Review: Eagle Eye

On Saturday afternoon Kim and I skipped out for a quick date and watched the movie Eagle Eye. Overall I enjoyed it. It was well paced, decently acted, and interesting. However I did have some issues with it.

WARNING: Spoilers Below

It became obvious early on what the plot was. Heck, as soon as you heard what the main character's brother was into in University courses I started to get a glimmer of the path of the story. About 20-30 minutes in, I had 90% locked up: super computer AI built to assist the government has gone power mad and decided with cold, callous logic that the government must be eliminated for the people's own good. All that was left for me to see was the details.

This is, of course, science fantasy. Its so far beyond belief that a computer built and designed to watch all information feeds across the globe to analyze for threats against America would come to the realization that the Executive branch is making poor decisions that end up hurting Americans in the long run, and thus having realized that and read and analyzed the Declaration of Independence it decides to overthrow this tyrannical government. It of course has super-ninja-access to every computer system and cell phone everywhere, not to mention every database, and uses this information and its cold logic to coerce ordinary citizens into doing its bidding that it cannot do remotely with available electronics and automated systems.

This all-knowing all-accessing all-analyzing and all-sociopathic computer, however, cannot give itself the command to actually execute its plan to execute the executive branch. A plan with all pieces except the final completely-made-up-super-powerful crystal explosive in place. Even though in the process of putting this plan in place we have witnessed the execution of at least two innocent people and threats to hurt hundreds more in the process. Not to mention the vast amount of property damage.

It strains credulity.

Anyhow, if you can turn your brain off, its a good action movie. Three out of five stars.