Review: ‘Eagle Eye’

Zac:

The new film from D.J. Caruso is a solid action/spyish/thriller that would have done better service to itself if it had just been a bit more original.

Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) is a Copy Cabana employee, he is struggling to make rent, and he has just found out his twin brother has died.   Rachel Hollman (Michelle Monaghan) is a divorced mom who has just sent her son on a school trip to play a show at the Library of Congress.   The two have never met and have no relation but are about to spend the next 48 hours on the run for their lives, and the lives of others.   Jerry becomes activated when he goes to the ATM to deposit a check from his parents only to find his bank account full of thousands of dollars.   To go on top of this, he arrives home to find his apartment full of weapons and bomb making materials before receiving a phone call to flee his apartment in 30 seconds before the F.B.I. raids his house.   Confused, Jerry does not make it out and is put into custody.   Rachel, on the other hand, is out having some drinks with her friends when she receives a supposed call from her son only to find the same voice that called Jerry on the line, threatening her son’s life if she does not comply with her instructions.

The two are eventually thrown together, and I have summed up everything you would find in the trailer, and to spoil more would be a disservice to the excellent advertising that doesn’t give it all away, so I won’t either!   The film from here is filled with a series of car and foot chases and twists here and there that the filmmakers keep smartly tucked away.   The twists, while never incredibly shocking, are fairly clever and Caruso does a good job of tossing in red herrings along the way.   The director also does a nice job of keeping you on your toes and keeps his cards close to his chest making you wonder how it is all going to play out.

Now, I wish I could go into the blatant unoriginality of a lot of the proceedings, but that would give way to much away.   But, when you see it, you will know what I am talking about and know I am not talking about the big brother similarities to Enemy of the State.   The most disappointing thing about the film is that it couldn’t come up with a more original plot device for the film, as Caruso does a very good job with the action and effects and it would be great to see that applied to something that feels new instead of a display of great execution at creating a bit of a run of the mill action/thriller.

The actors all do some good work here as well, and that contributes to the film being very entertaining even though it might not be the most original picture.   Shia plays the role a bit more serious than his recent efforts and that is a good thing.   He handles the action well and is very convincing as the fleeing bystander, and he should be since it is kind of a similar role to Transformers.   Michelle Monaghan also does good work as a desperate mother willing to do just about anything to protect her son.   She has good chemistry with Shia and they work really well playing off one another.   Billy Bob Thornton plays a hard nosed and hilarious F.B.I. agent who barks order and fires quick quips at the underlings around him.   He does a great job and makes the most of all of his screen time.   Rosario Dawson is the other big star in the film and she does a fine, but a bit of a generic job as an Air Force investigator that gets mixed into the greater plot of it all.   Michael Chiklis also plays a vital role as the Secretary of Defense and he conveys the underlying message of the film that has to do with our government’s actions and handling of affairs around the world.

In the end, Eagle Eye is a solid action/thriller that will entertain from start to finish.   The twists are plenty, though one kind of hurts the mystique of the film if you ask me, and while the “help” the two leads tends to get a bit absurd at times, just sit back and have fun and don’t worry about all that too much.   The action is great and the actors all do great work, it’s just a shame the writers couldn’t have been a tad bit more original, and borrowed a bit less from other ideas.

[rating: 4/5]

Travis:

DJ Caruso (Disturbia) is beginning to hone in on his directorial purpose in life. ‘Eagle Eye’ is Caruso’s newest flick and showcases his ability to effectively captivate audiences with action and suspense. The film stars Shia Labeouf (Disturbia)Â  as Jerry Shaw, a slacker who finds himself caught up in some mysterious hi-tech terrorist plot that he knows nothing about. Early on in his forced participation, he meets Rachel, played by Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone), a single mom who also happens to be dealing with the same unknown conspirator. For Rachel, her threatened son is the catalyst that keeps her actively involved in this terrorist’s intricate puzzle of very well organized chaos.

‘Eagle Eye’ also stars Billy Bob Thornton as Agent Thomas Morgan, a determined anti-terrorism specialist who believes Shaw must be connected to this large-scale terrorist plot, Michael Chiklis (The Shield) stars as Secretary of Defense Callister, and Rosario Dawson has a relatively short but enjoyable role as Air Force investigator Zoe Perez. It’s Thornton, however, who adds the sharp-tongued sarcasm and occasional but appropriate comic relief in this film. Amidst all the non-stop action, destruction and edge-of-your seat thrills, Thornton manages to keep us smiling without making being silly.

The story and the terrorist plot itself are fairly elaborate, perhaps a bit far-fetched, but it was believable enough to accept so that we could enjoy the film without thinking, “that can’t happen!” One thing’s for sure, the filmmakers spared no expense in the production of this explosive and fast-paced movie, with tons of destruction costs on the bill. I can’t remember the last film I saw featuring so many actual destroyed vehicles. If these were CG-vehicles, than they’ve gotten really good with making this stuff look real! ‘Eagle Eye’ features a chase scene which I would rank in the top ten of all-time, despite the fact that Rachel apparently is a very good high speed evasive driver, even though she has no clue how to properly drive a manual transmission.

Once all this fast-paced, destructive, high-tech action goodness comes to a boil, we finally find out who is responsible for this entire setup and it’s not who we would have typically expected. If I stretch the definition enough, ‘Eagle Eye’ is as much a sci-fi film as it is an action-suspense film. The technology plays a relevant part of the story and raises issue about society’s development and use of such technology. Overall, ‘Eagle Eye’ is a great movie to get caught up in and enjoy as a fun and exciting experience. The only complaint I have about this film is the Hollywood ending, which is tacked onto the very end, just after what I felt was the appropriate ending. But, you’ll just have to go and see it for yourself to know what I’m talking about…

[rating:3.5/5]

Jeremy:

I remember the first teaser for ‘Eagle Eye’.   In it, Jerry Shaw, played by Shia “The Beef” LaBeaouf, enters his apartment.   Inside the apartment are boxes and crates filled with all kinds of chemicals and weapons.   He gets a call on his cell phone.   A strange woman on the other end tells him that the FBI is 30 seconds away and tha the must leave immediately.   He begins to argue with her, and, as warned, the FBI breaks in arresting him.

The next scene shows Jerry in a room where he is allowed his one phone call.   The woman’s voice comes through the phone again, telling him he had been warned to leave.   Again, she gives him a warning.   He has five seconds to duck.   Behind him, a swinging crane plows through the wall and windows.   Jerry gets up and looks out the massive hole in the side of the building.   Across the street, on an electronic message board, the words “JUMP JERRY SHAW” flash by.

Cut to the film’s title.

It was a highly effective teaser.   It told us in a matter of seconds what would be in store for us when the film was finally released.   That should have been the only trailer released for ‘Eagle Eye’.   The later trailer revealed much more.   It never spoiled anything, but that first teaser gave us more than enough to pique our interest.

Part of why ‘Eagle Eye’ is such a great thriller is that the mystery is very hard to figure out.   A dozen possible resolutions pass through your head, and, chances are, none of them come to fruition.   The story works so well, because when we finally find out what is going on, it’s very well thought out and it’s very surprising.

‘Eagle Eye’ is a great film that throws a ton of twists your way.   Just about every scene has some swerve that changes the direction of the film.   Along those same lines, every scene has some purpose that feeds the main story.   This film is all of two hours long, and there is no fat that could have been trimmed.   The mystery just keeps piling on, but, unlike ‘Lost’ a few years back, it is never overwhelming.   You never lose interest as to what is going on.

And most of that is thanks to director DJ Caruso.   After the very underrated ‘The Salton Sea’ in 2002, Caruso was set to be “the next big thing.”   He followed that up with ‘Taking Lives’ and ‘Two For the Money’, both okay, but very lackluster.   His 2007 film, ‘Disturbia’, was a really enjoyable thriller that introduced the director to Mr. LaBeouf.   With ‘Eagle Eye’, he’s found his breakout film, and he directs it with a whole lot of enthusiasm.

There is just as much action in ‘Eagle Eye’ as there is mystery.   The action never disappoints either.   That crane that smashes through the building is far from the biggest set piece in this film.   There are car chases through Chicago, foot chases through airports, and a tunnel sequence that puts the one in ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ to shame.

A lot of the action works also because you care for the people involved.   LaBeouf’s character is pretty much a loser, but you know where he’s coming from.   The opening calm before the storm helps build this up.   LaBeouf really comes into his own here.   Unlike in ‘Disturbia’ or ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’, he’s playing a mature character.   His acting benefits from this.   He was a star before ‘Eagle Eye’, but this is going to shoot him over the top even more.

Michelle Monaghan plays Rachel, a single mother who also receives a phone call from the mystery woman.   Her son is on a class trip, a trip to Washington DC.   The mystery woman tells Rachel to do exactly as she is told or the train will be derailed.   Monaghan is forced to show some severe emotion in certain scenes, and she pulls it off really well.   She also shows she can be tough if that is called for, as well.

Billy Bob Thornton is the other major notable here, but mainly for his comic relief.   Usually, in this kind of film, the humor doesn’t stem from the authoritative figure who is chasing our protagonists.   Caruso and Thornton turn that notion on its ear.   Thornton is funny, but, unlike Michael Bay films, the comic relief is witty and appropriate.   There’s no Anthony Anderson chowing down on donuts.   There’s no half-assed George Bush impression asking for a Ding Dong.   The comic relief is just one more thing that ‘Eagle Eye’ does right.

The story was conceived by Steven Spielberg, who acts as exective producer.   Between the story, the style, and the direction, this really feels like a Spielberg-directed film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.   We even get the Hans Zimmer-esque score provided by Brian Tyler.

‘Eagle Eye’ is Hollywood filmmaking done right.   It has a huge budget.   It has a named star.   There are moments near the end that could have been absent.   Likewise, there are a few minor plot holes that nitpickers could have a field day with.   Honestly, none of those flaws ruin anything else about the film.   This is great action serving a great story peppered with great acting and great humor.   ‘Eagle Eye’, in a nutshell, is a great time at the movies.

[rating:4.5/5]