Review: Taken Not Exceptional But Works

Eh, not bad. That's all I can muster for this decent Liam Neeson thriller. I was worried it was going to be atrocious -- hasn't this movie been delayed forever? -- but I didn't dislike it. Part of the reason why is that I like Liam Neeson a lot. I think most of us are on board the Neeson Express, no? Why doesn't he get more (and better) parts?

This is a fairly absorbing thriller at times. Much of that can be attributed to the Neeson factor -- he gives the movie credibility. There's just enough solid work by the filmmakers and other actors as well.

Plot? Liam Neeson is Bryan Mills, a retired CIA "preventer." We know he's taken part in operations in South America, the Middle East and, oh yeah, Alaska. His old CIA buddies wax nostalgic about his antics. We know the drill. The movie is setting up what a badass he used to be. We've seen the trailers. We know what's coming. His daughter gets kidnapped. Mills has 96 hours to save her. He's going to walk over more than a few dead bodies to get to her. He may live. He may die. But damn it, he's going to save his daughter.

Director Pierre Morel deserves some credit. We've seen movies like Taken before. Yet, I still went "Oh!" a couple times and "Ow!" a few others. There's violence in this film but it isn't overly gruesome.

In its own way, this is a satisfying picture. It has just enough edge and semblance of quality to make it a passable time at the movies. There is at least one really shocking (and welcomed) scene where Mills ruthlessly shoots an innocent person. And here's the thing: I believed it. It worked. It made sense. There's another good scene where Mills impersonates a corrupt official. This act goes on longer than I expected, to the point where I was surprised when he finally takes off his mask.

The performances aren't bad either. I already mentioned Neeson, but there's also Maggie Grace as his daughter. I was struck by how young she looks and acts in this film, particularly after watching her play the older, bitchier Shannon on Lost. Then I realized, Oh yeah, she's an actress! Here she plays a very naive, overly sweet 17-year-old and it's totally believable.

Should you see this movie? Look, these days there aren't many good options out there as far as new movies go. What do you have to lose? I'll put it this way: If you're debating between Paul Blart and this, see Taken.

Source: http://www.film.com/movies/taken/story/review-taken-not-exceptional-works/25805797

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Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2009)

Rated: Not Rated
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:Feb 27, 2009 Wide
Starring: Kristin Kreuk, Neal McDonough, Chris Klein, Michael Clarke Duncan, Robin Shou, Moon Bloodgood, Edmund Chen, Josie Ho, Taboo, Pei Pei Cheng
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak

Synopsis
Capcom's STREET FIGHTER vaults back onto the screen with this film from director Andrzej Bartkowiak (ROMEO MUST DIE). Fanboys can start drooling now over SMALLVILLE's Kristin Kreuk in the role of... Capcom's STREET FIGHTER vaults back onto the screen with this film from director Andrzej Bartkowiak (ROMEO MUST DIE). Fanboys can start drooling now over SMALLVILLE's Kristin Kreuk in the role of high-kicking heroine Chun Li, while Neal McDonough, Chris Klein, Michael Clarke Duncan, and a number of impressive actors round out the rest of the cast.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/street_fighter_the_legend_of_chun_li/

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Possession 2009

Rated: PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, some sexuality and language
Genre: Dramas, Drama, Thriller, Remake
Theatrical Release: Jan 23, 2009 Wide
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lee Pace, Michael Landes, William B. Davis
Director: Joel Bergvall, Simon Sandquist

Synopsis
Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in this thriller about a woman whose husband and brother-in-law are in comas after a car crash. But when her difficult brother-in-law wakes up, he claims that he's her... Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in this thriller about a woman whose husband and brother-in-law are in comas after a car crash. But when her difficult brother-in-law wakes up, he claims that he's her husband, causing her to question if souls can move between bodies. Lee Pace trades in the sunny world of PUSHING DAISIES to play evil brother Roman.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009228_possession/

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Taken (2009)

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Jan 23, 2009 Wide
Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, Katie Cassidy, Holly Valance, Nathan Rippy
Director: Pierre Morel

Synopsis
Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force in this adrenaline-fueled thriller from director Pierre Morel. Bryan (Neeson) has taken early retirement from the CIA in order to live closer to his teenage... Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force in this adrenaline-fueled thriller from director Pierre Morel. Bryan (Neeson) has taken early retirement from the CIA in order to live closer to his teenage daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Bryan's government work kept him away from Kim for much of her childhood, and he's now trying to make up for lost time. When Kim announces that she's taking a trip to Paris with her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy), Bryan is apprehensive about her traveling on her own. His worst fear is soon realized, as Kim and Amanda are abducted upon their arrival in France. Bryan immediately springs into action, using his well-honed CIA skills to piece together clues from a single, frantic phone call he received from Kim. He hops a plane to Paris, determined to rescue his daughter before she falls off the grid completely. With some help from his old CIA buddies, he tracks down the kidnappers--an Albanian crime ring known for selling young girls into the sex trade. He quickly takes matters into his own hands, plowing his way through Paris's underworld as the clock ticks down and the bullets fly. His search propels him into the upper echelons of a massive crime ring, putting him closer and closer to his beloved daughter. Neeson is known for tackling extremely cerebral roles, so it is interesting to see him in full-on action-hero mode. In TAKEN he is no less than a crime-fighting machine--a Bourne/Bond hybrid with a deathly serious baritone. And while he spends most of the film firing Uzis and snapping necks, he still manages to deliver a moving performance as an estranged father fighting for what he loves most in the world. The film undeniably owes a lot to Neeson's acting chops. He manages to raise this rather thinly plotted, deeply violent film a bar above your typical action fare.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/taken/

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Spirit 2008

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Dec 25, 2008 Wide
Starring: Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Gabriel Macht, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, Jaime King
Director: Frank Miller

Synopsis
Adapted from the legendary comic strip, THE SPIRIT is a classic action-adventure-romance told by genre-twister FRANK MILLER (creator of 300 and SIN CITY). It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the... Adapted from the legendary comic strip, THE SPIRIT is a classic action-adventure-romance told by genre-twister FRANK MILLER (creator of 300 and SIN CITY). It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the SPIRIT (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, the OCTOPUS (Samuel L. Jackson) has a different mission: he’s going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City’s rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront ... all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill our masked crusader. Surrounding him at every turn are ELLEN DOLAN (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl-next-door; SILKEN FLOSS (Scarlett Johansson), a punk secretary and frigid vixen; PLASTER OF PARIS (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; LORELEI (Jaime King), a phantom siren; and MORGENSTERN (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop. Then of course, there’s SAND SAREF (Eva Mendes), the jewel thief with dangerous curves. She’s the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him? In the vein of BATMAN BEGINS and SIN CITY, THE SPIRIT takes us on a sinister, gut-wrenching ride with a hero who is born, murdered and born again.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_spirit/

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Defiance (2008)

Rated: R for violence and language
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Dec 12, 2008 Wide
Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner, Mark Feuerstein
Director: Edward Zwick

Synopsis
Based on an extraordinary true story, DEFIANCE is an epic tale of family, honor, vengeance and salvation in World War II. The year is 1941 and the Jews of Eastern Europe are being massacred by the thousands. Managing to escape certain death,... Based on an extraordinary true story, DEFIANCE is an epic tale of family, honor, vengeance and salvation in World War II. The year is 1941 and the Jews of Eastern Europe are being massacred by the thousands. Managing to escape certain death, three brothers take refuge in the dense surrounding woods they have known since childhood. There they begin their desperate battle against the Nazis. Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell star as brothers who turn a primitive struggle to survive into something far more consequential – a way to avenge the deaths of their loved ones by saving thousands of others. At first it is all they can do to stay alive. But gradually, as whispers of their daring spreads, they begin to attract others – men and women, young and old – willing to risk everything for the sake of even a moment’s freedom. Tuvia (CRAIG) is a reluctant leader and his decisions are challenged by his brother, Zus (SCHREIBER) who worries that Tuvia’s idealistic plans will doom them all. Asael (BELL) is the youngest – caught between his brothers’ fierce rivalry. As a brutal winter descends, they work to create a community, and to keep faith alive when all humanity appeared to be lost.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009458-defiance/

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Punisher: War Zone 2008

Rated: R for pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Dec 5, 2008 Wide
Starring: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchison, Colin Salmon, Wayne Knight, Dash Mihok, Julie Benz
Director: Lexi Alexander

Synopsis:
Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.

Starring Ray Stevenson (HBO’s Rome) as Punisher, Punisher: War Zone is directed by Lexi Alexander and produced by Gale Anne Hurd and Ari Arad. The film’s executive producers are Kevin Feige, Ogden Gavanski, Oliver Hengst and Jeremy Latcham.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/punisher_war_zone/

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Iron Man 2 - In Theaters April 30, 2010

"Iron Man 2" - "Iron Man 2" director Jon Favreau planned Iron Man as a trilogy - even before the first "Iron Man" hit movie theaters - and tried signing on all the original actors.

The day following the "Iron Man" $200 million + worldwide opening weekend, Marvel Entertainment announced a release date of April 30, 2010, for "Iron Man 2."

Jon Favreau feels depicting "Iron Man's" nemesis, the Mandarin, who was created as a metaphor for communism, will be challenging, as he finds the character dated. He also wants to streamline the effort it takes for Stark to put on his armor, considering the "assembly line" effort he makes in the first "Iron Man" film. Terrence Howard (who on October 13, 2008, was replaced by Don Cheadle in "Iron Man 2") said he would like to follow the slow arc of the comics with Rhodes temporarily becoming "Iron Man" while Stark succumbs to alcohol, joking, "I don't want to introduce War Machine too early for my own monetary benefit."

Jon Favreau believes the sequel, "Iron Man 2," will allow a latitude in tone, and explore darker story elements such as alcoholism, which he intentionally set aside from the first film. Robert Downey Jr. noted "the next one is about what do you do with the rest of your life once you've completely changed. I think the drinking and all that stuff would be a good way to confront his age, to confront his doubts, to confront the fact that maybe Pepper gets a boyfriend."

STARRING: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau
DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau
STUDIO: Paramount Pictures
RATING: PG-13 (For violence, language, adult situations)
THEATER COUNT (Opening Weekend): 4500+
RUNNING TIME: 2 hours
TOTAL DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE: TBD
U.S. DVD RELEASE DATE: TBD

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007 Quantum Of Solace

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Nov 14, 2008 Wide
Starring: Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Arterton
Director: Marc Forster

Synopsis
Daniel Craig orders another martini shaken, not stirred, with this sequel to 2006's reboot of the James Bond franchise, CASINO ROYALE. Marc Forster (THE KITE RUNNER) directs.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/quantum_of_solace/

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Transporter 3 (2008)

Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Nov 26, 2008 Wide
Starring: Jason Statham, Robert Knepper, Francois Berleand, Natalya Rudakova, Jeroen Krabbe, Alex Kobold, David Atrakchi, Yann Sundberg, Eriq Ebouaney, David Kammenos, Silvio Simac
Director: Olivier Megaton

Synopsis
This fast-paced action film marks the third outing with Jason Statham playing the role of Frank Martin. For THE TRANSPORTER 3, Olivier Megaton (THE RED SIREN) takes over the directorial reins from Corey Yuen and Louis Leterrier.... This fast-paced action film marks the third outing with Jason Statham playing the role of Frank Martin. For THE TRANSPORTER 3, Olivier Megaton (THE RED SIREN) takes over the directorial reins from Corey Yuen and Louis Leterrier.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transporter_3/

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Australia (2008)

Rated: Not Rated
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: Nov 26, 2008 Wide
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown
Director: Baz Luhrmann

Synopsis
Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat (Kidman) who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a cattle driver (Jackman) in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive... Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat (Kidman) who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a cattle driver (Jackman) in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/australia/

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JCVD (2008)

Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release: Nov 14, 2008 Limited
Starring: Jean-Claude van Damme, Francois Beukelaers, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri

Synopsis
JCVD is an action-packed, comedic satire of the life of movie hero Jean-Claude Van Damme (Bloodsport, Universal Soldier), who’s known throughout the world as the “Muscles from Brussels.” In a bold and self-deprecating role,... JCVD is an action-packed, comedic satire of the life of movie hero Jean-Claude Van Damme (Bloodsport, Universal Soldier), who’s known throughout the world as the “Muscles from Brussels.” In a bold and self-deprecating role, Jean-Claude finds himself out of money, fighting for custody of his daughter and losing every good action role to Steven Seagal. In an attempt to escape, the aging star walks away from his shrinking spotlight and returns home to his native Brussels. But when he is thrown into a real-life hostage situation, everyone sees a side of Van Damme they’ve never seen before as he takes on the police, battles the perpetrators and creates a media firestorm that captures the attention of the world.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jcvd/

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RocknRolla (2008)

Rated: R for pervasive language, violence, drug use and brief sexuality
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Starring: Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Jeremy Piven, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Toby Kebbell
Director: Guy Ritchie

Synopsis
Guy Ritchie returns to form with this cockney crime caper starring Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson. Lenny Cole (Wilkinson) is a bungling London crime boss who calls the shots in London's underworld. We learn all about Lenny from Archie... Guy Ritchie returns to form with this cockney crime caper starring Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson. Lenny Cole (Wilkinson) is a bungling London crime boss who calls the shots in London's underworld. We learn all about Lenny from Archie (Mark Strong)--his second in command--who serves as the film's sly narrator. When a wealthy Russian property dealer by the name of Uri (Karel Roden) looks to Lenny for help on a major new deal, Lenny is eager to assist (for a very large fee, of course). Uri agrees to pay, and as a show of faith, he insists that Lenny borrow his "lucky painting." Uri then asks his accountant, Stella (Thandie Newton), to transfer the money to Lenny, but things quickly go awry when two crooks known as Mumbles (Idris Elba) and One Two (Butler) intercept the money before it reaches him. To make matters worse, the lucky painting has mysteriously been stolen, and the number one suspect is a crack-addicted pop star, Johnny Quid, who is presumed dead. Violent hijinks ensue as Lenny desperately tries to locate the painting, Uri calls in some sadistic thugs to recover his money, and Johnny Quid suddenly resurfaces. Men are battered with golf clubs, fed to crawfish, and attacked with machetes, and a surprise twist ending neatly ties up the whole bloody mess. Fans of Ritchie will likely be very pleased to see him return to his SNATCH-style of filmmaking. ROCKNROLLA has the same frenetic, humorous edge as the film that made him famous, though critics might complain that this particular style is starting to look a little dusty. Regardless, ROCKNROLLA features many fine performances, and once you get past the rather slow beginning, it kicks off into an entertaining and amusing romp.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rocknrolla/

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Splinter

Rated: R
Runtime: N/A
Release Date: Oct 31, 2008 (Limited)
Starring: Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner
Director: Toby Wilkins

Synopsis
A young couple retreats to the wilderness for a romantic camping weekend, but their idyll is shattered when they are car-jacked by an escaped convict and his girlfriend on the run from the police. As the foursome travel the back roads... A young couple retreats to the wilderness for a romantic camping weekend, but their idyll is shattered when they are car-jacked by an escaped convict and his girlfriend on the run from the police.

As the foursome travel the back roads together, each plotting their next move, they find themselves in deeper trouble than any of them could have imagined -- a blood-crazed, parasitic creature that absorbs the corpses of its victims has laid claim to the woods, and the two couples are now in its sights.

Finding shelter at an abandoned gas station, they must use their wits and every weapon at their disposal to stave off the onslaught, not only from the insatiable creature, but also each other....

The feature film debut from award-winning British horror director Toby Wilkins, Splinter is an exhilarating ride of jolts and laughs, and a throw back to the classic creature features of the early 70s and 80s.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10010329-splinter/

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Appaloosa (2008)

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for some violence and language
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Genre: Westerns
Theatrical Release: Sep 19, 2008 Limited
Box Office: $10,867,693
Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen
Director: Ed Harris

Synopsis
Actor Ed Harris takes only his second stab at directing, following the Oscar-winning feature POLLOCK (2000) with this spirited western. Harris draws on a strong cast, many of whom have acted with him in previous films, to tell the story of... Actor Ed Harris takes only his second stab at directing, following the Oscar-winning feature POLLOCK (2000) with this spirited western. Harris draws on a strong cast, many of whom have acted with him in previous films, to tell the story of two gunfighters attempting to bring peace to the small town of Appaloosa in the late 1800s. Virgil Cole (Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) ride into the windswept New Mexico town and are hired to bring vigilante entrepreneur Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) to justice. Bragg has imposed a reign of terror over Appaloosa, but his murderous actions are tempered when Cole and Hitch take control. Matters get complicated when widower Allison French (Renee Zellweger) flounces into town and variously woos Cole, Hitch, and Bragg, allowing Harris to throw in a few neat twists as his two principal characters attempt to bring the miscreant entrepreneur to justice. APPALOOSA is a slow-moving and beautifully shot feature that perfectly translates the dusky New Mexico landscape to celluloid. The film stands shoulder to shoulder with 21st-century westerns such as THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD and THE PROPOSITON, and much like those films Harris's feature draws heavily on deeply affecting performances from his leads. Irons is particularly affecting as the baleful Bragg, who brings a real air of menace to the screen any time he appears on camera. The nuanced turns by Harris and Mortensen play like a master class in subtlety, with the two seasoned actors perfectly delivering two stoic characters who are masking a lifetime of pain and suffering. Harris's feature is a welcome addition to the fold of introspective westerns, effortlessly standing alongside similar efforts such as Clint Eastwood's UNFORGIVEN or James Mangold's 3:10 TO YUMA.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10008785-appaloosa/

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Max Payne

Director: John Moore
Writers (WGA): Beau Thorne (screenplay) Sam Lake (video game by Remedy Entertainment and 3-D Realms Entertainment)
Release Date: 15 October 2008
Genre: Action | Crime | Drama

Synopsis:
Coming together to solve a series of murders in New York City are a DEA agent (Wahlberg) whose family was slain as part of a conspiracy and an assassin (Kunis) out to avenge her sister's death. The duo will be hunted by the police, the mob, and a ruthless corporation

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467197/

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Fast and Furious 4

Synopsis
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed -- "Fast and Furious." Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.

When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

- From "TheHollywoodNews.com"

Director: Justin Lin
Writers (WGA): Chris Morgan (written by), Gary Scott Thompson (characters)
Release Date: 12 June 2009 (USA) more
Genre: Action

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1013752/synopsis

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Eagle Eye Review

Thanks for checking out our Eagle Eye review. Eagle Eye was a project I first heard about because it was the film that Rosario Dawson turned down the lead role in Zack and Miri Make A Porno for, and because I loved her so much in the last Kevin Smith film she appeared in (Clerks 2), I was instantly bitter against Eagle Eye and I had unfair negative feelings about the project ever since.

However, as we’ve gotten closer and closer to the Eagle Eye release date I found myself getting won over a little bit… not a lot, but a little. Enough that by the time I was heading to the movie theater to see it, I was actually mildly looking forward to it. Did it deserve to get off my bitterness list? As it turns out… yeah.

THE GENERAL IDEA
The synopsis for Eagle Eye looks something like this: “Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) returns home after the mysterious death of his successful twin brother. He and a single mother, Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan), find out that they have been framed as terrorists, and they are threatened into becoming members of a cell tasked to assassinate a politician.” Not a bad premise for a post-summer action flick.

THE GOOD
There is a lot of backlash going on around Shia LaBeouf and for the life of me I can’t understand why. All Shia LaBeouf has done is pretty much nail each role he’s been in about as well as they could be done. Yes Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was a let down, but his character was a bad character to start with and he did as much as could be done to salvage it. In Eagle Eye, he once again pulls off the whole “average guy who gets caught up in an action situation”, and pulls it off well. He never suddenly feels like an action hero which many other actors in these rolls often fall into and he made the whole situation believable to me.

The action sequences in Eagle Eye were surprisingly KICK ASS. I expected a quasi political/techno thriller, but some of the action chases, be they on foot or in cars were truly heart pounding and executed with a lot of visual excitement. The car chases in particular were really well done with a few elements that I’ve never seen used in a car chase before.

The whole plot device of this mysterious voice on the phone (heard in all the trailers) screwing with and at the same time “helping” Shia through the movie was cool and pretty damn interesting to… up to a point, but I’ll go into that more later.

THE BAD
Some of the little devices and escapes they used in the film were a bit too much and crossed the boarder between “creative” and “ridiculous”, between “exciting” and “eye rolling”. The most unfortunate part about that is that a few of these over the top moments would happen in the middle of an otherwise cool and well done action sequence that would almost ruin it for me and pull me out of the moment.

Easily the worst part of the movie for me was the big “reveal” that happens about half way through the movie giving us the identity of the “bad guy”. It was beyond stupid and added a big squirt of sour to the flavor of the res of the movie. I almost wish that they hadn’t revealed the villain until the very end of the movie. Yes it would have ruined the end… but at least I could have blissfully gone through the rest of the flick imagining a GOOD ending until the big disappointment hit me before the credits rolled.

OVERALL
In the end, Eagle Eye turned out to be a respectable post-summer action flick with a solid performance by LaBeouf to carry it through, despite some far too over the top devices scattered throughout the film and a horribly lame bad guy. Still, had me on the edge of my seat a few times and in general I was entertained. Overall I give Eagle Eye a 7 out of 10.

Source: http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/09/eagle-eye-review

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The Express (2008)

Based on a true story, The Express follows the extraordinary life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. His fight for equality and respect forever changed the face of American sports, and his story continues to inspire new generations. Raised in poverty in Pennsylvania coal-mining country, Davis hurdled social and economic obstacles to become one of the greatest running backs in college football history. Under the guidance of legendary Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, he became a hero who superseded Jim Brown’s achievements and set records that stand to this day.

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Body of Lies (2008)

"Body of Lies" Synopsis: Based on Washington Post columnist David Ignatius' 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio), who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network, he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the collegial, but perhaps suspect, head of Jordanian intelligence. Although ostensibly his allies, Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting his entire operation - and his life - on the line.

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