Red Eye review – the mile-high mystery that wishes it were Hijack

On any given day of the week, you can find yourself a gripping new thriller featuring the talented Richard Armitage. These movies are typically available on Netflix, and tend to be adapted from popular Harlan Coben novels like The Stranger, Stay Close, and Fool Me Once. They might also come from a Josephine Hart book like Damage, which got renamed as Obsession for television. However, this time you'll find Armitage delivering thrills on ITV1 and ITVX in the form of Red Eye, a production written by Peter A Dowling with Jingan Young tackling episode four.

Dr. Matthew Nolan, also known as Armitage, was first spotted leaving a nightclub in Beijing with a stab wound. He then crashed his car into a traffic barrier, likely in an attempt to avoid harm. This caught the attention of the audience. Later, we see him getting arrested at Heathrow for causing the death of a young woman who was in the car with him during the crash. She happened to be the daughter of a Party general, and to avoid damaging an energy deal between China and the government, Armitage was immediately sent back to China to face the charges.

The doctor vehemently denies committing the act. He insists that he was alone at the time of the accident. He even had a conversation with a lady at the after-party, where several other doctors were present, before leaving. He believes that he is a victim of a conspiracy, but he cannot fathom the reason behind it or who is behind it.

The law enforcement officer taking him back to China on the red-eye flight doesn't care about him. Her name is Hana Li, and she is upset because she believes she is only assigned this task because she is Chinese. Hana also thinks that he is guilty because a border agent showed her a picture of the dead woman and accused him. She accuses him of relying on his wealth and white privilege, thinking he could get away with it. She handcuffs him to his seat but lets him drink as many double G&Ts as he wants. Hopefully, she approaches her actual cases with more critical thinking in the future, but there is no time to think about that now because they have to keep moving.

During the conference, it was discovered that Nolan had spoken to a woman and four other doctors who had witnessed the interaction were requested to accompany him back to China to provide statements. Three of them agreed, but one declined. Later, he was seen speaking apprehensively on the phone before getting abducted into a white van. Chris should have boarded the plane with others.

Should he really go on this flight? There have been numerous deaths in just a few hours since takeoff, with people being poisoned and hit to seem like accidents. It would be great to have someone like Idris Elba from the movie "Hijack" to help out. Luckily, DC Li takes the lead and begins making calls to the authorities. Though it may not be as hands-on as Elba's approach, more action is on its way. The pilot is still alive by the end of the first two available episodes, but it's assumed he is being targeted for death as he kissed a picture of his family before takeoff. It's likely that there will be some serious danger and maybe even a crash before everything is resolved.

After getting back on land, Lesley Sharp appears to be unsuitable for the role of Madeline Delaney, the head of MI5. She talks and moves quite slowly around everyone, which may or may not be accurate. My only point of reference for MI5 is the show Spooks, where they seem to move at a faster pace. However, I understand that what I see on TV may not be entirely reliable. Delaney is opposed to Nolan's extradition, but the Home Office is insistent that he must go. The relationship between our government and the Chinese appears to have a sinister element to it, but it's unclear whether it's just about constructing nuclear power stations or something even more unscrupulous.

In the meantime, to our surprise, a journalist has taken notice and begun to look into Nolan's peculiar reappearance at the location of his supposed offense. The individual in question is Jess, who happens to be Li's half-sibling, portrayed by Jemma Moore. The reason why they are not on good terms is due to some betrayal that Jess committed during her previous article.

Well, folks, that pretty much sums up this exciting story full of unexpected turns and intrigue. Once you view the initial installment, chances are you'll be hooked and consume the remaining ones with ease. Afterwards, it may slip your mind until the arrival of the next episode, possibly on a Tuesday when Armitage reappears.