Eagle Eye Soars
With several promising movies out this past weekend, my husband and I decided to check out the techno-thriller Eagle Eye. I did something I don’t normally do – I read several reviews before hitting the theater. The critics compared it to the likes of Speed, The Fugitive, and even Minority Report, calling the film this year’s version of all three while various viewers gave it several “thumbs up” for the action regardless of its comparison to past films. Probably the most interesting review I read (and I wish I could find the article again) compared Eye and the films before it to the Alfred Hitchcock thrillers of old in that the reviewer said what was missing was a reason to care about the characters before all the action starts. It was because of this reviewer and those of several common-folk like myself that I decided this was the movie I wanted to see this weekend. And I’m glad I did.
Truth be told, I liked it. I found the updated concept of the film to be intriguing, so much so that I’m rethinking my feelings on the Patriot Act. Produced by DreamWorks and starring Shia LaBeouf (Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) as Jerry Shaw, is yet another winning combination for the actor and producer Steven Spielberg.
Imagine if you will, you’re an ordinary guy with an ordinary job. You work at your local copy place, you play poker with your buddies, and you quit a promising education at Stanford just because. One day, you return home after attending your brother’s funeral only to find bomb-making materials, tons of them, as well as secret government documents in your home. The phone rings. The caller doesn’t identify herself. She only says that you have 30 seconds to get out or you will be arrested by the FBI. As you question who she is and why she’s calling, she’s telling you to get out because you have “17 seconds…4 seconds” left. In the blink of an eye (no pun intended…or is there?), the FBI has entered your apartment, guns at the ready, and you have nowhere left to run. You’re taken down for questioning and you think that’s it when it’s only the beginning. Before you know it, you are making daring escapes with a female (by the name of Rachel Holloman) in tow who, just like you, has also been “activated” while following the orders of some chick on the other end of the phone line.
I won’t give anything else away. What I will say is while I do agree that Eye takes on the likes of the films before it, it does have it’s own unique story, one that keeps you on the edge of your seat pretty much the entire time. There are a few plot points thrown in there for good measure (i.e. Jerry and Rachel share each other’s story while trying to figure out how they are connected) but the plot points make sense. The writer doesn’t dwell on each character’s history (like a Hitchcock film would) but gives the viewer just enough to understand them and why they were chosen for their task.
Eye is an intense ride and it definitely gets you thinking about how you communicate on a daily basis. Whether through cell phone calls, instant messages, My Space, Facebook, even ATM transactions, it makes you wonder just who is watching you…all…the…time?
Eagle Eye also stars Michelle Monaghan (Made of Honor and Gone Baby Gone) alongside LaBeouf as Rachel Holloman, Oscar winner Billy Bob Thorton (Sling Blade), Rosario Dawson (Sin City), and Michael Chicklis (The Shield).
I give Eagle Eye
and 3/4 reels.
Until next time, see YOU at the movies!
Lisa 
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Once again as imagine “Eagle eye” has come up with much to gain. Lot of character been involve. Dramatically changing fast moving thriller it was. Different angles of view and ideas shared with grate deal of assurance of entertainment. Wow I saw it for many a times. Really because it was good at http://www.80millionmoviesfree.com