'Eagle Eye' flys high

**1/2 out of ****

What if the government is watching you read this review right now? Listening to your conversations through your phone’s speaker, looking at you from your webcam and following every move you make through your cell phone’s tracking device. This is the essence of the thriller Eagle Eye which lacks the anxiety of the idea that technology is surveying you everywhere.

Everyman star Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Indiana Jones 4) leads; reteaming with director D.J. Caruso (Taking Lives, Two for the Money) who put him on the map with the modern-day revamp of Rearview Window, Disturbia. Borrowing and modernizing elements again from Hitchcock (this time North by Northwest) and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Caruso makes a thoroughly entertaining thriller that dabbles more into action than smarts.

Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) is a Stanford dropout who works at Copy Cabana, living in the shadow of his identical twin, Air Force Cadet Ethan (LaBeouf, again).

Getting a call from his mother that his twin was killed in a traffic accident, it isn’t long after the funeral that Jerry gets another fateful call. Coming home to find his apartment filled with terrorist weapons, Jerry gets a phone call from a mysterious woman to flee his apartment and if he doesn’t obey, he will die.

Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) is an overworked paralegal who sends her son (Cameron Boyce) off by train to perform at the Kennedy Center. Shortly after, she gets a call from the mystery woman. Rachel is told if she disobeys, the train her son is on will be derailed.

Slacker Jerry and divorced mother Rachel get paired together on the mystery adventure by the phone calls. Realizing whoever is pulling their strings somehow sees every move they make. Making traffic lights go from red to green, surveillance cameras going blank and machinery operate robotically (that’s only the tip of the iceberg).

Shia LaBeouf once again gives an outstanding performance, showing that he can carry a movie, going the extra mile to make a fully-developed character. Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III) has a motherly element towards Jerry while unselfishly going on with the requests to save her son.

Billy Bob Thorton is an FBI Agent and Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent), playing an Air Force Investigator, round out the talented cast, trying to track down Jerry and Rachel. Julianne Moore goes uncredited as the threatening monotone voice that stipulates the instructions over the phone.

D.J. Caruso fills Eagle Eye with edge-of-your-seat car chases and action sequences that have you enthralled. When the action stops, the plots ridiculousness seeps through and the hokey ending is disappointing for the film that started off strongly. Perhaps executive producer Steven Speilberg and the many people (John Glenn, Travis Adam Wright, Hillary Seitz and Dan McDermott) that wrote the film’s screenplay are to blame for the plot going from engrossing to unnecessarily dense.

Alive with fun, solid performances, adrenaline and intrigue Eagle Eye will certainly have your eyes glued to the screen.

Cops Fight Cyber Killer in "Untraceable"

** out of ****

Diane Lane dukes it out with a Web site and all its watchers in the new cop thriller "Untraceable."

Director Gregory Hoblit, who had the great Sir Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling fighting it out in the straight-laced "Fracture" last year, utilizes the same no-twist plot principle. This is an undeniably energetic film, but too often has the viewer being able to guess what will happen from scene to scene.

Lane gives a marvelous performance as Jennifer Marsh. Widowed with an 8-year-old daughter, Annie (Perla Haney-Jardine), Marsh works the night shift, alongside her friend Griffin Dowd (Colin Hanks), as a cop in a Cyber-crime division.

The events start to unfold when a Web site, http://www.killwithme.com/, starts streaming live. The site features people in contraptions that could have been stolen from the set of "Saw," providing live video of the person's eventual bleeding, frying, or acidic doom. The gimmick is that the more viewers the site gets, the quicker the person dies, thus making the visitors accomplices to murder as well as the killer (Joseph Cross), who is revealed way too early to prolong the suspense.

The problem? The Web site is somehow untraceable, confirmed by the cyber unit's computer lingo that only one with a Ph.D. in computer technology could understand. But, as the killer's body count grows, it is not long before Griffin and Jennifer, who are closing in on the killer's identity, may become the next victims in front of the Web cam.

"Untraceable" tries to comment on our violence-induced culture and asks would you visit such a site? But then again, curiosity killed the cat, literally, as the first victim of the site is a cat, before the viral-video killer moves up the food chain.

Hoblit ("Primal Fear," "Hart's War") directs with style and some impressive shots that go wider, straying away from the typical jump-shot angle tricks.

The highly talented Diane Lane gives us an intrepid performance while Hanks is an admirable co-star.

Previously starring in "Fracture," Billy Burke makes an entrance later in the film as Detective Eric Box and does a meaningful job. On the opposite end, Cross overacts unnecessarily with a menacing blank stare, as if we forget he is the mastermind killer.

Is "Untraceable" unwatchable? No. If you miss it in the theatre and are looking for a decent thrill with a satisfying ending, "Untraceable" should show up on your radar as a rainy day rental.

*** out of ****

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to New York City after Will Smith fought off the zombie-inducing virus in December's "I Am Legend," the Big Apple is in peril again in the new monster flick "Cloverfield."

"Cloverfield" took America by surprise as a trailer screened before the mega-hit "Transformers." From there it has turned into an Internet sensation that will meet most expectations.

Shot entirely with a hand-held camera, "Cloverfield's" bouncy thrill ride will divide audiences. While it is steadier than "The Blair Witch Project," the first film to find success with this technique, take heed of this warning: Don't sit in the first row.

The story: We are watching a government classified tape found in Cloverfield, the code name for what was Central Park. The story centers on Jason (Mike Vogel) and his girlfriend, Lily (Jessica Lucas), who are throwing a surprise party for Jason's brother Rob (Michael Stahl-David). Rob is moving to Japan for a new job.

At the party, Rob's best friend, Hud (T.J. Miller), is taping testimonials from Rob's friends, but seems to be giving most of the camera time to Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), who is on the way out to meet other friends. She doesn't quite make it, as the building they're in gets jolted while Manhattan comes under attack by a skyscraper-size monster.

It's a straightforward story, but confusion sets in as these terrorist-like events unfold. Instead of evacuating the city, Rob enlists the partygoers to scavenge through the mayhem with the hope of rescuing his former girlfriend, Beth (Odette Yustman), who cut the party short with her new beau, Travis (Ben Feldman).

As Hud continues to document the journey, we feel part of the hunt. We get glimpses of the monster throughout the film and can piece together that it looks like a reptile that walks on all fours with a tail large enough to whack down anything. For added terror, it spawns giant spider-like friends as well.

The cast of relatively unknown actors adds to the reality of the film. Add to the mix terrific special effects and the low $25 million budget is surprising.

"Cloverfield" definitely has the J.J. Abrams touch and will have viewers glued to the screen.

Drew Goddard wrote, or at least outlined, the screen play for the largely improvised film. Matt Reeves takes his second stab at directing after his 1996 comedy debut "The Pallbearer."

A unique thing about "Cloverfield" is that unlike "Legend" or other horror flicks, the scares produce themselves with the high-tense realism of the situations. One scene that will certainly produce shrieks is the one at the subway station.

"Cloverfield" also plays up some fears reminiscent of 9/11, with clouds of dust billowing down Manhattan streets and an eerie scene where skyscrapers are crumbling in the distance. Another great scene to look for is the head of the Statue of Liberty rolling down the busy streets of New York City.

"Cloverfield" is a refreshing look at monster films and a reminder of Hollywood's originality. Next time, let's hope the director remembers to bring a tripod along for a smoother ride.

Almost 'Legend'ary

*** out of ****

Is it me or does every film set in the future have some sort of apocalyptic theme to it?

In "I Am Legend," the desolation is set in not-so-far-off 2012. From the first few scenes of the movie it is not hard to tell that something huge has happened to New York City.

Will Smith stars as Robert Neville, the last man alive in a deserted Manhattan. Weeds are growing out of the streets, the Brooklyn Bridge is dilapidated, lions and other zoo animals are prowling about, but everything else lies still. Come nighttime, however, the streets are alive -- or to be more precise, undead.

How did this come about? We cut to one of many appropriately placed flashbacks. It is 2009. While things look normal, there are some alarming changes taking place -- gas hitting a bit south of $7 per gallon and a cure for cancer has been found. The miracle cure's side effects, however, are more than just a headache.

The people given the revolutionary cure develop a virus, eventually turning into creatures that look like zombies with hairless pasty-gray skin and dilated pupils. Their vampire-like characteristics include feeding on blood and burning in the light. These primitive and aggressive people are called "dark seekers." The virus is transmitted through the air and during attacks from the monsters.

Neville, a scientist who helped with the cure, leads the chaotic evacuation/quarantine for New York City, aka ground zero. Events go terribly awry when his wife and daughter die along with others as the unstoppable virus wipes out humanity.

Immune to the virus, Robert's only companion is his dog Samantha. Living in a barricaded safe house, Robert works hard to find a cure for the virus using his immune blood when he's not out searching for survivors. He also broadcasts signals on the radio alerting possible survivors about where to meet up with him.

Racing against the clock to find a cure, with the dark seekers waiting for him to make a fatal error, the supposed "last man on earth" may not be alone after all.

Based on the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson, "I Am Legend" is the third film incarnation. The first was 1964's "The Last Man on Earth," starring Vincent Price, followed in 1971 by "The Omega Man," starring Charlton Heston.

The opening special effects are impressive. Seeing a deserted, rundown New York City with wild animals racing between abandoned cars is a spectacle. Later scenes are dicey at best. The dark seekers are effective but look as if they belong in a video game rather than a big-budget sci-fi horror film.

As far as acting goes, the one person that gets the credit (and there really only is one person to give it to other than a loveable dog), is superstar Will Smith. Smith is brilliant and makes "Legend" captivating. Showing paranoia, fear, loneliness and the willingness to survive and strive for a cure, Smith captures the audience's hearts as the hero, but also as a villain for having taken part in the virus' creation.

This is the second feature film for music-video-directing star Francis Lawrence. His first film was the passable comic book adaptation of "Constantine." While "Legend" is an improvement (Lawrence shows that he can create effective atmosphere full of many heart-racing, seat-jumping scary moments that leave shivers), Lawrence still needs to work on covering plot holes.
Most of the questionable consequences of a disaster you can shrug off, but you can't help wondering how there's electricity with no generators.

Not quite legendary, "I Am Legend" does make a name for itself.

'Fracture' just can't be healed

** out of ****

Fracture plays it straight, among a realm of thrillers with twists that don’t make much sense (Premonition, The Reaping, Perfect Stranger). Though, playing it straight all the way through may not be a good idea either.

Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson, The Notebook) plays Willy Beachum, a young hot shot assistant D.A. on the fast lane, who takes the case of Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins). Crawford, a construction engineer, attempted to kill his wife, Jennifer (Embeth Davidtz) sending her into a coma, after finding out that she was having an affair. With a signed confession the case seems like an easy win for Willy, who has an outstanding 97% conviction rate.

When Ted reveals, during trail, that his arresting officer, Rob Nunally (Billy Burke), was the man having an affair with his wife the case goes into a dramatic tailspin. The confession can’t be used and the gun that Ted used against his wife can’t be found, therefore he walks off a man free.

Beachum and Nunally know that Crawford killed his wife and they won’t stop until he is behind bars. Providing for a soul searching balance of truth or justice.

Although the audience knows what is happening every step of the way, the thrill is supposed to be how Beachum will find evidence to convict Crawford or how Crawford will get away with it. The thrill however gets old lessening the suspense and the final impact of the film. If Fracture were a 60-minute TV show it would be a nail bitter, but one thrill and no twists aren’t enough to carry a 112 minute movie.

Gosling does a great job verbally sparring with Anthony Hopkins, but Hopkins steals the show. Playing Crawford with the same intense charisma and wit as Hopkins own, Hannibal Lecter, every scene he is in is enticing.

Director Gregory Hoblit does a pleasant job, but doesn’t do anything that makes Fracture notable. Writers Daniel Pyne and Glenn Gers make a wonderful screenplay that is both witty and clever with snappy dialogue.

Fracture has a good premise but has nothing that makes it stand out among must-see films.
Starting off good Fracture gets worse and the “cast” can’t heal it either.

'Mr. Brooks' is a killer thriller

*** out of ****

'The Hunger Has Returned to Mr. Brooks' Brain. It never really left'. These chilling words start off the creepy dramatic thriller that is Mr. Brooks.

Kevin Costner stars in the title role as Mr. Earl Brooks. Earl leads two lives. On one side he is a husband to Emma (Marg Helgenberger) and father to his high-school daughter Jane (Danielle Panabaker). He is also named ‘Man of the Year’ in his community and well off, owning a successful box company. However, the other side of Mr. Earl Brooks is much darker and sinister than anyone can imagine, he is an elusive serial killer, nicknamed by the media, ‘The Thumbprint Killer’. Though he doesn’t like to murder strangers he is urged by his imaginary counterpart, Marshall (William Hurt) to do so.

Holding off temptation of killing from his alter ego for two years he breaks down and murders a couple (Megan Brown and Ross Francis) in their bedroom.

The next day Earl discovers someone caught him in the act and has pictures to prove it. He is Mr. Smith (Dane Cook), who lives in the apartment complex next door to the couple. However, Mr. Smith doesn’t blackmail Earl or threaten him that he is going to the cops, but rather wants to go on the next murder with him. Without a choice Earl accepts.

At the same time, Detective Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore), who is going through a bitter divorce, is on Earl’s trail. Devoting herself to this long-running case she thinks she is closer than ever before. However, as a side plot, escaped serial killer, Thorton Meeks (Matt Schulze), put away by Tracy, and his girlfriend, Sunday (Yasmine Delawari), are out to kill the Detective for vengeance.

Mr. Brooks is wildly original with many unexpected plot twists that actually make sense and lead up to a shocking revelation. However, Brooks never takes itself very seriously with laughs strewn about.

Good guy Costner is terrific as the sinister Brooks, a role that audiences are not familiar with him playing. Hurt playing Costner’s alter ego is marvelous and Moore adds direction throughout. Though the most surprising performance comes from funnyman Dane Cook, in his first dramatic role, stands his ground with the award winning trio.

Director and writer Bruce A. Evans gives the film style and terrifically manages to build up tension and releases it in short action filled bursts of time.

A great movie to see: Mr. Brooks is a killer of a thriller.