Check your brain at the door and enjoy
Expectations mean everything. If you expect American Beauty, you’ll probably walk away with American Pie. However, if you go in expecting Catwoman you might walk away with Iron Man. Needless to say I didn’t expect to be riveted by D.J. Caruso’s latest Shia LaBeouf collaboration “Eagle Eye.” And while I won’t place Eagle at on the top of my Netflix queue any time soon, the film as a whole was immensely enjoyable and, dare I say it, actually good from time to time.
“Eagle Eye” is not a movie you should go home and dissect after seeing. The plot won’t hold a feather when examined critically, and the more you think about it, the more the plot begins to resemble Swiss cheese. However, what the film does well is manage to keep you staring at the dancing monkey long enough that you don’t even realize that your wallet is missing until your well shot of the theater. This is not a fault, this is actually directorial genius.
It’s hard to really get into the plot itself without spoiling the entire movie, but a lot of criticism will come from the movie’s major revelation. The explanation for the manipulation of the world’s data network is acceptable and likely the only answer possible, but it will most likely leave you feeling that you seen this many times before and often far better. And to be fair, the second Act that begins with the revelation is far weaker and slower than the suspense and mystery filled first Act. I will also go on record as saying that while “Eagle Eye” has a satisfying conclusion, it has one of the worst ending scenes of any movie in recent memory.
I’ve never really liked Shia LaBeouf, and my taste for his performances has not been bolstered by his recent vine swinging antics in Indiana Jones, but I did honestly enjoy his performance in “Eagle Eye.” He actually fits the drama role better than I would have expected and miraculously manages to do for “Eagle Eye” what even Jamie Foxx couldn’t achieve for “Stealth.” I think LaBeouf has the capability of becoming the reason to see a film, albeit as long as it’s popcorn fare.
I think the most disappointing aspect of “Eagle Eye” is that the premise is solid, but the execution lacks intelligence when it seems like with a dash of Tom Clancy or a hint of old school Shyamalan you could have top notch thriller, rather than a cotton candy thrill ride. Additionally, Caruso's attempt to remake great Hitchcock movies like "Rear Window" with last year's "Disturbia" or "North by Northwest" with "Eagle Eye" could, and likely will, be criticized as dragging classics through the mud. Nevertheless, if you are a meat and potatoes movie-goer or you can switch off your inner-Truffaut, “Eagle Eye” will tingle your pleasure center, if only at the expense of an IQ point or two.
