooperating with Rippner on changing the hotel rooms for the Keefes, but unlike Rippner, she manages to "buy back her soul" by fighting back against Rippner and his plans.
• Death Glare: After Rippner lets Lisa out to go to the bathroom he continues to watch her. For a little while Lisa can't enter the bathroom, due to it being occupied. For a moment she looks back at Rippner who is staring at her with menace. A further reminder for her not to 'get cute'.
• Defiant Captive: After Rippner reveals his true nature Lisa uses every opportunity she gets to resist Rippner's control over her and sabotages his plans.
• Determinator: Both the main leads display this. Lisa inevitably becomes this to save both her father and the Keefes from Rippner's assassination plot. Simultaneously, Rippner becomes obsessively determined to kill Lisa once his plans are foiled by the end of the film.
• Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Implied by Lisa, when Rippner expresses his compassion towards Lisa's troubled past.
  Lisa: Since then I've been trying to convince myself of one thing over and over...
  Jackson: That it was beyound your control.
  Lisa: No. That it would never happen again.
• Double Entendre:
  • "Thanks for the quickie."
  • "Trash."
• Dying Truce: Between Lisa and twice-shot Rippner in the end of the film (even if he survived, he was sure close to death at the moment). When Rippner is no longer able to stand on his feet Lisa has no intention to fight him any further. They exchange meaningful glances (which might even suggest Dying Reconciliation) before Rippner is taken away from Joe's house.
• Embarrassing Middle Name: While they are at the bar and Rippner reveals his Meaningful Name, Lisa tries to make him feel better by mentioning that her middle name is Henrietta, which was her late grandmother's name.
  • Actor Allusion: In The Way We Live Now, Cillian Murphy's Love Interest in named Henrietta.
• Emotions vs. Stoicism: The film plays this in a fairly interesting fashion. Rippner is firm in his belief of stoicism over emotions, but in the end, The Stoic Rippner becomes Not So Stoic and lets his emotions get in the way and causes him to act unprofessionally, while it is Lisa who becomes in control of her emotions and is able to regain control of the situation.
  Where's your male-driven facts-based logic now, Jack?
• The End... Or Is It?: The extended version of the film shows Rippner being taken to an ambulance and is very much alive.
• Establishing Character Moment: The heroine and the villain each have a moment:
  • Lisa is first seen talking on the phone with Cynthia and her father and is shown to be very firm and in control of her life (and her similar movements as her father, as they are both walking around in the scene, shows just where she gets it from).
  • Depending how it is interpreted, Rippner has several, but a key moment in particular is when he defends Lisa from the irate passenger in the check-in line. The audience gets their first glimpse of the suave character who's been standing behind Lisa for quite some time. While it appears his actions will lead to a Rescue Romance/Samaritan Relationship Starter with Lisa, a brief close-up of Rippner's intimidating blue eyes staring down the irate passenger is an indicator to the audience that something is off about him.
• Every Scar Has a Story: Lisa's scar on her chest is a reminder and implication of being raped two years prior the events of the film.
• Evil Counterpart: In some ways, Rippner is this to Lisa. They are both revealed to be the same—being "managers" of their particular profession that involves a lot of call-making, are fairly professional, needing to be in control, and are involved in a morally ambiguous situation that risks both of their lives.
• Evil Desires Innocence: Rippner's attraction to Lisa. See I Just Want to Be Normal
• Evil Sounds Raspy: Jackson after taking a pen to the throat.
• Evil Virtues:
  • Empathy: Rippner has it towards Lisa and Keefes' children.
  • Generosity: See Being Good Sucks and Taking Advantage of Generosity.
  • Honesty: Rippner (according to his own words) never lies to Lisa.
  • Love: Although the extent of Rippner's feelings can be argued, it was likely the reason for his other virtues.
• Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The lead characters take a red eye flight.
• Exact Words: Rippner's double meanings prior to revealing his true nature, which is easier to tell on a second viewing.
• Extremely Short Timespan: Factoring in the in-story time that was spent in the airport, the time on the flight, and the chase scene at the end, we can estimate that the story takes place over four very hectic hours.
• Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: Rippner. Cillian Murphy's looks certainly help to sell him as that until The Reveal, but right after it happens there comes a close-up on his face that highlights Creepy Blue Eyes and Villainous Cheekbones.
• Fanservice: Averted. When Lisa enters the bathroom to change her shirt after iced coffee is spilled on it, instead of showing off her attributes, the camera focuses on her plot-relevant scar.
  • To a lesser extent, Lisa spending the remaining 10 minutes of the film in her bare feet, after she uses her heels to stab Rippner.
• Fate Drives Us Together: Lisa and Rippner meet three times in the beginning of the film—in the check-in line, at the airport bar, and at their flight seatings. Of course, Rippner more or less planned this (the less being Rippner probably did not expect Lisa to join him for drinks after she previously declined his offer).
• Faux Affably Evil: Rippner turns out to be this. He starts off affable, then acts Affably Evil when he first reveals his agenda to Lisa. Once he realizes that isn't getting him anywhere, he drops it.
• First-Name Basis: Rippner casually calls Lisa by her first name or "Leese" in spite of the little time that they know each other, while Lisa rarely uses Rippner's name, only using it when he introduces himself and later when she's goading him in the climax by calling him, "Jack".
• Flaw Exploitation: Well, they are not a Mind Game Ship for nothing. Rippner uses Lisa's father to blackmail her and her Dark and Troubled Past to render her to a breaking point, but when Lisa later turns the table and uses Rippner's loss of control of the situation against him, it results in his Villainous Breakdown.
• Foil: The Fettered Lisa and The Unfettered Jackson Rippner.
• Forced to Watch: Inverted. When Rippner faces Lisa in their final confrontation, Rippner tells Lisa that he is going to make her father watch what he's going to do to her (instead of the hero/heroine watching a loved one get harmed). Whatever he was planning on doing, it is averted in the end.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus: Not exactly a bonus, but when Lisa stabs Rippner in the throat with the pen, it can still be seen in her hand after the fact.
• Green-Eyed Monster: Word of God says that Rippner was jealous of the man who raped Lisa and gave her her scar. That's effed-up.
• Grey-and-Gray Morality: Wes Craven wanted to show that the protagonist and antagonist were not completely good or evil; the heroine is placed in a morally ambiguous situation where her morals are tested, while the villain—who is involved in an assassination and terrorism—is shown to be conflicted with his actions and his complex attraction to the heroine.
  Wes Craven: [in an interview] I'm always fascinated by the flip-flopping of things so the good people don't always wind up totally good at all and have real flaws, and the bad people turn out to not be just monsters but they also have vulnerabilities.
  Wes Craven: [in another interview] With Cillian, you have no restrictions about [expression], so you can put all these nuances of "I want this guy to actually be in love with this woman in a way, even if he doesn't realize it." One moment, he's totally threatened by her and just wants her to do what he tells her to do, and the next minute, he's trying to convince her that he's the most honest person she'll ever meet, and the next minute, he's so furious, he's going to kill her. And it was these wonderful complexities that you put into this kind of drama that were part of the meat for me, and a welcome change.
• Haunted Heroine: A non-supernatural equivalent in Lisa.
• Heroic BSoD: The lavatory scene was Lisa's moment of defeat. It is only when Rippner says "thank for the quickie" that he unintentionally brings back Lisa's determination to stop him by invoking the memory of her rape, which she promised herself she would never let happen again. The moment when Rippner gets scolded by the Older Flight Attendant while leaving the lavatory is when Lisa is (off-screen) getting the pen she will stab Rippner with.
• Heroic Bystander: Rebecca, the little girl sitting in front of Lisa and Rippner (and the only person on the plane who realizes that something is wrong with the two of them), gets her chance to be one towards the end of the film. After Lisa stabs Rippner in the throat with a pen and starts to make a run for it, Rippner leaps up to follow her. Rebecca pushes her suitcase into the aisle, sending him spiraling to the ground. The temporary diversion buys Lisa some extra time to escape, and you have to admit that a little girl standing up to a professional killer is pretty heroic.
• Hero Stole My Bike: Late in the movie, Lisa has to steal a car to escape from a villainous pursuer.
• Hope Spot: Several times it seems like Lisa might outsmart Rippner and thwart his plans without him realizing what she's up to. Each time he catches on.
• Hypocritical Humor:
  Jackson: ...You're not stalking me, are you?
  Jackson: ...cause I've been following you for eight weeks now...
• Icy Blue Eyes: Cillian Murphy lends Jackson his own striking blue eyes, bringing to mind another blue-eyed villain. invoked
• I Am a Monster: According to the Word of God, Lisa makes Rippner realise how horrible his occupation is. It doesn't stop him from being evil anyway.
• If I Can't Have You…: Downplayed. See Love Makes You Evil.
• I Have You Now, My Pretty: Rippner's pursuit of Lisa starts out feeling like sexual tension and later is deliberately intended to violently evoke memories of her past with a sexual assault, intended to make her feel helpless.
• I Just Want to Be Normal: Craven reveals in the commentary that Rippner secretly desires normality in his life beyond his shady dealings, which includes his attraction towards Lisa, who he knows is someone he can never have in his life.
• I Love You Because I Can't Control You: Takes a few shades of this, but ultimately subverted as Rippner would much rather prefer if he was the one in control and the certain "affection" he develops for Lisa doesn't stop him from doing his job. See Stalker with a Crush.
• Implied Rape: Despite it being Lisa's backstory, the word itself is never pronounced, probably due to PG-13 rating.
• Improvised Weapon: There are several improvised weaponry used in the film (two chairs, a vase, a fire extinguisher, a plate, a Broken Heel, a field hockey stick), but the most memorable weapon was a pen.
• I Never Told You My Name: An uncharacteristically subtle version early on. The villain ends up saying the name of the heroine's father in a conversation with her, and she doesn't notice that he just said a name that she never told him. Probably a good many people in the audience didn't either.
• Insult Backfire:
  Older Flight Attendant: Excuse me, this isn't a motel.
  [Beat]
  Rippner: Sure.
• Interplay of Sex and Violence:
  • Most prominantly in the lavatory scene. Everyone on the plane thinks Rippner and Lisa were having sex, when in fact he terrorised her and used physical violence. Rippner's "Thanks for the quickie" certainly adds to the Subtext.
  • Their fight in the Reiserts' house also has some shades of it.
• Ironic Echo:
  Lisa: Where's your male-driven fact-based logic now, Jack?
• Irony:
  • The whole plot sets up the fact that the coincidental Meet Cute wasn't such a coincidence, and the amiable man in question isn't so amiable.
  • Rippner is a little more than misogynistic with Lisa and her "emotion-based dilemma," but by the end of the film, it is Rippner who lets his emotions get in the way; in a fit of vengeance he follows Lisa to her house to finish the job, not realizing that the unfamiliar environment would be at his disadvantage.
  • Rippner loves to use speech to taunt and get under Lisa's skin. He's stabbed in the throat, taking away his BFG.
• It's All About Me: The Taylors, especially Marianne, whose primary concern with the explosion of the room above theirs is not that people could have died, but that she could have gotten asthma due to the chunks of plaster falling from the ceiling of their room.
• I Will Punish Your Friend for Your Failure: Rippner threatens to kill Lisa's father if she doesn't obey him.
• Just Between You and Me: Rippner does this whenever he thinks he has control of the situation and of Lisa. And when he does not, well…
• Karma Houdini: While having to fight a a bigger villain it is really easy to overlook how many laws Lisa had to break in order to save the Keefes, her dad and herself: such as stabbing and shooting Rippner, stealing a random citizen's car, and killing an assassin with the car. It is likely however that after the events of the film Keefe may use his money and authority to help Lisa out of legal issues as gratitude for saving his family.
• Kidnapper's KFC: Would be downplayed if everything went according to Rippner's plan, but ended up just being conversed.
  Rippner: Once we're at the gate, I'll follow you into the terminal. We'll hit Starbucks, grab a couple of lattes... kill ten, fifteen minutes till I get the call Keefe's been taken out.
• Last-Second Chance: Lisa attempts to dissuade Rippner from continuing with his assassination plot. It fails.
• Like an Old Married Couple: Lampshaded by Word of God in the commentary of the film that the close up encounters between Lisa and Rippner almost resemble that of an intimate couple having a hushed spat that they do not want to have in public, giving off this weird but underlying chemistry presented in the film. A key example is when Lisa reminds Rippner to call off the gunman in front of her father's house.
• Lima Syndrome: Rippner's "affection" for Lisa can be seen as this, though it's subverted as he had watched her for eight weeks and developed feelings prior to taking her "hostage" on their flight.
• Little Miss Badass: Rebecca, the little girl, has the presence of mind and quick thinking to trip Rippner up in the aisle as he was chasing Lisa.
• Locked in a Room: Literally. Both in their flight seatings to the lavatory scene. Subverted in that neither of them find an appreciation for each other. Sure, Rippner is equally growing impressed and frustrated with Lisa (this changes after the Villainous Breakdown), but Lisa certainly grows to loathe Rippner once his true character is revealed.
• Loners Are Freaks: Rippner reveals that Lisa is one in a rather creepy scene.
  Rippner: Now I've known you for a while now, Lisa, before tonight, I mean. As far as I can tell, your life revolves around your job, the occasional cocktail at the corner cafe, the classic late night movies, oh, and scrambled eggs at 3AM. What turned you into such a loner? Is it your parents' divorce? Wait, did someone break your heart?
  Wes Craven: (DVD Commentary) I was raped.
• Love Is a Weakness: Rippner's Villainous Crush for Lisa caused to him to go soft on her, which she used to her own advantage. Almost gets lampshaded by Lisa when she fights Rippner in her father's house.
  Lisa: Where is you male driven fact based logic now, Jack? I don't think that's what guide you here.
• Love Makes You Evil: Never mind that he was evil to begin with (as far as we know), but the realization that he will never have someone like Lisa in his life, and that his plans are deteriorating because of her, does send Rippner over the edge.
• Lying Heroes, Honest Villains: Lisa Reiser, the hotel manager who lies about her drink order and the scar on her chest and Jackson Rippner, the Manipulative Bastard organizer who is always truthful.
• The Mafia: Averted - when Lisa starts to realize Rippner is dangerous (though she doesn't realize how dangerous), she starts guessing at what he does for a living, and when she gets to the mafia, he responds, "The pay is shit."
• Male Gaze: Rippner has one in the lavatory scene, but he's not checking Lisa out. He's looking at her scar.
• Malicious Misnaming: "Jack" is the only time Lisa ever adresses to Rippner by his name, and according to him, that's not the name he likes to be refered as.
• Meaningful Background Event: Rippner is introduced this way, standing quietly in line behind Lisa for a good amount of time before he reveals himself.
• Meaningful Name:
  • Jackson Rippner.
  • Lisa's last name Reisert originates from German verb "reisen" (to travel), the surname likely means "traveler".
  • Red Eye is the name of the night flight in the film. It is called a "red eye flight" because of its tendency to make passengers' eyes red.
• Meet Cute: Subverted. At first, it seems like this is what Lisa and Rippner's initial meeting is. Of course, given the type of movie this is, that's not where it goes. It turns out to be an engineered example.
• Mile-High Club: Didn't really happen, but it sure looked like it to everyone else on the plane.
• Mood Whiplash: Lisa and Rippner start off light and flirty until Rippner reveals his not-so-friendly true agenda. See Never Trust a Trailer.
• Morality Pet: Averted. In spite of Lisa's attempts to dissuade Rippner from his assassination plot and his inner conflict with Lisa and the whole ordeal, Rippner continues with his job, showing little (if any) remorse.
• Mysterious Past: Rippner's past is the latter, as Lisa learns little about him, although he hints at being a Self-Made Orphan.
• Never Trust a Trailer: Invoked, where the first half of the ad makes it look like a romantic comedy, complete with touching ballad. Of course that same ad also plays it straight by randomly having Rippner's eyes actually turn red maliciously, giving an implication that it would be a supernatural horror flick. In fact, the movie really plays up the blueness of his eyes, and the film never strays into fantasy or supernatural horror.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Rippner's assassination on Charles Keefe could have been a success if he didn't blurt out the fact that the latter has his family with him.
• No Name Given: According to Wes Craven in an interview, "Jackson Rippner" is not even Rippner's real name and is a pseudonym. He apparently made it up after seeing the "J.R." initials on Lisa's father's wallet.
• Not Now, Kiddo: Rebecca, the little girl flying alone, actually overhears Rippner threatening Lisa in the lavatory. Unfortunately, when she tries to tell the flight attendant, the woman takes it the wrong way.
  Rebecca: A man went in there.
  Young Flight Attendant: Everyone shares the same ones. Here, I'll take you to one closer to your seat.
  Rebecca: But a lady's in there, too.
  Young Flight Attendant: OK, one of those flights.
• An Offer You Can't Refuse: Rippner's entire plan revolves around getting Lisa to do what he wants by threatening to have her father killed if she doesn't.
• Office Lady: Lisa is a much more competent Western version of one of these.
• Offscreen Teleportation: When Lisa is about to leave the lavatory, Rippner appears on the other side of the doorway.
  • Rippner somehow beats Lisa to her house towards the end of the film despite having a punctured throat, which should have slowed him down.
• One Last Job: This job was implied to be Rippner's last one with his employers.
• Opposites Attract: Word of God mentions in the commentary that a part of Rippner's attraction to Lisa stems from the fact that he can never be with someone like her due to his job and his revealed true colors causing Lisa to hate him.
• Papa Wolf: Inverted and then played straight. Lisa gets serious to protect her dad's welfare, and then he embodies the trope when he comes to her rescue.
• Parents in Distress: Lisa's dad spends most of the movie in mortal danger, though he's unaware of it until the end.
• The Pen Is Mightier: Lisa stabs Rippner with a pen in order to escape the plane.
• The Perfectionist: Both Lisa and Rippner are implied to be ones. That and being a people pleaser supposedly promoted her to such a high position at relatively young age. Justified in case of Rippner, according to the Word of God Rippner will be killed if he fails at his job.
• Pet the Dog: Rippner surprisingly has a few concerning Lisa. When he headbutts Lisa, the first thing Rippner does is fix Lisa's hair and gently rest her head against her seat before tending to himself. In the lavatory scene, he expresses concern over the scar and who gave her it, and according to Word of God, Rippner's "that it was out of your control" line was "something a friend would say to a friend" and it had "a friendly, compassionate undertone to it."
• Plot-Sensitive Snooping Skills: Rippner has watched Lisa for eight weeks, but during his first few conversations with her, he realizes she has a secret he doesn't know and wants to know just what it is. Before The Reveal, Rippner even stumbles upon the secret quite a number of times without realizing it by asking if Lisa's father had any reason to be worried about her and later asking her if someone broke her heart. It is only during the lavatory scene that Rippner catches a glimpse of Lisa's scar and figures out her secret.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: As the title quote shows, Rippner is more than a little misogynistic.
• Pragmatic Villainy: Rippner starts off as this, preferring to be professional, but willing to rough Lisa up to put her in her place.
• Precious Photo: In the beginning of the film Rippner throws away most of the content out of Joe's wallet. Yet, he keeps a photo of teenage Lisa.
• Precision F-Strike:
  Rippner: I never once saw you order anything but a fucking Sea Breeze!
• Professional Killer: What Rippner actually is and so his associate.
• Psycho for Hire: Rippner, though it's never revealed who hired him.
• Punch-Clock Villain: Rippner, who is simply doing his job and has no personal grudge against Lisa, but his life beyond his job is unknown. However, when Rippner's job begins to break down, so does he.
• Punny Name: Jackson Rippner. This gets lampshaded a few times.
  Rippner: No, no, I haven't gone by Jack since I was ten years old. Last name's Rippner.
  Lisa: Jack Rippner. Jack... the... oh...
• Rape as Backstory: The cause of the scar. Implied in the film and confirmed in the DVD Commentary.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Lisa delivers one to Rippner in their final confrontation by telling him that his plans have failed, Keefe and his family (as well as her father) are safe, and that he has lost. She even uses an Ironic Echo and his infamous nickname "Jack." Rippner is not pleased.
• Revenge Before Reason: After Lisa stabbed Rippner with a pen and escapes him, Rippner unprofessionally followed Lisa to her home in a fit of revenge for the "betrayal" and humiliation instead of professionally slipping into the shadows like he should have done.
• Riddle for the Ages: We never learn what Lisa wrote in the book to try to alert her fellow passenger that something sinister is going on.
  • We also never know if Rippner really killed his own parents or he was simply joking. Then again he himself states that he never lies...
• Sadistic Choice: If Lisa helps Rippner, she would be associated in the assassination of the Secretary of Homeland Security and his family. If Lisa does not help Rippner, he will give his employers the signal to murder her father. She eventually takes a third option.
• Samaritan Relationship Starter: This is not something Lisa had done for two years (thanks in part to her Broken Bird past), but she decides takes a chance with the seemingly nice guy who helped her out in line earlier and meets him at a bar. Coincidently, they even sit next to each other. Their interactions go swimmingly until their flight takes off, and she discovers that he is not so nice.
• Sarcastic Confession: Among many, many other examples:
  Lisa: That wasn't very nice of your parents.
  Rippner: No, no. That's what I told them... before I killed them.
• Saying Too Much: Lisa seemed to be — just barely — willing to exchange Mr. Keefe's life for her own father's, until Rippner tried to console her and mentioned that by the time the plane landed, the Keefes, as in the target and the rest of his family, would be "history".
• Self-Made Orphan: One of Rippner's many "jokes" early on that he killed his parents for naming him "Jackson Rippner," so if it's true as he said that he never lied to her, this trope is in play.
• Sequel Hook: In the extended cut of the film, Rippner is shown in an ambulance and is very much alive.
• Shown Their Work: After the stabbing, Rippner recovers remarkably quickly with relatively little loss of blood. Lisa's attack mimics almost perfectly a real world impromptu tracheotomy method, right down to the weapon used.
• Shut Up, Hannibal!: Pen, meet windpipe.
• Sidekick: Cynthia, Lisa's friend and co-worker, could count as this.
• Sincerity Mode: Rippner was actually being compassionate when he said, "That it was beyond your control?"
• Soft-Spoken Sadist: Rippner is first introduced as a friendly soft-spoken guy to gain Lisa's trust, when he reveals his true intentions he never raises his voice because he doesn't want anyone on the plane except Lisa to hear it. He is especially fond of using his soothing voice while threatening Lisa or asking her the Armor-Piercing Question. After the flight he physically can't raise his voice due to damaged windpipe.
• Stairwell Chase
• Stalker with a Crush: Confirmed by Word of God in the commentary, Rippner did develop feelings for Lisa over the eight weeks he had to watch her. Not healthy feelings, but feelings nevertheless. The eerie thing is Rippner lampshaded this earlier in the film as a joke:
  Rippner: Wait a minute... You're not stalking me, are you?
  Lisa: No...
  [Beat]
  [Lisa and Rippner laugh]
• Stepford Smiler: Both Jackson and Lisa have to perform fake smiles due to the nature of their jobs and the situation that the film revolves around. Lisa also doesn't want anyone (even the close ones) to know about her anxieties and gets annoyed when being asked if she is okay.
• The Stoic: Rippner, who prefers—and even seems to take pride in—his professionalism and "male-driven fact-based logic." However, he turns Not So Stoic quite a number of times: Rippner gradually grows testy each time the call to the hotel gets prevented, headbutting Lisa when she first attempts to thwart his plans, and then he later threatens and chokes Lisa in the lavatory when she attempts again to get him caught. Finally, he lets his emotions take hold once Lisa escapes him, and from then on, his only concern is killing her.
• Subtext: Rippner's attraction to Lisa is subtle and not too noticeable, but it's confirmed by Craven, who goes in detail about it in the commentary.
• Sympathy for the Hero: After revealing his true intentions Rippner expresses sympathy towards Lisa a couple of times:
  • To the fact she is in this situation in the first place.
  Rippner: "Lisa, whatever female-driven, emotion-based dilemma you may be dealing with right now, you have my sympathy."
  • When he finds out about about Lisa's troupled past.
• Taking Advantage of Generosity: Lisa takes advantage of Rippner's Villainous Crush on her (whether she is aware of that or not):
  • Getting a chance to call her father to make sure that he is alive.
  • Allowed to go to the bathroom, originally just to let her emotions out, and then to write a message on mirror. Even if the second part didn't go so well.
  • This one is more of a result of a Bond Villain Stupidity, Rippner doesn't kill Lisa's father and ends up being shot by him.
  • Rippner's honesty towards Lisa helps saving everyone a lot.
• Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Rippner plays this up. Too bad it's part of his plan to get close to Lisa.
• Terms of Endangerment: Rippner is very fond of calling Lisa, "Leese."
• Terrorists Without a Cause: Rippner's employers. They speak Russian amongst themselves, but we never find out what they are about. In contrast, Rippner's character was specifically written as an American.
• There Is No Kill Like Overkill: The weapon used for the assassination of Keefe and his entire family? An anti-tank missile.
• Trademark Favorite Drink: A Sea Breeze is Lisa's favorite drink, or at least was until she met Rippner.
• Uncertain Doom: Rippner at the end is shot in the chest by Lisa's father. However he's still breathing while laying down and the last time we see him. So it's unlclear what actually happened to him. Either he dies offscreen for his injures or he survives and gets arrested for his crime (we can hear the police sirens in the background).
• Undying Loyalty: Rippner's hitman is, as himself states, a "good dog" who only "responds to his master's voice."
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: Subverted. While sexual tension was brimming throughout the entire film, Lisa and Rippner really start off with a mutual attraction, but it ends up being one-sided.
• Use Your Head: Rippner headbutts Lisa after her first attempt at sabotaging his plans. She later returns the favor.
• Vader Breath: Rippner after Lisa stabs him in the throat with a pen. He pulls it out and keeps on truckin'.
• Villainous Breakdown: Even with the situation deteriorating, Rippner manages to be suave and intimidating. But when Lisa stabs him in the throat with a pen and escapes, all bets are off. Clearly displayed in their final battle. At this point, Rippner has almost no control over the situation and had unprofessionally followed Lisa to her home, forgetting the crucial fact that she basically has the upper hand.
• Villainous Cheekbones: Rippner, made more prominent by shadows and lighting effects.
• Villainous Face Hold: Rippner cups Lisa's chin in the lavatory scene.
• Villainous Medical Care: After knocking Lisa out Rippner gives her an aspirin pill in order for her to sound coherent during the call to her hotel.
• Villains Never Lie: Rippner is very clear that he has not lied to Lisa even once despite the hostile situation, and he is hurt that she does lie to him. However, he is in fact lying when he says this; he tells at least one lie to Lisa on the plane, which puts his entire not-lying status in question. Also, see No Name Given.
• Vomit Discretion Shot: Downplayed. Lisa is supposed to vomit onscreen, but Rachel McAdams clearly just coughs into a toilet.
• We Need a Distraction:
  • Lisa thanks Rippner for distracting her from the turbulence by asking her questions. Subverted, as it was never Rippner's intention to distract Lisa; he merely wanted to keep the focus on Lisa and her father.
  • As Lisa waits for the seat belt sign to go off before she tries to escape, she distracts Rippner with the story of how she got her scar.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: The terrorists on the boat are last seen speeding away and it is unclear if they are captured.
• A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Rippner pretends to be sweet until she is trapped with him on the plane and then reveals his true intentions.
• Would Hit a Girl: Rippner, who is quite violent with Lisa throughout the film. He headbutts Lisa, nearly strangles her, and later tries to kill her when his plans fail. He is also willing to turn the other cheek on the fact that Keefe's assassination includes his wife and children as well.
• Worthy Opponent: Despite his irritation and frustration Rippner once admires Lisa's attempt to outsmart him.
• Yandere: Rippner, who zigzags between being seemingly sweet and violently sinister with Lisa. At the climax of the film, Rippner unprofessionally chases after Lisa from the airport terminal to her own house out of blind rage and vengeance at her escaping him. When he learns that his plans have been foiled, it only sets in stone his desire to "finish the job" and kill her.

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