 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Eagle Eye
- Review Date: September 23, 2008
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Explosion-filled thriller that's best for older teens.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this action thriller from the producers of Transformers -- which stars Shia LaBeouf and promises plenty of "blow 'em up" scenes -- is likely to appeal to teenagers, especially boys. But while the movie is plenty violent, it's not especially graphic: It's obvious that people are dying in all of the explosions, but there's little blood. The language is stronger than most PG-13 films, featuring a couple of "f--k"s and the frequently used "a--hole," "s--t," and "bitch." Aside from a couple of early, tame conversations about dating and sex, there's only one little kiss in the movie. Product placements aren't overwhelming, but one extended sequence highlights a Porsche Cayenne SUV.
What's the story?
Copy-store clerk Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) and single mother Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) are mysteriously "activated" into a secret, illegal mission by a cell phone call. Neither wants to comply with the female voice giving them dangerous directives via phones and digital signs, but "she" has framed Jerry -- who's now a suspected terrorist -- and threatens to kill Rachel's son, who's on a school trip to D.C.. While Jerry and Rachel go around Chicago committing felony after felony as instructed, an FBI agent (Billy Bob Thornton) and Air Force investigator (Rosario Dawson) try to figure out why this seemingly normal duo have turned into super criminals.
Is it any good?
In an episode of The Simpsons, Homer says "I'm going for the Shia LaBeouf thing. Not quite a nerd not quite a hunk. Shia LaBeouf!" That's the perfect way to explain the curly haired leading man's "ordinary guy" charm. In EAGLE EYE, LaBeouf again does his thing as the wise-cracking Jerry. He and Monaghan don't create sparks a la Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in Speed, but they're likable enough as strangers literally thrown together who can't figure out what in the world is happening to them. Meanwhile, the impressive supporting cast doesn't have much to do except look surprised and angry. In addition to Thornton and Dawson, Michael Chiklis adds gravitas as the Secretary of Defense, and Anthony Mackie handsomely fills an Army uniform for the last third of the action. All are notable actors, but their characters are two-dimensional stereotypes at best.
Director D.J. Caruso channels his inner Michael Bay to fill this thriller with as many huge explosions as possible. The problem is that, unlike Bay's so-easy-a-caveman-could-follow-it scripts, Eagle Eye was written by four screenwriters. That's rarely a good thing, and in this case, the many twists turn one too many times, ending up in the realm of the completely ludicrous. Let's just say the terrorist mastermind is akin to a 21st-century HAL with a constitutional-law obsession. Confused? That's OK, because it's a muddled plot. But, look -- something else is blowing up!
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the film's Orwellian message. Is the idea of Big Brother even more frightening now that people share so much of their personal information online? How does the film depict technology and government surveillance? Kids: Does what happens to Jerry and Rachel make you at all cautious about social networking sites, blog, and other online activities?
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Kid, 12 years old
July 8, 2010
AGE
a great action movie
a cool action movie. the language was infrequent one f-word and some s-words (one is hard to hear). i think the violent violence was infrequent but there is quit a bit of action violence. if you look carefully you can see a bit of blood on a man chest but glass mostly covers it up. its just the advrage PG-13 movie.
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Kid, 11 years old
February 15, 2010
AGE
Only one part
only one part in this movie is bad and that's when they discuss what a man does with his girlfriend.
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AGE
AWESOME MOVIE
It was an awesome movie with a great plot. Don't understand why crtics hated it so much. I lvoe it
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AGE
Explosions and stuff.
Some of the scenes were awesome, but some parts were a little tricky to know what's going on, but it wasn't too bad. I liked the story and the characters, but so many ideas in this movie were stolen from other movies, so it's nothing new.
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AGE
Good movie reminds me of IRobot quite a bit though. I don't understand how some people see i as confusing though...
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AGE
Eagle eye is a very violent action movie. It contains allot of language for a PG-13. In my opinion there are very good messages. If you like trying to figure out the story threw the whole movie this is a great movie for you!
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Kid, 12 years old
September 9, 2009
AGE
(drums rat a tat )
it was lame srry ya sure it had alot of violence that doesnt mean it was that cool
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AGE
really a good movie
this movie was real good actiony but the language isnt wanted or needed language is quite a bit for pg-13 but the movie is really good so i would recommend it
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AGE
GREAT MOVIE!
i LOVED this movie! although there was some bad language, it's nothing a 10 year old hasn't heard before from either TV or his/her parents. I really didn't think it was scary, but some might.
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AGE
Fun, exciting, and well-acted, but not for anyone under 13
There are a lot of action movies that try to entertain rather than tell a decent (or complex) story. Eagle Eye may finally break the barrier, and it's really fun on top of it. It tells the story of different individuals who are told to do unspeakable things by a mysterious phone-caller. Like I said, the story is fresh and entertaining, but some aspects are not so great. First of all, the characters are not potrayed well. While Shia LeBouf and Michelle Monaghan do a superb job with there roles, the characters are nonetheless very paper-thin. Not only that, but they send a bad impression to viewers. For instance, Rachel (Michelle Monaghan) seems like she is a good mother, but when her son goes off on a trip we see her true side: A carefree, laid-back and somewhat lazy individual who doesn't care about what other people think of her. She is a hard-drinker, has a wandering eye (although she is seperated), and is definetly not a good role model. Still, Eagle Eye is a top-notch actionier that will rouse many viewers. Content issues: There is a discussion about sexual contact, lots of explosions, and frequent coarse language. Best reserved for teens and up.
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| Studio: | DreamWorks |
| Director: | D.J. Caruso |
| Cast: | Billy Bob Thornton, Michelle Monaghan, Shia LaBeouf |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 118 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 24, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | December 27, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense sequences of action and violence, and for language. |
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