Eagle Eye is a race-against-time thriller starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Anthony Mackie,Billy Bob Thornton and Michael Chiklis. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations – using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening – and more importantly, why.
This is a movie that moves with such speed and such excitement that it doesn’t matter whether the basic plot makes any sense or not. It is all in the chase and the outcome. And when the finale comes it is another tribute from actor Shia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso (“Disturbia”) to Alfred Hitchcock. The whole film takes on a Hitchcock like attitude as every day person Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) is jarred out of his humdrum life into a mad world where he receives instructions via his cell phone and other mechanical instruments. He is framed by an unknown voice as a terrorist and finds himself in the hands of the FBI, namely Special Agent Thomas Morgan (Billy Bob Thornton). After he escapes from the FBI he is paired with Rachel Holliman (Michelle Monaghan). She too is being coerced by this “voice” into doing several acts she would never do in her ordinary life. Shaw and Holliman are on a mission to put into play an act that could throw the country into chaos. As they race towards their destination there are car chases and car wrecks galore. The audience barely gets a chance to catch its collected breath before another terrifying event is under way. The actors don’t have to act, they just have to react and react they do to one threat after another and to simultaneous close calls.
Director Caruso knows how to keep the adrenaline pumping and the thrills coming. He might have tried a little harder to give his actors a chance to shine but mainly he keeps them running and jumping. LaBeouf and Monaghan are totally effective in their roles because they do look like ordinary people. They interact well with each other and there is no time out for romance. This is not that kind of film. They are too busy staying alive, so any mutual attraction takes a back burner. Billy Bob Thornton is completely wasted in a role that requires him to do nothing more than look pissed off, order people around, and take a silly ride on a labyrinthine factory conveyor belt, in one lame Indiana Jones/Rube Goldberg-inspired sequence. And poor Rosario Dawson and Michael Chiklis (so good on TV’s “The Shield,” but unable to find an interesting movie role so far). Their roles are so underwritten, they could be anybody. The focus of the film is on LaBeouf and Monaghan as they race from one point to the next. Their plight might not make much sense but it sure is fun to watch. By the time they arrive at that “The Man Who Knew Too Much” moment the audience is completely worn out – but in a good way. So buckle yourself into your seat and prepare for takeoff. “Eagle Eye” is a race against the clock that will keep you entertained and out of breath.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The only real flaw I had with this aside from some of the poor acting,was the sappy ending. We all know that if someone went into a room where the president was and started shooting off a gun, the Secret Service Agents would have shot to kill. Not Wound! KILL.
A sad 3 on my "Go See" scale and thats being generous.
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