Eagle Eye (2008)

The Bourne Ultimatum (Widescreen Edition) and Minority Report (Widescreen Edition) both produced similar moments which I really dug, in which a near omniscient character guides his/her fleeing companion and does so with such exquisite timing and pinpoint accuracy that capture is thereby avoided (Jason Bourne in one film, that psychic chick in the other). EAGLE EYE is one extended version of these two moments, and, guess what, it doesn't get old.

I guess this could happen, government voyeurism, what with how advanced technology's gotten. In fact, I've no doubt this is happening right now. EAGLE EYE presents a twisty plot, the soup of which blends Big Brother paranoia, the techno thriller, the shadow of terrorism, a whiff of Skynet, and the classic man on the run theme. EAGLE EYE tells of two strangers Jerry Shaw, the slacker copy boy (excuse me, "copy associate") from Copy Cabana and Rachel, the stressed single mom/paralegal suddenly flung together by a mysterious (and dang pushy) female who gives them brisk instructions over their cell phones, forcing them to frenetically run and jump around, drive like they've got to use the bathroom, hold up a pair of security guards for a briefcase (of which contents are a letdown, by the way), and even sneak onboard a military cargo plane. And those are just for starters...

The most intriguing part of the film, for me, was learning what was up with the voicy voice, who's cornered Jerry by framing him as a terrorist and cornered Rachel by threatening to kill her son. Much of the suspense leaks out once the film drops the 411 on the cell phone taskmaster. EAGLE EYE is escapist cinema which may have started out intending to make some sort of significant political and social statement but then kind of shrugged it off halfway thru the film. There's no dearth of far-fetched moments (like, on the train, where there just happened to be a conveniently snoozing stranger with a celly sitting right across from Shia or Rachel being so out-of-the-blue capable with a firearm). But the third act really goes ape-shiznit with the preposterous as the Big Bad's plans coalesce and imperil the nation's highest offices. The film's big crescendo echoes the climax scene from Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Will Smith's ENEMY OF THE STATE and the Bourne series have already demonstrated that the government can check up on us by accessing security, surveillance, and traffic cameras, as well as cell phones. EAGLE EYE one-ups these films by featuring an antagonist who is more far reaching, more omnipresent. The voice not only can track any person anytime, anywhere, by tapping into the nation's electronic data grid, but she can remotely control stop lights, steer elevated trains, set off power lines, and even take over military aircrafts. When our heroes go on the run (and don't really have time to chat on the cell), they get helpful directions from various electronic billboard signs, readout displays and monitor screens. So, unless you're Amish, there's no escaping the nagging voice.

Shia LaBeouf lost some cred with me for his vine-swinging part in the latest Indiana Jones flick. Here, he's decent but this really isn't a platform to show off his acting chops, slave as the picture is to the quick cut edits, flashy stunts and loud pyrotechnics. LaBeouf's characer has a few moments to do his surly, angst-ridden bit (what with his dead twin brother being the brighter light in the family), but he and lead actress Michelle Monaghan actually come off more as chess pieces being shuffled about by the all powerful entity to progress its murky end game. Julianne Moore plays the mysterious voice on the phone, managing to sound impersonal yet officiously sexy. Billy Bob Thornton is good as the undeterred FBI guy and Rosario Dawson is wasted as Air Force OSI Agent Zoey Perez trying to piece it all together. Thornton, by the way, comes up with the best line in the film, as he chews out his underlings: "If I don't get some good leads soon, you're all gonna be demoted into something that's gonna require touching $#!t with your hands!"

So, why am I four-starring this film? Because, in spite of the over-the-top beats, I got hooked into the premise enough that I had to see it thru to the end. And it may be loud and sometimes incoherent, but, damn if I didn't enjoy the wild ride. I think the key is that the film moves at such a frenetic pace that it forces you to shift your focus from one sequence to the next. You might just have enough time to ponder the implausibility of whatever's on the screen, but then you almost immediately get distracted with the next implausible thing on the screen. It's sleight-of-hand trickeration, is what it is. And, in the final tally, I had a good time (and, yes, part of the good time was spent making fun of the film).

As for the government accessing our electronic devices, that would certainly explain why I'm so sucky at Tetris on my cell phone. Now I see that it's the government conducting cyber terrorism. Those finks.

I must admit most of this review will be based on my second viewing of this film. Both viewings were on blu ray but the first time I had high expectations. The story line intrigued me and I am a huge Shia LaBeouf fan. With the first viewing I didn't like it very much. I liked Shia but I thought the story line pushed the limits and was just too unbelievable for me. It looked great in blu ray but I was disappointed.

Well, we all know that our experiences when we have expectations can sometimes be altered. I love blu ray, have consistently read how EAGLE EYE is one of the best films to utilize blu ray to its full effect so now, many months after my first viewing I purchased EAGLE EYE. I wanted to have it for I do want to own every Shia LaBeouf film and I am so grateful I did. This time I sat back with my home theater system with no expectations and was on the edge of my seat from beginnig to end. Knowing the plot and having no expectations allowed me to just view it and amazingly the plot suddendlty made sense, caught me up from beginning to end and I enjoyed myself immensely.

Kudos first must go to the acting. Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan and Billy Bob Thornton all up the ante with their acting chops. These characters are believable and it is refreshing to have the male and female lead not get romantically involved. It brings more of a sense of relity to the film. This film is directed and acted with respect to the story and it is very believable once you get caught up. It is also filled with amazing action sequences and they were all right blu ray is the only real way to enjoy this film to is full effect. The video presentation is an amazingly crisp 1080p. Colors and clarity are perfection. Flesh tones are just right and the quality does not falter be it day or night, inside or outside. The video never falters throughout the amazing action sequences. The audio is an amazing Dolby TruHD 5.1. Whether with dialogue driven scenes or the major action driven scenes the audio is strong, vibrant and realistic. All the speakers of your theatre system will be put to use and the sound quality throughout is at such a level that it makes the film that much more stimulating.

This is the first time I have ever said that if you did not like a film the first time give it a second shot but EAGLE EYE is an action film of the highest caliber with stimulating suspense. Certainly one I plan on viewing again and again. Highly recommend.

Buy Eagle Eye (2008) Now

Eagle Eye was a fun wild ride. It had action, and humor. The acting was especially very good. Shila Lebouf did an extremelly good job.

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I know, I know! This film is implausible, it could have had a better actor (Shia LaBeouf) in the lead, but growing up loving the sci-fi genre of yesteryear, I had to think about my rating on those terms. In the old days of sci-fi films(50's, 60's and 70's) we didn't always get the best actors or special FX and the plots were certainly a bit of a stretch to say the least. So if you compare this film to some of those old lovable and laughable classics; this film is really quite interesting and very well done. Sure there are many moments where everything works out too conveniently, but it's a sci-fi fantasy and I can forgive that because it's a well executed story with an intriguing plot.

I really liked this film and I think those of you who go into this film with the right frame of mind will truly enjoy it despite its minor shortcomings. Of course this film is considered sci-fi now, but who knows if it's not reality in a few years!

Want Eagle Eye (2008) Discount?

The film Eagle Eye advertised itself as an action/adventure film with an aspect of government intrigue ("Big Brother is watching"). While the film definitely delivers in the action department, there really isn't much else to it.

The basic plot of the film centers on two ordinary people who are suddenly "activated" as terrorists and must flee for there lives while only taking messages from all the electronic devices around them (cell phones, billboards, streaming text lines, LED signs, etc.). As they continue to flee, they eventually figure out what is happening to them and begin hatching a plan to stop it.

The reason why this movie fails, though, is that is doesn't focuses on the dramatic elements that are actually interesting. Without giving any spoilers, the film would have been much better served focusing on two areas: 1. The technology behind why the two U.S. citizens are "activated" in the first place; and 2. The relationship between the two lead characters played by Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan.

Instead, however, this film is little more than one pulse-pounding action sequence after another with just enough (but much too little) exposition to move the plot forward to the next crazy chase scene. Plus, the focus of the film seemed to be on the fact that the two citizens can be communicated with or found by any electronic device. However, it covered much of the same territory that Will Smith and Gene Hackman did in Enemy of the State a decade ago. There wasn't enough new material to really hook me into this plot thread.

Thus, if you a huge fan of non-stop action in films, you will love this film. If you need some character and plot development to keep your interest, though, then skip this movie, as you will just be disappointed.

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