‘Eagle Eye’ Suspends Too Much Disbelief

By Jason Foster

There’s a point about midway through “Eagle Eye” when it stops being an engaging thriller and becomes a lazy, by-the-numbers, been- there-done-that action/sci-fi film.

That moment is the point at which the movie’s central mystery is revealed. So to delve into it would spoil the mystery, as lame as it is, so I will try to dance around it.

The movie, directed by D.J. Caruso and starring Shia LeBeouf (and executive produced by Steven Spielberg), is a statement on post-9- 11 America, where Big Brother is ever present, listening to our cell phone conversations and studying our every move. But it also appears to be an indictment on our technology-driven world, where even the most well-intentioned gizmos and gadgets can contribute to our destruction.

Most people would probably agree there’s some truth in both ideas. But the lengths to which these themes play out in “Eagle Eye” are way too over the top to be believed.

LeBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, an underachieving, even rebellious, 20- something who’s essentially estranged from his family. When Shaw returns home after the death of his twin brother, he mysteriously gets framed as a terrorist and starts getting cryptic phone calls with instructions from the crafter of his situation. One such instruction pairs him with Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan), a single mom who finds herself in a similar tangled web.

The cryptic voice in the phone leads them on a series of tasks that we eventually learn are part of a plot to assassinate politicians. The duo must complete these tasks while also staying a step ahead of government agents who are pursuing them but are equally perplexed by the increasingly bizarre circumstances.

The real problem with this movie is that it apparently wants us to believe that all this could really happen in today’s America. When you establish that idea, you need to play by reality-based rules. Sure, take some small leaps, but at least keep things plausible. This movie takes some huge leaps that border on science- fiction. And the big reveal will likely remind many viewers of one science fiction work in particular.

If you want more mindless, shaky-camera action, then this movie will appeal to you. If you want to see a much better attempt at a paranoia thriller, go rent “The Conversation.”

Grade: C-

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