Eagle Eye

The boys had school today but Mom was off because of Veteran's Day. So, I did what any good mother would do, I ran away from home and went to the movies! Yeah, I could have stayed at home and done laundry and changed sheets and dusted things but I only get a day completely to myself about once every 18 months so I was hanging on to it as if it was a lifeline...which, perhaps it was.

I did some pre-movie shopping (that is for another post...Victoria's Secret now has Swell Level 5...more to come on that) but soon enough I was in a dark theater with just my thoughts, a bag of popcorn and an excessively large Coke. (I swear I think that cup could have held a 2 ltr worth of Coke.)

Eagle Eye was chosen because it has everything I love in a movie...car chases, terrorist plots, military cover-ups and a "put your mind in neutral" kinda plot. (By that, I don't mean it wasn't smart, it is just mindless action for 2 hours.) Some might call this a guy movie but I prefer those to romantic movies...not that I don't love a good romance, it's just that I can get that most nights on TV and TV doesn't have the budget to throw together a good "guy" show with all the fireworks like this movie.

So, I would consider this was a good one. I would put it in the Live Free or Die Hard range of movies. Two thumbs way up. Beware...what comes next could be considered "spoilers"!

So, Eagle Eye focuses on a normal guy, Jerry, and a normal mom, Rachel. Now Jerry and Rachel start having a really bad couple of days because they have been "activated". Jerry has been set up to look like a terrorist and Rachel's son (off on a seamingly harmless band trip) is in danger if Rachel doesn't toe the line. The action is almost non-stop and has some really great chase scenes. I mean, there are literally dozen of cars totally demolished in this thing! Rachel also gets to drive really crazy at one point and I love this because I would like to have a chance to do that myself...but where do I pick up a Porsche SUV with bad guys chasing me? Also, there is a wonderful chase scene through the baggage system of an airport. It is suppose to be LAX, having never seen LAX's baggage system, maybe it is...whatever, it is really great. (And for those reading this...which is probably no one, TYS's baggage system does not look anything like that one.)

Wasn't I talking about the movie...OK...so Jerry and Rachel must follow a series of actions relayed to them via cell phone. If they don't comply, bad things will happen...those calling the shots do away with a fringe character just to show us all that they mean business. As average Joe and Jane move like chess pieces on a board, the reality behind what is happening to them (or rather why it is all happening to them) starts to take shape. I will not ruining the ending but they win. (No, that doesn't ruin it for you...I didn't tell you how they win did I? So touchy!)

Another thing that makes this a good one is Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan (Jerry and Rachel). They do a great job of playing normal folks thrust into something so much larger than themselves. Shia is the next generation's Tom Hanks. He is the "every man". He isn't too cute and he can play humor as well as drama. I really like this guy...and so does Steven Spielberg so he is pretty much set. As long as he doesn't go Lohan or something, he is going to be a star for years to come. Michelle does a good job as well. You will totally believe she is a mom terrified that something is going to happen to her little boy. As a mom, she made me connect with her terror at the thought of losing something so precious to her.

I would also like to say kudos to the folks who made this movie. It would have been so easy to have thrown Jerry and Rachel together in a hotel room at some point to have the "we may not make it out of this so let's have sex" sex. That didn't happen...and it shouldn't because the world is falling apart around them and that would have just been odd. They instead become a team fighting towards a common goal.

Well, that is the popcorn report on Eagle Eye. It will probably leave theaters soon as Hollywood makes room for the holiday push. If you can't catch it in theaters, I would hit the Blockbuster for it when it makes its DVD debut (with special bonus features and never before seen things that no one will care about...).

PS - Interestingly enough, hubby is at the theater right now watching this same movie with some guy friends. I gave you the girl breakdown on Eagle Eye, now I would like to give you the guy breakdown..."it was good, they blew things up". You are welcome.