Eagle Eye (2008)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

D.J. Caruso

Writers (WGA):

John Glenn (screenplay) &
Travis Wright (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 September 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

If you want to live you will obey

Plot:

Jerry and Rachel 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.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Technology | FBI | Cell Phone | Twin Brother

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 11	8:00 PM	HBO
Sat. July 11	11:45 PM	HBO

Cast

Shia LaBeouf	...	Jerry Shaw
Michelle Monaghan	...	Rachel Holloman
Rosario Dawson	...	Zoe Perez
Michael Chiklis	...	Defense Secretary Callister
Anthony Mackie	...	Major William Bowman
Ethan Embry	...	Agent Toby Grant
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Agent Thomas Morgan
Anthony Azizi	...	Ranim Khalid
Cameron Boyce	...	Sam Holloman
Lynn Cohen	...	Mrs. Wierzbowski
Bill Smitrovich	...	Admiral Thompson
Charles Carroll	...	Mr. Miller
William Sadler	...	Jerry's Dad
Deborah Strang	...	Jerry's Mom
Dariush Kashani	...	Translator

Also Known As:

Eagle Eye - Außer Kontrolle (Germany)
Eagle Eye: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and for language.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44704) | Finland:K-13 | Australia:M | South Korea:12 | UK:12A | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Singapore:PG | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Hong Kong:IIA | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Netherlands:12 | Malaysia:U | Denmark:11 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Canada:G (Québec) | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | South Africa:13V | Peru:14 | Taiwan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Apple Valley, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Aria appears to be based upon a "black" program through the National Security Agency which is believed to be a large computer program that monitors and records phone calls by listening in for key words related to terrorism and the like.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Early in the movie when Jerry is on the El train in Chicago, he is shown at the Quincy stop, but the train that he is on is a specific type of train that is only utilized on the Blue line route that doesn't go through the Quincy station. Also, shortly after leaving the Quincy station he is shown at the Wilson station, which is on a completely different train line and would probably require at least 30 minutes to get to even if on the correct train line.

Quotes:

Jerry Shaw: You know you got the wrong guy right?

Movie Connections:

References 50 First Dates (2004)

Soundtrack:

Sometime Around Midnight

You've Been Activated

The "technology is everywhere" idea for "Eagle Eye" was hatched several years ago from the brilliant mind of executive producer Steven Spielberg. He wanted to do for electronic devices what he successfully did for sharks in "Jaws." People feared going to the water after watching Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece but I doubt they will stop using technology because of "Eagle Eye."

Yet, the film succeeds in instilling paranoia. It may not have reached the cinematic tension of "Jaws," but you will still feel suspicious about your cell phones, laptops, and GPS. Is Big Brother watching? In "Eagle Eye," it's Big Sister who's doing all the controlling. Her soothing but commanding voice (Julianne Moore in an uncredited role) is manipulating people into doing exactly what she wants them to do. Her motivation may be patriotic, but the means by which she carries out her duties can be considered terroristic.

Acting as Big Sister's unwilling puppets are Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan. Their characters unite to figure out who's the person behind Big Sister's voice.

In his first adult leading man role, LaBeouf stars as Jerry Shaw, a copy clerk in Chicago who's detached from his family. Compared to his successful twin brother, an Air Force public relations officer, Jerry is an underachieving loser with no ambition or dreams.

When his brother gets killed in a car crash, Jerry's life takes a drastic turn for the worse. Suddenly, huge amounts of bomb-making materials show up at his apartment, which prompt the FBI, headed by Agent Thomas Morgan (the scene-stealing Billy Bob Thornton), to label Jerry a terrorist.

Meanwhile, Monaghan's Rachel is busy being a single mom. Her little boy is off to Washington, D.C. to play for the President in his school band. That night, Rachel is enjoying an all-girls night out when she receives "the" call. Her child's life is in danger, if she doesn't follow directions precisely.

"Rachel Holloman you have been activated," says the soothing voice on the other end of the line. "Your compliance is vital. We will derail your son's train unless you do what you're told!" Cue action-packed music.

Directed by D.J. Caruso, LaBeouf's partner-in-crime in "Disturbia," "Eagle Eye" is a non-stop action-thriller that's frenetic, chaotic, and at times, overwhelming. Get ready to be assaulted by quick edits and jerky camera movements – a barrage of sights and loud sounds which sometimes culminates into mind-blowing special effects.

Amidst all the noise, the quiet performance by "The Shield's" Michael Chiklis as Defense Secretary Callister stands out as the heart of the movie. You can see that a world of responsibilities rests upon his shoulders.

I also enjoyed the chemistry between LaBeouf and Monaghan. The romantic tension is evident albeit inferred. If this is an 80s movie, the actors would have made love, with guns a' blazing and a Journey soundtrack playing in the background.

The biggest element I liked about "Eagle Eye" is its strong "what if" factor. The hi-tech central plot of the film doesn't feel like science fiction. Spielberg's imagination is truly ahead of his time. He conjured up this scenario long before cell phones, laptops, and GPS rule the world. So get off of your computer and watch "Eagle Eye." And for that, "Eagle Eye" gets 3 "Big Sister's Watching" kisses.