Eagle Eye

This article is about the 2008 thriller. For other uses, seeEagle Eye (disambiguation).

Eagle Eye
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	D. J. Caruso
Screenplay by	John Glenn Travis Adam Wright Hillary Seitz Dan McDermott
Story by	Dan McDermott
Produced by	Alex Kurtzman Roberto Orci Pat Crowley
Starring	Shia LaBeouf Michelle Monaghan Rosario Dawson Michael Chiklis Anthony Mackie Billy Bob Thornton
Cinematography	Dariusz Wolski
Edited by	Jim Page
Music by	Brian Tyler
Production companies	DreamWorks Pictures K/O Paper Products Goldcrest Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	September 16, 2008(2008-09-16)(Hollywood) September 26, 2008(2008-09-26)(United States)
Running time	118 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$80 million
Box office	$178.8 million

Eagle Eyeis a 2008 Americanthrillerfilm directed byD. J. Carusofrom a screenplay byJohn Glenn,Travis Adam Wright, Hillary Seitz and Dan McDermott. The film starsShia LaBeouf,Michelle Monaghan,Rosario Dawson,Michael Chiklis,Anthony Mackie,Billy Bob Thornton.Its plot follows two strangers who are forced to go on the run together after receiving a mysterious phone call from an unknown "woman" who usesinformation and communications technologyto track their every move.

Eagle Eyewas released in the United States byParamount Pictureson September 26, 2008. Despite receiving mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, the film grossed $178.8 million worldwide against an $80 million production budget.

Plot

Stanford Universitydropout Jerry Shaw learns that hisidentical twinbrother Ethan, an officer in theU.S. Air Force,has been killed. Following the funeral, he is surprised to find a large sum of money in his bank account and his apartment filled with firearms and bomb-making materials.

Jerry receives a phone call from a woman who warns that theFBIis about to arrest him and he needs to run. Disbelieving the voice, he is caught by the FBI and interrogated by Supervising Agent Tom Morgan.

While Morgan confers withAir Force OSISpecial Agent Zoe Pérez, the woman on the phone arranges for Jerry's escape and directs him to Rachel Holloman, a single mother. The woman on the phone is coercing Rachel by threatening her son Sam, who is aboard theCapitol Limiteden route to theKennedy CenterinWashington, D.C.,with his school band.

The woman on the phone helps the two avoid law enforcement by controlling networked devices. These includetraffic lights,mobile phones,automatedcranes,and evenpower lines.

Meanwhile, the caller redirects a crystalline explosive to agemcutter,who cuts it and fixes it into a necklace. Another man steals Sam's trumpet in Chicago and fits the crystal's sonic trigger into the tubing before forwarding it to Sam in Washington.

Agent Perez is summoned bySecretary of DefenseGeorge Callister to be read into Ethan's job atthe Pentagon.Ethan monitored theDepartment of Defense's top-secret intelligence-gatheringsupercomputer,the Autonomous Reconnaissance Intelligence Integration Analyst (ARIIA;/ɑːriːə/).

Callister leaves Perez withMajorWilliam Bowman and ARIIA to investigate Ethan Shaw's death. Simultaneously, Rachel and Jerry learn that the woman on the phone is actually ARIIA, and that she has "activated" them according to theConstitution's authorization to recruit civilians for the national defense.

Perez and Bowman find evidence that Ethan Shaw hid in ARIIA's chamber and left to brief Callister. Afterwards, ARIIA smuggles Jerry and Rachel into her observation theater under the Pentagon. Both groups learn that after ARIIA's recommendation was ignored, a botched operation inBalochistanresulted in the deathsof U.S. citizens.

Therefore, ARIIA concluded that the currentexecutive branchmust be removed to prevent more bloodshed, acting on behalf of "We the People".It cites theDeclaration of Independence( "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it" ).

Belatedly, Jerry learns he has been brought to circumventbiometriclocks placed by his twin that prevent ARIIA from activating Operation Guillotine, amilitary simulationof maintaining government after the loss ofall presidential successors.As Secretary Callister agreed with ARIIA's abort recommendation regarding Balochistan, he is to be thedesignated survivorand newpresidentafter the crystal detonates at theState of the Union(SOTU).

Another of ARIIA's agents extracts Rachel from the Pentagon and gives her a dress and the explosive necklace to wear to the SOTU. Sam's school band has also been redirected to theUnited States Capitolto play for the president, bringing the trigger in Sam's trumpet and the explosive together.

Jerry is recaptured by Agent Morgan, who has become convinced of Jerry's innocence. Before sacrificing himself to stop an armedMQ-9 Reapersent by ARIIA, Morgan gives Jerry his weapon and ID with which to gain entrance to the Capitol. Arriving in theHouse Chamber,Jerry fires the handgun in the air to disrupt the concert before being shot and wounded by theSecret Service.

Sometime later, Callister reports that ARIIA has been decommissioned and recommends against building another; the Shaw twins and Agents Perez and Morgan receive awards for their actions; and Jerry attends Sam's birthday party, earning Rachel's gratitude and a kiss.

Cast

• Shia LaBeoufas Jerry Shaw, Ethan's twin brother, aStanford Universitydropout and an intelligent but rebellious young man struggling with financial responsibility, working at a copy store.
  • LaBeouf also plays Ethan Shaw, Jerry's twin brother, an esteemed graduate of theUnited States Air Force Academyand aFirst lieutenantin theUnited States Air Force,assigned as a Minuteman to the ARIIA program.
• Michelle Monaghanas Rachel Holloman, a woman who is being coerced by ARIIA.
• Julianne Mooreas the voice of the super computer ARIIA, aka the "unknown woman".
• Rosario Dawsonas Zoë Perez, anAir Force Office of Special Investigations(OSI)Captainand Special Agent.
• Michael Chiklisas George Callister, theUSSecretary of Defense.
• Anthony Mackieas Major William Bowman, aUnited States ArmyMinuteman assigned to the ARIIA program.
• Billy Bob Thorntonas Tom Morgan, anFBISupervisory Special Agent assigned to theJoint Terrorism Task Force.
• Ethan Embryas Toby Grant, anFBIagent working for Morgan.
• Anthony Azizi as Ranim Khalid, anIranian Americanmusic shop owner manipulated by ARIIA
• Cameron Boyceas Sam Holloman, Rachel's son.
• Jerry Ferraraas Jerry's friend (uncredited)

Production

Rosario Dawson receiving a safety briefing from Special Agent Patrick McGee while researching her role as an AFOSI agent.

Screenwriter Dan McDermott wrote the original script forEagle Eyebased on an idea bySteven Spielberg,who had been inspired byIsaac Asimov's short story "All the Troubles of the World."The studioDreamWorksthen bought McDermott's script and set up the project to potentially be directed by Spielberg. When the director became busy withIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,he dropped out of the project. DirectorD. J. Caruso,who directed the 1996 TV seriesHigh Incidentunder Spielberg's executive production, replaced the director in helmingEagle Eye,with Spielberg remaining asexecutive producer.In June 2007, actor LaBeouf, who was involved in Spielberg's and Caruso's 2007 filmDisturbiaandIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,re-joined the director and executive producer to star as the lead inEagle Eye.McDermott's script was rewritten by screenwritersJohn Glenn,Travis Wright, and Hillary Seitz in preparation for production.Filming began on November 6, 2007and wrapped in February 2008.The film'svisual effectswere created bySony Pictures Imageworks.

Caruso said by the time the film came to fruition twelve years later, "the technology had finally caught up to the storytelling... Everybody has aBlackBerryon their belt, and we think we're constantly being tracked. It's lessscience fictionthan when Steven Spielberg conceived it. "Caruso wanted to bring a gritty, 1970s-era sensibility to the film. Accordingly, a key chase scene in a high-tech package-processing hub onconveyor beltswas shot without the use ofcomputer-generated imagery."It was likeChutes and Laddersfor adults. It was pretty dangerous, and a lot of fun. "While filming the scene, Monaghan suffered aweltafter a cable brushed her neck and Caruso hit his head on a protruding bolt, and a cameraman suffered a puncture wound requiring stitches.

Music

Main article:Eagle Eye (soundtrack)

The music toEagle Eyewas composed byBrian Tyler,who recorded the score with an 88-piece ensemble of theHollywood Studio Symphonyat the Sony Scoring Stage. The session was interrupted by theChino Hills earthquakeon July 29, 2008—and a recording of the quake hitting the scoring stage is online.

Promotion

The official website features anARGtype of gameplay system to promote the film. The voice previewed behind the phone in multiple trailers contacts the player, placing them in unique experiences. This has been called the "Eagle Eye Freefall Experience". While official cast listings do not list the name of the actress behind the mysterious voice featured in the film and trailers, Rosario Dawson confirmed at the Hollywood premiere that it belongs toJulianne Moore.

Reception

Box office

Entertainment Weeklypredicted the opening weekend could be as high as $31 million.The film grossed $29.1 million from 3,510 theaters in the United States and Canada, taking the number one position at the box office.The film went on to gross $101.4 million in the United States and Canada and $76.6 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $178 million, against a production budget of $80 million.

Critical response

OnRotten Tomatoes,the film holds an approval rating of 26% based on 182 reviews, with an average rating of 4.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Eagle Eyeis a preposterously plotted thriller that borrows heavily from other superior films. "Metacriticgave the film an average score of 43 out of 100, based on reviews from 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebertof theChicago Sun-Timesgave the film two out of four stars, saying: "The word 'preposterous' is too moderate to describeEagle Eye.This film contains not a single plausible moment after the opening sequence, and that's borderline. It's not an assault on intelligence. It's an assault on consciousness. "James Berardinelliof ReelViews gave the film one and a half stars out of four, saying: "This movie tests the viewing public's tolerance for enduring crass stupidity when the payoff is a series of repetitive,ADD-infected chase scenes. Director D.J. Caruso does a moderately good job of hiding how incredibly dumb this screenplay is by keeping things moving at such a whirlwind pace that a lot more seems to be happening than actually is. In reality, the chase scenes don't mean anything because they don't advance the plot—it's mice on a treadmill, running and running and not getting anywhere. "The Hollywood Reportercalled it a "slick, sillytechno-thriller"and" Even those who surrender all disbelief at the door will be hard pressed not to smirk at some of the wildly improbable plotting. "

Josh Rosenblatt ofThe Austin Chronicleenjoyed the film, calling it "good, manic fun plus a heavy dose of political intrigue adding up to two hours of clamorous, mind-numbing nonsense" while drawing favorable comparisons toEnemy of the StateandThe Terminatorseries.William Arnold of theSeattle Post-Intelligenceralso gaveEagle Eyea positive review, remarking that it's "engrossing as an intellectual puzzle" and "a solid thriller."Mark Bell ofFilm Threatsaid: "the film isn't a complete waste of your time [...] but don't expect anything brilliant."Neely Tucker ofThe Washington Postsaid thatEagle Eyeis "sometimes entertaining" but "doesn't have much to say."Lisa Schwarzbaum ofEntertainment Weeklycalled it "A brain-squandering thriller."Robert Koehler ofVarietyfelt that the film's "first 35 minutes sizzle" but "the story [becomes] near-parody in the final act."

Accolades

Eagle Eyewas a nominee for a 2009Saturn AwardforBest Science Fiction Filmand was nominated by theVisual Effects Society Awardsin the category ofOutstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture.

Home media

Eagle Eyewas released on DVD and Blu-ray only in select stores on December 26, 2008, three months after its theatrical release, September 26, 2008. In the first week on the DVD sales chart,Eagle Eyesold 182,592 units which translated toUS$3,300,000(equivalent to about $4,670,000 in 2023) in revenue.In the second week, sales rose significantly to 1,044,682 for that week, opening at No. 1 and earningUS$18,862,151(equivalent to $26,787,941 in 2023) for that week. As per the latest figures,2,181,959 units have been sold, bringing in $38,008,436 in revenue. This does not include Blu-ray sales or DVD rentals.

The next day, it was released nationwide.iTunesreleased it a month later as a rental and buy.

Mobile game

Amobile gamebased on the film was developed and published by Magmic Games. It was released forBlackBerry,Windows Mobile,BREW,andJava MEdevices prior to the film's launch in early September. There are also two games on the film's web site.

See also

• Billion Dollar Brain
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • Combat Zones That See
• List of films featuring drones
• List of films featuring surveillance

External links

• Official website
• Eagle EyeatIMDb
• Eagle EyeatAllMovie
• Eagle EyeatBox Office Mojo
• Eagle EyeatRotten Tomatoes
• Eagle EyeatMetacritic
• Freefall Experience
• Scoring Session Photo Gallery at ScoringSessions.com