Review of Eagle Eye (2008) by Timothy S — 26 Sep 2011

There's not a single plot development or story line in "Eagle Eye" that is plausible or believable, but the strange thing is that I became a fan of the movie right from the first scene. The film only grows more outlandish and more entertaining after that, and I relished it. The story is completely crazy, but it's also very clever in its own way and I was with it every step of the way. The screenwriters are thinking big and way out of the box, and when a film is as fast-paced as this one is I'm more inclined to go against my better judgment and get caught up in the moment.

I wasn't all that impressed with D.J. Caruso's last picture "Disturbia", but the director shows a real flair for action. The film is fast-paced and exciting. I also appreciated the film's casting. Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan are both talented and charismatic leads and they have long careers ahead of them, but I was more fond of the supporting cast. Billy Bob Thornton gives his most likable performance in years, and I loved Rosario Dawson playing against type as a high-ranking military official. Much like the rest of the picture, you never really believe her in the role, but she's a lot of fun to watch.

I also enjoyed the thrilling finale mostly because by that time I was completely engrossed in the movie and it ceased to matter how ridiculous everything had become. The conclusion is a real nail-biter any way you look at it.

Taken solely as a piece of entertainment, "Eagle Eye" more than delivers. It doesn't hold up under the least bit of scrutiny, but I had a blast.