RUN, SHIA, RUN!

Movie Review

by Chad Menville

published September 26, 2008

Eagle Eye

Rated PG-13

now playing nationwide

In Eagle Eye, two strangers are thrown together, framed for crimes they did not commit and forced to do things they don't understand. They quickly become the country's most wanted fugitives and must follow implicit instructions from a faceless enemy if they want to stay alive. The result?  You might say that this is the first “End Of The World As We Know It” movie that doesn't suck.

The idea for Eagle Eye came from executive producer Steven Spielberg several years ago. He wondered what would happen if the technology we depend on turned against us. In the interim between his initial premise and the screenplay, technology has advanced exponentially. Consequently, the end result has become less a science fiction movie and more a cautionary parable.

As the leading man, this might well mark the end of Shia LaBeouf's teen roles. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) is pushed into a series of increasingly dangerous situations along with his counterpart, Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan). Not knowing why they have been chosen, they must blindly follow their instructions or else they and their family – as well as a roomful of dignitaries – will be blown to smithereens. As if this weren't enough, did I mention Jerry has a recently departed twin who was thought to be a major terrorist?

In no time at all, and with nowhere to hide, Jerry and Rachel become enemies of the state. Apparently it's not as hard as it used to be. Those who should be helping them are after them, especially FBI agent Thomas Morgan (Billy Bob Thornton) and Special Agent Zoe Perez (Rosario Dawson). If this all sounds confusing, rest assured it is not. Director D.J. Caruso's ability to streamline a story sets this non-stop suspense movie heads above others of its kind.

Shot at dozens of locations in cities around the world, the production team went to great lengths to make every detail as authentic as possible. Monaghan and LaBeouf perform many of their own stunts, and specialized technical consultants were brought on board.    Instead of relying on lots of models, elaborate sets were constructed and CGI was kept to a minimum, thus maximizing the plausibility factor of each shot. The result is a credible, fast-paced thriller with rich characters in situations way beyond their control.

chadmenville @ stageandcinema.com