‘Eagle’ lands smoothly

Take the pace of “The Fugitive,” combine that with the plots of “Enemy of the State” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” and throw in the newest “It” actor, and you get “Eagle Eye.” 

“Eagle Eye” is not as good as the movies that inspired it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

Shia LaBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, a broke, 20-something slacker who suddenly finds that his bank account, normally displaying “insufficient funds,” contains more than $750,000.

Shocked and scared as anyone would be, Jerry gets a call from an unknown woman saying if he doesn’t leave immediately, the FBI will arrest him within seconds. He decides to stay, resulting in arrest.

Meanwhile, Michelle Monaghan’s Rachel Hollman gets a call from the same woman who states that her son will be killed if she doesn’t follow every instruction.
After explosions, a foot chase and fired shots, the two begin their roles as pawns in an increasingly complex game.

What’s impressive about “Eagle Eye” is that it keeps the audience guessing in a genre normally full of cliches. There was never a moment in the movie where I even had a clue where it was headed next.

LaBeouf continues to prove why he’s the next big deal. Much like Will Smith, he has the charisma to elevate a mediocre thriller into something worth your $10. He did the same thing in “Disturbia” and “Transformers” while he held his own with Harrison Ford in the new “Indiana Jones.”

Some may think “Eagle Eye” tries to make some political point on the ever-increasing reality of constant surveillance. Perhaps that’s true, but to be honest the movie is too intent on being a loud, stupid action thriller for its message to be overbearing.

But no matter what, it’s a bunch of fun.