People are voting emotionally.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Since the first is what kicked the movie off so that everything happened from there, I had to mark this one down drastically. It's definitely sub- par. As Sally Field's racing through the traffic jam for help, she would realistically get some, especially when HER stopped car is toward the front of the jam, helping it to STAY jammed. People wouldn't keep shutting her out like she's just some lunatic as she keeps going from car to car, obviously frantic, out of her mind. She's on the phone, so it's evident that she has an extreme situation going on. It's not until she's on the sidewalk and trips and falls on her face when she's finally spoken to. This is very unrealistic. And when she's finally spoken to, she's idiotically asked if she's OK... Does it SEEM LIKE SHE'S OK??? It wasn't out of concern about her fall, it was out of curiosity about her sanity. At the END of the movie, Kiefer Sutherland's fall from the stairs to on top of Sally Field is obviously fake/discontinued. When he actually lands on her, it's a pretty soft landing for where he started his fall. I know they couldn't literally have him fall on her from several steps up or it would've seriously injured Sally, but still. It doesn't look real and continuous at all.

This is the story of Karen McCann a loving wife and mother who seeks her own justice when the court system frees her daughter's killer. I have read the reviews of this movie, and I'm disappointed with some reviews. This movie is a brilliant piece of cinema. There are some plot holes, but overall this movie is superb. I will say this the opening rape scene of Karen's daughter is horrifying to watch. To be honest Every time I watch this movie I try to skip that part. However, if you watch this movie for the first time I feel you would be cheating yourself out of feeling hate and anger when the court releases the killer. The characters all develop so well! Especially the killer Robert Doob. Kiefer Sutherland is so good! His opening line in his performance comes at the case scene when he gets released, and he stares right in the eyes of Karen's eyes and says, "Sssssssssorry." He was mocking the fact that her daughter had a stutter. It gives you chills. Lastly, Sally Field is absolutely astounding she may not have gotten an Oscar out of this performance, but I feel any other actress who would have to give this performance could never do as good as she does! The same goes for Kiefer I feel he needed to see a therapist or something after this performance. If you have not seen this movie you need to!

Eye for an Eye (1996): Dir: John Schlesinger / Cast: Sally Field, Kiefer Sutherland, Ed Harris, Joe Mantegna, Beverly D'Angelo: An ugly portrayal of retaliation that manipulates viewers with its justifications. Sally Field overhears the murder of her daughter via cell phone. Kiefer Sutherland is arrested but found innocent due to malpractice with evidence. Angered, Field purchases a gun and spies on him. Predictable and pathetic justified revenge cover up. A laughable excess in hate by director John Schlesinger. What a sad decline for a director who once made interesting films such as Marathon Man and Midnight Cowboy. Field is a good actress in laughable material that her playing a death wish mother. Sutherland's blandness make him a prop for viewers to blame. The character is certainly bad but created more or less as a target for revenge as oppose to a compelling derange personality type. Ed Harris plays Field's husband who cannot reason with her. He will predictably lose hope and suspect her of things that she will not admit to. Joe Mantegna plays her lawyer who stands by her to the very end even when given a pitiful comment from her. Beverly D'Angelo also appears but just like the rest of this talented cast she can do nothing to prevent it from becoming pathetic. In films like Death Wish and Ms. 45 revenge was the subject and not the product. This stupid revenge flick is worthy of target practice. Score: 0 / 10

Considering the calibre of the cast and director, Eye For An Eye is a rather low key affair. It tells a familiar story - rapist/murderer goes free through legal loophole, bereaved parent pursues vengeance/justice - and does so reasonably well.Some might think Keifer Sutherland's villain is one dimensional and overstated - I suspect not. Some might think the reactions of Sally Field and Ed Harris as parents of the murdered girl are unrealistic - the answer here must be whether they are credible, and I think they are credible possible reactions. No two people will react the same way, and none of us knows what we would do unless it happens to us (and I profoundly hope it does not happen to anyone reading this).Ultimately, though, despite decent performances and a satisfactory (though somewhat perfunctory) conclusion, the emotional intensity of the opening is not really sustained, and the film peters out in a welter of obviousness.