It's the least mediocre movie I've payed to watch recently. However, it's one of the best comedies I've seen in quite a while. Had my sister and myself rolling out of our seats laughing through most of it.
There are a few good scenes in it, and if you're a fan of BIG BOOM movies there's enough pyrotechnics to keep you interested. And you do end up caring about the main characters and the collateral damage taken in the movie.
However, as was said above, the plot was very weak and undeveloped... and the movie was full of headdesk moments. Just when you started getting interested in it, they'd turn around and speak some dialog and the whole shaky lattice of their story would come crashing down. And be prepared for a lot of Sesame Street style Preaching Lessons about the evils of all and any kind of surveillance. While a good point to make, it doesn't need to be beaten in with a 40 pound meat tenderizer.
Finally: Product Placement. I realize this is a big revenue stream for movies, and I'm all for it. They haven't quite figured out how to make it feel natural yet. Whenever a real business, or real product appeared, it suddenly felt like a Truman Show style ad. I remember for sure about 10 product placements, from Sprint to McDonalds, to Rock Band. Again, there's nothing wrong with product placement... I do turn to my sister and say "Let's go to Starbucks for ice cold coffee." That's not product placement, it's speaking. But for example, Sprint; there's a scene with the guy talking on a phone, and the phone's mini-screen on the outside of the clamshell displays the Sprint logo. But it's rotated such that it's right side up in the scene, but not right side up compared to the way the phone is normally oriented. OK, so I'm picky. But I didn't get a discount for the tickets for the ads.
MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Two normal people are "activated" by a secret government program to become soldiers in a plot to overthrow the American government due to a botched attack on a terrorist cell.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW (Don't read any more of my post if you don't want.
B-MOVIE BINGO (Eagle Eye edition)
{ } A young band playing at President's Marine Band level
{ } Cymbals played in song with no cymbal player
{ } And instrument clogged with a device without the player noticing
{ } A statement that the Pentagon has no 36th floor, while pressing an old-fashioned elevator button with "B36" embossed on it
{ } A giant computer that looks like a Disney movie prop
{ } Hard drives called "Memory Cores"
{ } Giant multimillion dollar computer that can do everything except kill the President due to a voice lockout
{ } CSI style "resolution enhancement" from abused vintage VHS security camera tape
{ } Destruction of meatspace powerline remotely without explosives, space lasers, or any kind of actual destructive capabilites (or at least not pin-point)
{ } Large tanks of oxygen mounted next to a handful of ignition sources
{ } A multiscreen multimedia presentation about how the computer is allowed to kill everyone it doesn't like (not only is the computer a master hacker, it's also a multimedia artist).
Blatant Advertising Bingo
Which of these products did you see an ad for during the movie?
{ } McDonalds
{ } Circuit City
{ } Motorola
{ } Sprint (including gratuitous use of the Nextel chirping beep)
{ } HP
{ } Dell
{ } Samsung
{ } Rock Band
{ } GMC
{ } ______________
{ } ______________
{ } ______________
{ } ______________
{ } ______________
Again, it's not a bad movie... my sister and I laughed our heads off. But it's obvious that they meant it to be a "serious" movie, not a comedy.
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